How to annotate a map
To annotate a map, pick the method that matches what your map actually is. For a live Google Map: open My Maps, add markers and descriptions, and share the link. For a map image or screenshot: open it in Preview on Mac or Snipping Tool on Windows and add text labels or arrows. For a PDF site plan: annotate it in your browser or Preview. To collect location notes from a client, share a link they can mark up without creating any account.
Add pins and labels in Google My Maps
Go to mymaps.google.com and click Create a new map. Use the marker tool to drop a pin, then click the pin to add a title and description — you can include images, links, or rich text. Group pins into layers to toggle categories on and off (for example, 'Proposed locations' vs 'Existing sites'). When you're done, click Share and set access to 'Anyone with the link.' Collaborators can view the annotations without a Google account; they need one only if you give them edit access. The map stays live — updates appear immediately for anyone on the link.
Annotate a map screenshot on Mac (Preview)
Take a screenshot of the map area you need to annotate (Shift ⌘ 4 to drag a selection). Open the PNG in Preview, then press Shift ⌘ A to show the Markup Toolbar. Use the text tool to add location labels, the arrow tool to point to specific spots, and the shapes tool to circle or box an area. Save with ⌘ S — annotations are flattened into the image. For editable notes you can reposition later, export to PDF first (File → Export as PDF) and annotate the PDF instead.
Annotate a map image on Windows (Snipping Tool + Paint)
Use Snipping Tool (Win + Shift + S) to capture the map, then open the capture in Paint. The Text tool adds location labels; the Shapes and Line tools draw arrows or boundary boxes. Hold Shift while drawing a line to keep it straight. Save as PNG. Limitation shared with Preview: annotations are baked in permanently, so keep the original screenshot as a backup before marking up.
Mark up a PDF site plan or map export
PDF is the most common format for site plans, urban planning maps, and architectural location maps. In a browser: drag the PDF onto a tab — Chrome and Edge both show a toolbar with highlight and text-note tools. On Mac: open in Preview (Shift ⌘ A for markup). On Windows: open in Edge and use the built-in annotation bar. For a document you need to pass around for sign-off, PDF annotation keeps all notes in a single file. The catch: if multiple people annotate their own copies, you end up reconciling four separate files.
When a client needs to mark up specific locations
The steps above work when you are doing the annotating. When you need a client to tell you which location they mean — 'the corner near the café,' 'that intersection,' 'the back boundary' — the process breaks down fast. Emailing a file means they open it in whatever they have, draw red circles, screenshot their screen, and email a new file back. You end up with four annotated copies and a vague description. A shared link they can open in a browser, click the exact spot, and leave a pinned note is a cleaner path: every location comment lands in one place, anchored to the spot they clicked.
If you are sharing a map — a site plan, location export, or screenshot — so a client can tell you which spots need attention, drop the file into Drafty and share the link. Your client clicks the exact location on the map and leaves a note pinned there. No Google account, no downloaded file, no 'the bit near the left side.' Every note lands in one thread, anchored to the spot they clicked, and you reply and share an updated version on the same URL.
Open a live demoQuestions
- What does it mean to annotate a map?
- Annotating a map means adding labels, notes, pins, or markings to specific locations to explain or highlight them — from a handwritten name on a printed map to rich-text descriptions pinned to digital markers in Google My Maps.
- How do I annotate a map in Google Maps?
- You cannot add persistent annotations to the main Google Maps app, but Google My Maps (mymaps.google.com) lets you drop pins with titles and descriptions, draw lines, and add shapes. Sign in, create a new map, use the marker or drawing tools, and share the link. Collaborators can view annotations without a Google account.
- Can multiple people annotate the same map online?
- In Google My Maps, yes — share the link with edit access and multiple collaborators can add or update pins simultaneously. For a static map image or PDF, you need a review tool that supports multiple reviewers commenting on a shared link; otherwise each person annotates their own copy and you end up reconciling separate files.
- How do I add notes to a map and share it?
- In Google My Maps: add your markers and descriptions, click Share, and set access to 'Anyone with the link.' For a map image or PDF: annotate with your markup tool, then share the file or upload it to a shareable link. If the recipient needs to reply to specific locations — not just view your notes — use a tool that supports pinned comments on a link.
- How do I annotate a map on my phone?
- On iPhone, take a screenshot of the map, open it in Photos, and tap Edit → the pencil icon to enter Markup mode. Add text, arrows, and shapes, then share the image. On Android, use Google Photos → Edit → Markup. For pinning notes to a map document a client can reply to, a browser-based review link works on phone without any app.
- Can someone annotate my map without creating an account?
- In Google My Maps, viewers can see your annotations without an account, but leaving their own requires a Google account. For PDF and image maps, recipients can annotate locally in Preview or Paint — no account needed — but their notes stay in their own file, not yours. A shared review link is the only way to collect their location notes back into a single place without requiring any signup.
Keep exploring
Stop emailing files back and forth.
Share one link. They comment on the exact spot — no account, always the current version.