How to markup a screenshot (and actually get feedback back)
To markup a screenshot, open it in Preview on Mac (Shift ⌘ A reveals the toolbar), in Snipping Tool on Windows, or tap the thumbnail right after capture on iPhone. Add arrows, shapes, and text notes, then save as PNG. To get your client's feedback on the same image without a file-bouncing loop, share a link they can annotate directly in their browser — no account, no download.
On Mac — Preview's built-in markup toolbar
Open the screenshot in Preview (macOS opens it there by default). Press Shift ⌘ A to reveal the Markup Toolbar — or go to View → Show Markup Toolbar. You get arrows, shapes, a text tool, a highlight pen, and a magnifier. For crisp arrows that don't look hand-drawn, use the Shape tool's arrow option and drag from tail to tip. One gotcha designers run into: Preview renders arrows with a very thin default stroke — change the line thickness in the border dropdown before exporting, otherwise your markup reads poorly at 72dpi. Save with ⌘ S before closing; annotations aren't embedded until you save.
On Windows — Snipping Tool or Snip & Sketch
Press Windows + Shift + S to capture and immediately get a small editing canvas with a pen and text tool. For a screenshot you already saved, open it in the Snipping Tool (search 'Snipping Tool' in Start), click the pencil icon, and annotate in place. If you need numbered call-outs — the kind that match a feedback list you're sending alongside the image — the free open-source tool ShareX adds numbered badges, blur boxes, and highlight rectangles without a subscription. Export as PNG rather than JPEG; JPEG re-compresses arrow edges and makes text notes blurry.
On iPhone — tap the thumbnail before it disappears
Take a screenshot (Power + Volume Up on Face ID iPhones; Power + Home on older models). Tap the small thumbnail that appears in the bottom-left corner before it slides away — this opens Apple Markup immediately, before the screenshot saves to Photos. You get a pen, highlighter, shapes, and a text box. The text box is the one designers miss: tap the + button at the bottom right to add it. Tap Done to save, then share directly from the sheet. If you miss the thumbnail, find the screenshot in Photos, tap Edit, and the Markup pencil icon is in the top-right corner.
In a browser — no install, any platform
For a quick markup without any software, browser-based tools like Markup Hero and Annotely let you drag a screenshot in, add arrows and text, and download the annotated PNG. Useful for one-off markups you're not planning to share for feedback. The limit: the result is still a flat image. If your client needs to add their own notes on top, they have to screenshot your marked-up screenshot, annotate that, and send it back. By round two you're looking at a fourth-generation JPEG with illegible text. For anything that needs a real back-and-forth, a shared review link works better than swapping image files.
When your client needs to mark it up and send it back
The standard loop — annotate a Figma export, save as PNG, email it — breaks down the moment you need the client's markup on top of yours. They open the PNG in Preview or Photos, draw red circles, and email you a new file. You now have two annotated versions of the same screenshot and no clear mapping between them. A cleaner approach: upload the screenshot to a shared review link. Your client opens the URL, clicks the exact element they mean, and leaves a pinned note. Their comment arrives attached to the pixel they pointed at — not a vague blob in the general area of the button.
If the goal is getting your client's feedback on a design — not creating a marked-up asset for docs — skip the export-and-email loop. Drop the screenshot into Drafty, share the link, and your client clicks the exact spot they mean and pins a note right there. No account, no download. Their comments arrive threaded and anchored to the element. You push a revised version on the same link; they see the update in place. The five-email chain of annotated PNGs becomes one URL.
Open a live demoQuestions
- How do I markup a screenshot on a Mac?
- Open the screenshot in Preview (macOS default viewer), then press Shift ⌘ A to reveal the Markup Toolbar. You get arrows, shapes, a text tool, and a highlight pen — all free, nothing to install. Increase the line thickness from the default before exporting so annotations are legible when the image is scaled down. Save with ⌘ S.
- How do I markup a screenshot on Windows for free?
- Press Windows + Shift + S to capture and immediately annotate in Snipping Tool. For an existing screenshot, open it in Snipping Tool or Paint, use the shape and text tools, and export as PNG. Free tools like ShareX add numbered call-outs and blur boxes on Windows without a subscription.
- How do I markup a screenshot on my iPhone?
- Tap the thumbnail that appears in the bottom-left corner right after taking the screenshot. This opens Apple's Markup tool immediately. Add arrows, text, and shapes, then tap Done. If you miss the thumbnail, open the screenshot in Photos, tap Edit, and select the Markup icon at the top right.
- What is the best free tool to markup a screenshot online?
- Markup Hero and Annotely both work in the browser — drag in a screenshot, add annotations, download the result. No account required for basic use. These are good for one-directional markup; if you need the other person to annotate the same image back, a shared review link avoids the file-bouncing problem.
- How do I share a marked-up screenshot so my client can annotate it back?
- Upload the screenshot to a shared review link rather than emailing a PNG file. Your client opens the URL, clicks the element they mean, and leaves a pinned note — no account, no download. You get their feedback anchored to the exact pixel instead of a separate marked-up image to reconcile.
- Why does my annotated screenshot look blurry after emailing?
- Most email clients and messaging apps re-compress images as JPEG, which blurs sharp edges like arrows and text annotations. Export your markup as PNG before attaching it — PNG is lossless and preserves crisp edges. Better still, share a review link instead of attaching a file; the image never gets re-compressed in transit.
Keep exploring
Stop emailing files back and forth.
Share one link. They comment on the exact spot — no account, always the current version.