diff --git a/.chronus/changes/astro-utils-search-highlights.md b/.chronus/changes/astro-utils-search-highlights.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..9f61fdd2f90
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.chronus/changes/astro-utils-search-highlights.md
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+---
+changeKind: feature
+packages:
+  - "@typespec/astro-utils"
+---
+
+Highlight search terms on destination pages using Pagefind's built-in highlighting. Search links preserve heading anchors, and scoped searches highlight the terms without the selector prefix.
+
+```text
+api: isHttpFile
+-> https://typespec.io/docs/libraries/http/reference/typekits/?highlight=ishttpfile#ishttpfile
+```
diff --git a/packages/astro-utils/README.md b/packages/astro-utils/README.md
index a24e0faac6b..b461b5af001 100644
--- a/packages/astro-utils/README.md
+++ b/packages/astro-utils/README.md
@@ -24,6 +24,15 @@ The component uses the site's base path, Fluent theme tokens, and Starlight sear
 (with English defaults on non-Starlight pages). It supports Up/Down result navigation and
 Enter activation, and avoids favoring short generated API pages over longer documentation.
 
+### Highlighting result pages
+
+Search result links include a `highlight` query parameter. On the destination page,
+the component loads Pagefind's built-in highlighting script to mark matching text
+in the indexed content. Heading links retain their anchors, and scoped searches
+highlight the search terms without the `api:` or `all:` selector.
+
+Pages without a highlight query and development mode do not load the highlighting script.
+
 ### Search scopes
 
 Use `<Search scopes />` for prefix-based search:
diff --git a/packages/astro-utils/src/components/search.astro b/packages/astro-utils/src/components/search.astro
index 93b1c31928f..db4dbf0699c 100644
--- a/packages/astro-utils/src/components/search.astro
+++ b/packages/astro-utils/src/components/search.astro
@@ -121,6 +121,7 @@ const devWarning =
         window.PagefindComponents.configureInstance("default", {
           baseUrl,
           bundlePath,
+          highlightParam: "highlight",
           ranking: {
             // Avoid favoring short generated API pages over guides and decorator references.
             pageLength: 0,
@@ -266,6 +267,10 @@ const devWarning =
         }
         const template = document.querySelector(".pagefind-search template");
         template.replaceWith(template.content.cloneNode(true));
+        if (new URLSearchParams(window.location.search).get("highlight")) {
+          await import(`${bundlePath}pagefind-highlight.js`);
+          new window.PagefindHighlight({ highlightParam: "highlight" });
+        }
       </script>
     </>
   ) : (