jQuery plugin DataTables: How to highlight the current search text?

I have started using the DataTables plugin (v1.6.2) for jQuery(v1.4.2), and I would like to ask you if you know a settings or a plugin that allow me to highlight the text used in search textbox on the filtered rows.

Thank you in advance

I would have to suggest the highlight plugin :)

I'm using this in about the same scenario right now, it's given me no issues thus far.

The usage is pretty simple:

$("#myTable").highlight($("#searchBox").val());

Just put the highlight CSS class in your stylesheet styles like you want and that's it:

.highlight { background-color: yellow }

I know that this question is now over 6 years old and the answers here may helped you at the time of asking. But for people still searching for this, there is a new plugin to integrate mark.js – a JavaScript keyword highlighter – into DataTables: datatables.mark.js.

Usage is as simple as:

$("table").DataTables({
    mark: true
});

Here is an example: https://jsfiddle.net/julmot/buh9h2r8/

This is the cleanest way and also gives you options none of the given solutions offers you.

There's now an official DataTables blog article available.