Loading tool…
A screenshot with one arrow and a short note explains a problem faster than a paragraph. Paste or drop an image, then add arrows, boxes, highlights, labels and numbered steps that stay editable until you download. Everything runs in your browser.
Processing locally on your device
Overview
Good annotation directs attention with a small, consistent set of marks. Arrows point at the thing that matters, rectangles and ellipses outline an area, numbered markers show the order of steps, and short text labels say what to do. A highlighter is the natural choice for text in screenshots: this one draws a wide stroke at half opacity with a multiply blend, so dark text underneath stays perfectly legible, just as with a real marker pen.
Every mark is a separate vector object, not paint baked into the photo. Switch to Select (V) and you can click any arrow, box or label, drag it somewhere else, recolour it, change its stroke width or font size, or press Delete to remove it. Undo and redo cover each step (Ctrl+Z, Ctrl+Shift+Z or Ctrl+Y), the arrow keys nudge the selection, and holding Shift while drawing snaps lines to 45° and makes perfect squares and circles. Numbered markers count up on their own: the next one is always one higher than the highest marker on the image.
The image is shown scaled to fit your screen, but every pointer position is converted into the image’s own pixel grid, so marks land exactly where you click on a 4K screenshot as well as on a small photo. Stroke widths, font sizes and marker sizes scale with the image (one unit is about a thousandth of the long side), so a width of 4 looks the same on a 1280 px screenshot and a 6000 px photo.
On export the annotations are flattened onto the image at its full original resolution. PNG is the default because it is lossless and keeps interface text and thin lines crisp. JPG and WebP, with a quality slider, give smaller files for photos. You can also copy the result straight to the clipboard as a PNG and paste it into a chat, ticket or document. The image is re-encoded, so EXIF metadata such as GPS location isn’t carried over.
| Tool | Shortcut | Best for | Tip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arrow | A | Pointing at a control or detail | Hold Shift to snap to 45° |
| Rectangle / Ellipse | R / E | Outlining an area | Turn on fill for a translucent wash |
| Numbered step | N | Step-by-step instructions | Place in reading order |
| Highlighter | H | Emphasizing text | Yellow on light backgrounds |
| Text | T | Short labels | Enable label background on busy images |
| Pen | P | Freehand circling and underlines | Thicker strokes read better when scaled down |
Paste a screenshot with Ctrl+V, drop an image onto the page, or browse for a file.
Pick a tool from the toolbar: pen, highlighter, arrow, line, rectangle, ellipse, text or numbered step.
Choose a colour, stroke width, fill, font size or marker size, then draw on the image.
Switch to Select to move, restyle or delete any annotation, and use undo or redo as needed.
Choose PNG, JPG or WebP and click Download, or copy the annotated image to the clipboard.
Use cases
Paste the screenshot, draw a red box around the broken button and add a two-word label. Developers see the problem at a glance instead of decoding a long description, and the PNG export keeps every pixel of the interface sharp.
Drop numbered markers on a settings screen in the order users should click, then match the numbers in your written instructions. Markers number themselves, so you can focus on placing them.
Highlight a headline, circle a spacing issue and point an arrow at the wrong colour on a mockup, then copy the result to the clipboard and paste it straight into Slack or a review thread.
Label parts of a diagram, map or photo for slides and worksheets. Text labels with a solid background stay readable even on busy photos.
Pro tips
Answers to common questions about the image annotator.
Yes. Choose the Select tool (or press V), click the annotation and drag it, change its colour, width or size in the sidebar, or press Delete. Double-click a text label, or click it with the Text tool, to edit its wording.
Each new marker takes the next number after the highest one already on the image, starting at 1. If you delete the last marker, the next one reuses its number.
It draws a wide stroke at half opacity with a multiply blend, which darkens the colours underneath instead of painting over them. Black text stays black and white areas turn the highlight colour.
Yes. Annotations are drawn onto the image at its full original resolution, whatever size the preview is shown at on screen.
Not directly. The Image Redactor covers sensitive areas with pixelation, blur or solid boxes that are baked into the pixels. Redact first, then annotate the redacted copy.
No. ToolEnhancer processes files on your own device inside the browser. They are never sent to, stored on or seen by our servers.
Yes. The image annotator is free to use with no sign-up, no watermarks and no daily limits.
Crop images to any size or aspect ratio.
Resize by pixels, percentage or social presets.
Rotate 90°/180° or mirror images.
Adjust light, colour and effects with live GPU preview.
Apply .cube LUTs and cinematic presets.
Compose images, text and shapes with layers and blend modes.