PaintStudio

Draw on an image

Mark up a screenshot, circle a spot on a map or sketch over a photo. The Brush is ready the moment your image opens, with arrows, shapes and a highlighter effect close at hand.

Drop an image here

or paste it from the clipboard · PNG, JPG, WebP, HEIC, PSD…

How it works

  1. Drop your image — the Brush is ready to draw.
  2. Add a new layer, then draw with the Brush, Arrow, Rectangle or Ellipse.
  3. Click Export to download the marked-up image.

Annotating screenshots and plans

For tutorials and bug reports, the Arrow points at exactly the button you mean, and Rectangle or Ellipse in outline mode draws a clean frame around it; give the Rectangle rounded corners for a softer look. Line draws straight connections, and holding Shift constrains the angle of lines and the proportions of shapes. On maps and floor plans, mark a spot with the Ellipse or a room with the Rectangle, and switch to solid or both at a lower opacity to tint it. Polygon and Star fit a shape with 3 to 16 sides or points into the box you drag. Red or bright yellow at a medium size stands out on most backgrounds.

A highlighter effect

To mark text the way a highlighter pen does, choose a bright yellow, set the Brush or a solid Rectangle to low opacity — around 40% — and set the layer’s blend mode to Multiply in the Layers panel. Multiply only darkens, so black text stays fully readable through the color instead of being covered. Keeping the highlights on their own layer lets you change their opacity or delete them later without touching the screenshot underneath.

Freehand drawing on photos

The Brush has size, opacity, hardness and smoothing controls and responds to pen pressure from a tablet or stylus. Smoothing steadies shaky mouse strokes, and hardness decides between a crisp and a soft edge. The Pencil gives hard, pixel-sharp lines, the Airbrush builds up color gradually, and the Eraser removes strokes. Press [ and ] to change the brush size quickly. Drawing on a separate layer means the photo underneath is never touched.

Frequently asked questions

How do I draw an arrow on a picture?

Select the Arrow tool, pick a color in the Color panel and drag from where the arrow should start to where it should point. Adjust its size in the tool options, and hold Shift while dragging to constrain the arrow’s angle.

Can I erase my drawing without erasing the photo?

Yes, if you drew on a separate layer. Add a new layer before drawing; the Eraser then removes only your strokes, and you can hide or delete the whole layer at any time. If you drew straight onto the photo, use Undo instead.

Does it work with Apple Pencil or a drawing tablet?

Yes. The Brush reacts to pen pressure, so strokes respond to how hard you press, as long as the browser passes pressure data through. Touch and stylus input work on tablets and touch screens as well.

Related tools