# Will elasticsearch highlight any matching field?

**URL:** <https://discuss.elastic.co/t/will-elasticsearch-highlight-any-matching-field/93202>\
**Category:** Elasticsearch\
**Created:** [July 14, 2017, 1:59pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/will-elasticsearch-highlight-any-matching-field/93202 "2017-07-14T13:59:13Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![initproto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/74df32/32.png) [@initproto](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/initproto)\
**Post date:** [July 14, 2017, 1:59pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/will-elasticsearch-highlight-any-matching-field/93202/1 "2017-07-14T13:59:13Z")

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Hi,  
I am on ES 5.2.x and no matter what I try, I cannot get ES to highlight on a matched field when using "\_all" as the field indicator for a query. I specify "\*" in the highlight clause, but no highlights returned.

What I want is to return highlights on matching fields WITHOUT having to know in advance what fields those are.

Since I can specify "\_all" for a field, I would think this would happen automatically. But it doesn't.

Is it possible?

thanks

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![system](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/original/3X/1/a/1ac57faf039f6b580b3f104ef42a2a89e41014de.png) [@system](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/system)\
**Post date:** [August 11, 2017, 1:59pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/will-elasticsearch-highlight-any-matching-field/93202/2 "2017-08-11T13:59:25Z")

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