Need to annotate a screenshot, circle part of a photo, or add text and arrows to an image? The iPhone’s Markup feature lets you draw, highlight, write, and add shapes directly to your photos and screenshots—without needing third-party apps.
Whether you’re a student highlighting notes, a designer sketching feedback, or simply trying to show someone something on a photo, the Markup tool is simple yet powerful.
This complete guide explains how to mark up photos and screenshots on your iPhone, use drawing tools, add text and shapes, and save or share your edited images.
✏️ What Is Markup on iPhone?
Markup is Apple’s built-in annotation tool that allows you to:
- Draw with your finger or Apple Pencil (on supported models)
- Add text boxes, arrows, and shapes
- Highlight or magnify parts of an image
- Use signature and color tools
- Undo/redo edits before saving
Markup works in Photos, Messages, Files, Mail, Notes, and Screenshots.
📸 How to Mark Up a Photo in the Photos App
✅ Steps:
- Open the Photos app.
- Select the photo you want to mark up.
- Tap Edit in the top-right corner.
- Tap the Markup icon (a pen tip inside a circle) — it appears after tapping Edit.
- Use the toolbar at the bottom to:
- Draw with pen, pencil, or highlighter
- Add text, shapes, or signature
- Change colors and line thickness
- Tap Done when finished.
- Tap Done again to save your changes.
Note: You can undo each stroke with the Undo arrow at the top left.
🖼️ How to Mark Up a Screenshot
When you take a screenshot, the iPhone immediately lets you edit it.
✅ Steps:
- Take a screenshot:
- Press Side + Volume Up (Face ID iPhones)
- Press Home + Side button (Touch ID models)
- Tap the screenshot thumbnail that appears in the corner.
- The image opens with the Markup tools ready to use.
- Use the pen, highlighter, shapes, text, or signature tools.
- Tap Done.
- Choose Save to Photos, Save to Files, or Delete Screenshot.
🧰 Markup Tools Overview
| Tool | Description |
| ✏️ Pen | Solid freehand drawing |
| 🖍️ Marker | Thick semi-transparent lines |
| 🖋️ Pencil | Precise sketch-style strokes |
| ✂️ Eraser | Erase part or whole stroke |
| 👆 Lasso | Select and move drawn elements |
| 🅰️ Text | Add editable text boxes |
| 🔳 Shapes | Add rectangles, circles, arrows, speech bubbles |
| 🔍 Magnifier | Zoom in on a selected part of the image |
| 🖋️ Signature | Insert stored or new signatures |
| 🎨 Color Picker | Choose from 5 preset colors or custom shades |
| ⚙️ Line Options | Adjust stroke thickness and opacity |
📝 How to Add Text or Shapes
Add Text:
- Tap the + icon in the bottom-right.
- Tap Text.
- A text box appears. Tap it to edit.
- Drag to move it.
- Tap Aa to change font, size, and alignment.
Add Shapes:
- Tap the + icon > choose Shape (arrow, circle, square, speech bubble).
- Drag to resize or move.
- Use blue dots to reshape or rotate.
- Tap the shape to change line weight or fill style.
🧠 Tips and Tricks
- Undo/Redo: Use the curved arrows at the top to undo or redo each action.
- Move Drawings: Use the Lasso tool to select and move doodles or annotations.
- Zoom in for precision: Pinch to zoom in while marking up for detailed work.
- Use Face ID to secure marked-up content: Save confidential drawings in Notes and lock the note using Face ID.
📁 Marking Up Files and Documents
You can also use Markup to annotate PDFs, scanned documents, and images in Files or Mail.
In the Files App:
- Open a PDF or image.
- Tap the Markup icon in the top-right corner.
- Use tools to annotate.
- Tap Done to save changes.
In Mail:
- Tap to compose or reply to an email.
- Insert a photo or PDF attachment.
- Tap the attachment > Markup.
- Annotate and tap Done > Send.
🧹 How to Remove Markup (If Needed)
You can’t undo markup after saving and closing unless you:
- Use Revert to Original in the Photos app (removes all edits).
- Keep an unedited copy before marking up.
- Work on a duplicate image if you want to preserve the original.
To revert:
- Open the marked-up photo in Photos.
- Tap Edit > Revert > Revert to Original.
⚠️ This removes all edits, including filters and markup.
📋 Summary Table
| Task | Steps |
| Mark up a photo | Photos app > Edit > Markup icon |
| Mark up a screenshot | Tap screenshot thumbnail > Use markup tools |
| Add text | Tap + > Text > Edit box |
| Add shapes | Tap + > Choose shape |
| Undo/Redo | Tap curved arrows at top |
| Save or share | Tap Done > Save to Photos or Files |
| Revert edits | Photos app > Edit > Revert |
✅ Final Thoughts
Apple’s Markup tool on iPhone is a hidden gem that brings productivity, creativity, and privacy together. Whether you’re sketching an idea, highlighting something important, or annotating a document, the built-in tools are easy to use and surprisingly powerful. Best of all, they work across multiple apps—Photos, Files, Mail, Notes, and more.
By learning to use Markup, you can turn any photo, screenshot, or file into a canvas for communication, education, or creativity—all from your iPhone.
Meta Description:
Learn how to mark up photos and screenshots on your iPhone. Use drawing tools, shapes, text, and annotations with this complete guide to the Markup feature in iOS.
