Mark up files on Mac
Markup on your Mac lets you write, sign and draw on, or crop or rotate, PDF documents and images. If your iPhone or iPad is nearby, you can use Continuity Markup to mark up the file on your device — even using Apple Pencil on iPad — and instantly show the changes on your Mac.
To use Continuity features, your devices must have Wi-Fi and Bluetooth® turned on, and meet system requirements. See the Apple Support article Continuity features and requirements for Apple devices.
When using Quick Look on your Mac, click
. Or when using Quick Actions, choose Markup.
Markup is also available in various apps, such as Preview, Mail, Notes, TextEdit and Photos.
Use the tools listed below to mark up an image or a PDF document on your Mac.
The tools that are available vary depending on the type of file. If your iPhone or iPad is nearby, you can use Continuity Markup on your device to annotate a file.
If you don’t like your changes, click Revert to remove them, then try again.
Tip: To duplicate any shape, text or signature, press and hold the Option key while you drag an item; use the yellow guides to align the items. If you don’t like your changes and want to start over, click Revert.
Tool
Description
Sketch
Sketch a shape using a single stroke.
If your drawing is recognised as a standard shape, it’s replaced by that shape; to use your drawing instead, choose it from the palette that’s shown.
Draw
Draw a shape using a single stroke. Press your finger more firmly on the trackpad to draw with a heavier, darker line.
This tool appears only on computers with a Force Touch trackpad.
Shapes
Click a shape, then drag it where you want. To resize the shape, use the blue handles. If it has green handles, use them to alter the shape.
You can zoom and highlight shapes using these tools:
Loupe
To further magnify an area, you can create additional loupes and stack them, using the yellow guides to align them.
Highlight
: Drag the highlight where you want. To resize it, use the blue handles.
Text
Type your text, then drag the text box where you want.
Highlight Selection
Highlight selected text.
Sign
If signatures are listed, click one, then drag it where you want. To resize it, use the blue handles.
To create a new signature, click the Sign tool, click Create Signature if shown, then click how you want to create your signature:
Use a trackpad: Click Trackpad, click the text when asked, sign your name on the trackpad using your finger, press any key when you’re finished, then click Done. If you don’t like the results, click Clear, then try again.
If your trackpad supports it, press your finger more firmly on the trackpad to sign with a heavier, darker line.
Use your Mac computer’s built-in camera: Click Camera, hold your signature (on white paper) facing the camera so that your signature is level with the blue line in the window. When your signature appears in the window, click Done. If you don’t like the results, click Clear, then try again.
Use your iPhone or iPad: Click Select Device to choose a device (if more than one is available). On your device, use your finger or Apple Pencil (on iPad) to sign your name. If you don’t like the results, tap Clear, then try again. When you’re ready, tap Done.
If you use VoiceOver, you can add a description of a signature when you create one. This is especially useful if you create multiple signatures and need to distinguish between them to ensure you use the intended signature. Before you click or tap Done, click the Description pop-up menu, then choose a description, such as Initials, or choose Custom to create your own description. When you’re ready to sign a PDF document, navigate the list of signatures using VoiceOver. When you hear the description of the signature you want to use, press VO-Space bar.
If you use iCloud Drive, your signatures are available on your other Mac computers that have iCloud Drive turned on.
Shape Style
Change the thickness and type of lines used in a shape, and add a shadow.
Border Colour
Change the colour of the lines used in a shape.
Fill Colour
Change the colour that’s used inside a shape.
Text Style
Change the font or the font style and colour.
Rotate Left
or Rotate Right
Click
To rotate the item to the right, press and hold the Option key, then click
until you’re done rotating the item.
Crop
Hide part of an item. Drag the corner handles until just the area you want to keep is shown within the frame’s border. You can also drag the frame to reposition it. When you’re ready, click Crop.
Image Description
Enter, view or edit a description of an image. (The tool is highlighted when an image has a description.)
Image descriptions can be read by screen readers and are useful for anyone who has difficulty seeing images online. For example, if you use VoiceOver, you can press the VoiceOver command VO-Shift-L to hear a description of the image in the VoiceOver cursor.
Annotate
(Continuity Markup)
Annotate the item by sketching or drawing on it using your nearby iPhone
When you annotate items on your iPad, you can use Apple Pencil. See Write and draw in documents with Markup in the iPad User Guide.
To switch between your markup and the iPad Home Screen, swipe up from the bottom of your iPad with one finger. To return to your markup, swipe up from the bottom with one finger to show the iPad Dock, then tap the Sidecar icon
. When you’re done with the markup, tap Done.
When you’re finished, click Done.
If you’re working in the Quick Look or Quick Actions window, your changes can’t be undone after you close the window.
