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macOS⏱ 3 min

How to Annotate a Screenshot on macOS

Add arrows, text, and highlights to a screenshot using built-in tools.

Last verified: February 21, 2026

macOS Markup is one of the most capable built-in annotation tools across any OS, offering arrows, shapes, text boxes, speech bubbles, magnifier circles, signatures, and pixelation in a single toolbar. It appears automatically as a floating thumbnail after every screenshot, or you can access it by opening any image in Preview and clicking the Markup toolbar icon. One underrated feature is the Instant Alpha tool, which removes solid-colour backgrounds from images so you can overlay annotated screenshots cleanly into presentations.

Quick Steps

Follow in order for the fastest result.

  1. 1Take a screenshot and click the floating thumbnail to open Markup. Use the toolbar to add arrows, text boxes, shapes, and highlights.
  2. 2Add callout arrows and text labels to draw clear attention to specific areas.
  3. 3Save or share the annotated image using the Done / Share button in the editor.

Still Not Working?

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Frequently Asked Questions

Can I annotate a screenshot on macOS without installing anything?
Yes. Click the screenshot thumbnail immediately after capturing it to open Markup, which has arrows, text, shapes, magnifier, and signature tools.
How do I add an arrow to a screenshot on macOS?
Open Markup on the screenshot and click the Shapes button (rectangle icon) in the toolbar. Select the arrow shape and drag it onto the image.
How do I blur or hide sensitive information in a screenshot?
In Markup, draw a filled rectangle in a solid colour over the sensitive area. True pixelation requires a third-party tool like Skitch.
Does annotating a screenshot on macOS overwrite the original?
Built-in annotation tools save the annotated version as the same file by default. If you need both the original and annotated version, duplicate the file first before opening it for editing.

Same task, different device

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