How to annotate a product photo for client review
To annotate a product photo, open the JPEG or PNG in macOS Preview (Shift ⌘ A for the markup toolbar) or upload it to Canva and use the text and shape tools — both are free. Add arrows, callout bubbles, and text labels pointing at the specific details you want the client to address. For client-side annotation — where the client marks up the photo and sends notes back — share a link they open in any browser and click to pin a comment. No software, no account on their end.
Mark it up in Preview on Mac
Drag the product JPEG or PNG onto Preview. Press Shift ⌘ A to open the Markup toolbar — arrows, shapes, a text tool, and a magnifier. Click the spot you want to flag: draw an arrow to the shadow edge, circle the label alignment, type a callout over the background. Save with ⌘ S. One gotcha: Preview flattens annotations into the file on save, so keep a copy of the original before you start — there's no separate annotation layer to toggle off later.
Annotate in Canva or Fotor (any platform)
Upload the product photo to Canva (free tier, no download) or Fotor. In Canva, click Add Element → Line or Text to place arrows and labels directly on the image. In Fotor, the Annotate mode gives you numbered callout bubbles — useful when listing specific edits (1. Crop tighter on the left, 2. Remove the shadow artifact near the handle). Download as PNG or PDF. Most clients can open these without any software. Keep the canvas dimensions the same as your original or the scale will confuse the client.
Export an annotated PDF for sign-off
If your product photo is in a layout — a look-book page, a packaging proof, a proposal — export the whole document as a PDF and annotate in Adobe Acrobat or macOS Preview. In Acrobat, open the Comment panel and click anywhere to pin a sticky note; clients can reply if they have Acrobat Reader (free). In Preview, open the PDF, press Shift ⌘ A, and add your callouts. PDFs open in any browser and preserve your exact proportions — the client sees the same layout you do, not a re-scaled JPEG in an email preview.
Share a link clients annotate themselves
Annotating for a client is different from having the client annotate for you. The common workaround — "circle what you mean in iMessage" — breaks fast. You get a screenshot of a screenshot, and "the fabric texture at the top-left" could mean three different things. A review link lets them open the product photo in a browser, click the exact detail they mean, and pin a note right there. Every comment lands anchored to the spot they intended, in one thread, rather than scattered across messages and email attachments.
If the goal is to collect your client's notes — not mark up the photo yourself — skip the email-and-screenshot loop. Drop the photo into Drafty, share the link, and your client clicks the exact spot they mean and pins a comment. No account, no download, works on phone or desktop. Instead of "the background looks off near the handle" you get a pinned note on the exact detail. Every comment lands in one thread, anchored to the spot, ready to reply to and resolve.
Open a live demoQuestions
- How do I annotate a product photo on a Mac for free?
- Open the JPEG or PNG in Preview and press Shift ⌘ A to open the markup toolbar. Add arrows, text callouts, and shapes to flag specific details. Save with ⌘ S. It's built into macOS — no download or account required.
- How do I let a client annotate a product photo without installing anything?
- Share it as a review link they open in any browser. They click the exact detail and pin a comment — no software, no account. Notes come back anchored to the spot they intended, not described in an email.
- What is the best way to annotate a product photo for client approval?
- For your own notes to the client, use numbered callout bubbles (Fotor or Canva work well) so each comment maps to a numbered point in your revision list. For collecting the client's notes back, a shared review link is cleaner than email — their clicks are anchored to the photo, not to a vague description.
- How do I annotate a product photo on Windows for free?
- Open the photo in the Snipping Tool and use the pen and highlighter. For text callouts and arrows, upload it to Canva in your browser — free, no account — and use the text and shape tools. Download as PNG.
- How do I keep all product photo feedback in one place?
- Email attachments are the culprit: each person marks up their own copy and you reconcile three different files. A shared review link means one photo, all comments in one thread — no versions to reconcile.
- Can I annotate a product photo on my phone?
- On iPhone, open in Photos, tap Edit → pencil icon for Markup. On Android, open in Google Photos, tap Edit → Markup for freehand drawing. For text callouts, the Canva app works on both. To collect client feedback on mobile, a shared link is simplest — they tap the spot and type a note.
Keep exploring
Stop emailing files back and forth.
Share one link. They comment on the exact spot — no account, always the current version.