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How to annotate an infographic

Quick answer

To annotate an infographic, export it as a PDF or image and open it in a tool that supports drawing or text notes — Preview on Mac, Adobe Acrobat, or a browser-based annotator. To collect feedback from a client on the exact element they mean, share a link they can mark up in their browser without downloading or installing anything.

Step 1

Add callouts inside your design tool (Canva, Figma, Illustrator)

If the infographic still lives in your design tool, annotate it before exporting. In Canva, use the Comment button (top right) to pin a note to any layer. In Figma, press C to drop a comment on any element. In Illustrator, add a text box on a separate locked layer called 'Annotations' — you can hide it before the final export. This works well for self-review or internal team notes before the file goes to a client.

Step 2

Export to PDF and annotate in your browser or Acrobat

Export the infographic as a PDF (File → Export → PDF in Canva or Illustrator; in Figma, right-click the frame → Copy as PDF). Open it in Chrome or Firefox — the built-in viewer shows a highlight and text-note tool in the top bar. Click the spot, add your note, then download the annotated copy. Adobe Acrobat's Comment panel adds sticky notes, callout boxes, and threaded replies if you have it. The catch: the client gets a new file each revision round, so you end up reconciling notes across multiple downloads.

Step 3

Use a browser-based image annotator (no software, any device)

If the infographic is a JPEG or PNG, drag it into a browser-based annotator — tools like Annotely let you add numbered pins, arrows, and text boxes, then download the result as a flat image. No account needed. One limit: markup is baked into the pixel layer, so your client can't reply to a specific pin. You'll still get email back asking which arrow you meant.

Step 4

Share a link your client can mark up directly

The steps above work when you're the one annotating. When you need the client to mark up — circle what they want changed, point to the stat that's wrong — the process breaks down. You email the file, they open it in whatever app is on their laptop, draw on it or write a paragraph describing the area, and send it back. Now you have two copies and a guessing game about 'the icon in the bottom section.' The cleaner path: share a link they open in a browser, click the exact element they mean, and leave a note pinned right there. No download, no re-emailing, no version confusion.

The faster way

If the goal is client feedback on the exact spot, drop the infographic into Drafty and share the link. They click the chart, the icon, the headline they want reworded, and a note pins right there. No account, no file bouncing back over email. Every note lands in one thread on the original.

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Questions

What does it mean to annotate an infographic?
It covers two different tasks: adding labels or callouts to the design itself (explaining a data point), and marking up what needs to change for a revision (a client pointing to the chart that's wrong). The first is part of creating the infographic; the second is part of getting feedback on it.
How do I annotate an infographic in Canva?
In Canva, use the Comment button (top right of the editor) to pin a sticky note to any element on the design. Or add a text box directly on the canvas — put it on a separate colour-coded layer so it's easy to delete before the final export. Canva also supports shared review links where collaborators can comment without editing the file.
How do I share an infographic so my client can annotate it?
Export it as a PDF or image and share a link to a review tool where your client can click the exact element and leave a pinned note — no download, no software. Emailing the file usually creates a version problem: the client annotates their copy, sends it back, and you end up guessing which paragraph they circled.
Can I annotate an infographic on my phone?
Yes. On iPhone, open the image in Photos, tap Edit → pencil icon (Markup). On Android, open it in Google Photos and tap Edit → Markup. For a client annotating from their phone, a browser-based review link is easier than asking them to export and re-email.
How do I add labels and callouts to an infographic?
Add them inside your design tool before exporting: a text box with an arrow in Canva or Figma, a callout shape in Illustrator. For data visualisations specifically, use the annotation panel in your charting tool — Flourish, Datawrapper, and Highcharts all have built-in options that add labels without touching the underlying data.
How do I collect infographic feedback without emailing the file back and forth?
Share a single review link rather than an attachment. Everyone marks up the same file, notes land in one place, and you avoid reconciling annotations across multiple downloaded copies. The most common mistake is sending a JPEG by email — the client describes what they mean in words, and you spend a round-trip trying to locate 'the bit with the arrows near the top.'

Keep exploring

Stop emailing files back and forth.

Share one link. They comment on the exact spot — no account, always the current version.