How to comment on a website
To comment on a website, use a proxy annotation tool: paste the URL, get a review link, and click any element to pin a note to it — no browser extension needed. For a quick one-off, a screenshot with red-circle annotations works, but comments drift off the actual page the moment anything shifts.
Screenshot + annotation (quickest, messiest)
Take a screenshot, open it in Preview, Canva, or Figma, draw arrows and add text boxes, then export and email it. This works when you only have one comment — but the moment the layout shifts, your annotations describe a version of the site that no longer exists. The designer has to guess which element you meant.
Browser DevTools (technical users only)
Right-click any element, choose 'Inspect', and use the DevTools console or 'Edit as HTML' to add temporary inline comments. These don't persist and don't share — useful for self-notes during development, not for client sign-off. Requires knowing your way around a browser console.
Browser extension (installs required)
Extensions like Loom's annotation layer or Hypothesis let you mark up any live page, but both sides need the same extension installed. Asking a client to install a Chrome extension before they can leave a comment is enough friction to make them send a Loom instead — and now you're transcribing their screen recording.
Proxy annotation link (no install, no account)
Paste the website URL into an annotation tool. You get back a review link — anyone who opens it sees the live site with commenting enabled. They click any element, type a note, and it pins right there. Works on desktop and phone. Tools like Drafty, Pastel, and Ruttl work this way. The only difference is whether the reviewer needs an account.
If you're a designer sharing a site for client review: drop the URL into Drafty and send the link. Your client clicks the exact element — the nav, the CTA, the footer copy — and leaves a note pinned right there, no account, no extension. You see every comment anchored to the spot in one thread. No screenshot, no red circle, no "the bit near the top."
Open a live demoQuestions
- Can I comment on a website without installing anything?
- Yes. Proxy annotation tools let you paste a URL, get a shareable review link, and comment by clicking directly on the page — no extension, no account for the reviewer.
- How do I let someone comment on my website without a login?
- Use a tool that supports guest commenting — you paste the URL, share the generated link, and reviewers can comment without creating an account. Drafty, Pastel, and Ruttl all work this way.
- How do I leave a comment on a specific part of a website?
- With a proxy annotation tool, hover the element you want to comment on and click — the note pins to that exact spot. Without a tool, you'd crop a screenshot of that section and add a text annotation, but the comment isn't attached to the live element.
- What is the easiest way to collect website feedback from a client?
- Send one review link they can open on their phone or laptop, click an element, and type. No install, no account. The harder you make it, the more likely they'll send a voice note instead.
- Does website commenting work on mobile?
- It depends on the tool. Screenshot annotations don't translate well to mobile. Proxy-based tools that load the site in a browser frame generally work on iOS and Android — check whether the tool you're using renders comments on touch screens.
- Can I comment on a website I don't own?
- Yes — proxy annotation tools work on any public URL. You paste the address, get a review link, and reviewers comment on the live site without needing access to the code or hosting.
Keep exploring
Stop emailing files back and forth.
Share one link. They comment on the exact spot — no account, always the current version.