Use Markup on iPhone to Draw on Images, PDFs, & More

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Learn how to write, draw, and sign documents on your iPhone

Written by Stan Kats | Edited by Megaera Lorenz, PhD

Last Updated: March 10, 2026 Fact Checked

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Drawing on Photos with Markup

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Marking Up PDFs

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Using Markup in Mail

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FAQ

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Video

Markup is a simple but powerful editing tool that’s native to several apps on iPhone. Whether you want to put hand-drawn notes and doodles on photos or add your signature to a PDF, Markup gives you a surprisingly wide range of options to choose from. In this article, we’ll teach you how to use Markup on photos, PDFs, and more. We’ll also answer some of your most common questions about how (and where) to use Markup.

Using Markup on iPhone: The Basics

To mark up a photo, tap the Edit icon below the photo (it looks like three sliders), then tap the Markup icon (it looks like a stylus tip) at the top right side.
Select a drawing tool from the markup menu and tap and drag with your finger to draw.
Tap the + icon for additional options, such as adding shapes, text, or your signature.
You can also use Markup to edit PDFs or mark up attachments in Mail.

Section 1 of 4:

Drawing on Photos with Markup

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1
Open the photo you want to mark up. Open the Photos app and tap the photo you want to mark up to open it.
- Alternatively, you can mark up a photo before sending it in a text in Messages. In the conversation where you want to send the photo, tap + > Photos. Select your photo, then tap on it in the text message field. Tap the Markup button at the bottom left.^{[1]
  X
  Research source}
It’s the icon that looks like three sliders at the bottom of the screen.

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It’s the icon that looks like a pen tip at the top right corner.
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Select a drawing tool. You’ll see several drawing tools at the bottom of the screen, including a pencil, a crayon, various pens, a highlighter, and a chisel-tip marker. Scroll left or right to see more drawing tools. Select a tool, then tap it again to see additional options.
- Most of the drawing tools have varying thicknesses, and some have different styles of tips. For example, you can choose different nib angles for the chisel-tip marker.
- Use the opacity slider to make your chosen drawing tool more or less transparent.
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Pick a color for your virtual ink. Tap the icon that looks like a black circle with a rainbow ring around it. This will open the color menu. Use the tabs to browse different color picker tools (including a grid, a spectrum, and RGB sliders). You can also change the opacity or adjust the brightness of the color using the sliders at the bottom of the menu.
- Tap the X at the top right side of the color picker menu to close it.
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Drag your finger over the screen to draw. Once you’ve set your drawing tool the way you like it, simply touch the screen with your finger to start drawing. Hold and drag to draw a continuous line.
- To undo a mark, tap the undo arrow (it looks like a curved arrow facing left) at the top left corner of the screen. If you change your mind, use the redo arrow (it looks like a curved arrow facing right).
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Use the ruler to draw straight lines. Tap the ruler tool to add a ruler to the image. Then, select a drawing tool and draw alongside the ruler. This will create a perfectly straight line. Tap the ruler tool in the toolbar again to hide the ruler.
- Tap the ruler with two fingers and rotate both fingers to change the angle of the ruler.
Select the eraser tool and swipe your finger over parts of your drawing you want to erase. You can change the size of the eraser by tapping the eraser tool again and selecting a different size from the menu. To erase entire lines/objects at once instead of individual parts, select the Object Eraser option.
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Move or edit drawings with the select tool. If you want to move a drawing or other object you added to the picture, tap the select tool. It looks like a white stylus with a grey and white striped tip. Then, draw around a mark you’ve drawn or an object you inserted to select it. Tap and drag the selected object to move it.
- You can also change the size of a drawing or object by selecting it, then dragging the anchor points at the corners of the selection.
- Use the selection toolbar right below your selected drawing or object to make additional edits:
  - Tap the colored circle to change the color of the drawing or object.
  - Tap the icon that looks like two overlapping squares with a + to duplicate the selection.
  - Tap the trash can to delete the selection.
  - Tap the ••• icon to see additional options, including Cut, Copy, Paste, Create Sticker, Snap to Shape, and more.
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See additional options with the + menu. In addition to the drawing tools, there are several other neat Markup options available. Tap + at the right side of the Markup toolbar to expand a menu with additional tools:
- Image Description allows you to enter a text description for your image. This is intended for people who use assistive technologies such as screen readers.
- Add Sticker lets you add a sticker to your photo.
- Add Text adds a text box to your photo. Tap the text box to open your keyboard and type your own text, then tap the text box again to select it. You can drag it to a new location, use the anchors at the sides to change the shape, or use the toolbar to change things like the color, font, and size of the text.
- Add Signature allows you to add a virtual signature to your image.
- Add Shape lets you choose from a menu of shapes, including squares, circles, arrows, and more. Once you add a shape, select it and drag it to move it. You can also change the size of the shape or make adjustments to the shape itself with the anchors. Use the shape toolbar to change the shape’s color, add or remove an outline or fill color, adjust the transparency, add text to the shape, and more.
- Add Loupe adds a virtual magnifying glass to part of the image so you can zoom in on a detail. Use the green anchor to adjust the magnification level, or use the blue anchor to change the overall size of the loupe. Touch and drag the loupe to move it. You can also toggle the outline on or off with the loupe toolbar.
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Tap the checkmark when you’re done. After you’re finished marking up the image, tap the blue checkmark icon at the top right corner to save your changes. To exit without saving any changes, tap the X at the top left instead. Continue editing your photo or tap Done at the top right side of the screen to exit the editing menu.
- If you change your mind after marking up an image and saving your changes, don’t worry. You can undo it by opening the photo, tapping the Edit icon, and tapping the red Revert button at the top right corner of the screen. Select Revert to Original to confirm.

Section 2 of 4:

Marking Up PDFs

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Open the PDF you’d like to edit. You can open PDFs in the Files app or in Books. Either way, you’ll have access to the Markup menu.
- To open a PDF in Files, simply navigate to its location in the Files app and tap on it.
- In Books, you may need to import the PDF first if it isn’t already in your library. Open the PDF in Files or in the email or message where you received it, then tap the
  Share icon. Select Books in the list of sharing options.^{[2]
  X
  Research source} Open Books, find the PDF in your library, and tap on it to open it.
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Tap ••• >
Markup. If you’re in Files, you’ll see the ••• menu option at the bottom left corner of the screen. Tap it and select Markup. In some cases, you might just see the Markup button without having to select ••• first. In Books, just tap the Markup icon (it looks like a stylus tip in a circle) at the top of the screen.
- If you don’t see the menu bar at the top of the screen in Books, tap the page to make it appear.
If you just want to draw on your PDF, you have all the same options that are available for marking up Photos. Scroll through the menu to select a drawing tool, then tap the color icon to pick a color. Drag your finger over the page to draw or write by hand.
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Add text annotations with the Add Text tool. To access this option, tap the + icon at the far right side of the Markup toolbar. Then, select Add Text. In Files, you can also access this option by pressing the blue + button at the bottom right side of the document when you aren’t in Markup mode.
- Tap the text box to open the keyboard, then type in your own text. Tap anywhere on the page to close the keyboard when you’re done.
- Tap the text box again to select it. You can drag the box to move it anywhere on the page, or drag the blue anchors on either side of the box to change its size.
- Use the toolbar above your text box to make additional edits.
  - Tap the black dot to open the color picker tool and change the color of your text.
  - Tap Aa to edit the font, add text effects like Bold or Italics, change the font, adjust the text size, or change the alignment of the text in the box.
  - Tap the overlapping squares with the + inside to duplicate the text box.
  - Tap the trashcan icon to delete the text box.
  - Tap ••• to see additional options, like Cut, Copy, Paste, or Convert to Handwriting.
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Add a signature to your PDF. If you need to sign your document, tap the + icon in the Markup menu and select Add Signature.^{[3]
X
Research source} In Files, you can also access this option by pressing the blue + button at the bottom right side of the document when you aren’t in Markup mode. The first time you use this tool, you’ll be prompted to write your signature with your finger. After that, you can select your pre-existing signature or create a new one by selecting Add or Remove Signature.
- Once you add your signature, you can drag it around to move it or change its size by dragging the anchors at the corners.
- While your signature is selected, use the menu bar to make additional edits. For example, you can tap the black dot to change the color, tap the overlapping squares to duplicate your signature, or tap the trashcan icon to delete it.
  - Select ••• for additional options, like Cut, Copy, and Paste.
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Find additional options in the + menu. For more markup options, tap + at the right side of the Markup menu. From here, you can:
- Add a sticker to your PDF (this option is available in Files, but not Books).
- Add a shape, such as a square, arrow, or speech bubble.
- Add a loupe/magnifier to magnify part of the document.
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Use the ••• menu to undo changes. If you did something you don’t like, you can undo it by tapping the ••• icon at the top right side of the screen and selecting Undo.
- In Books, just tap the Undo arrow at the top of the screen (it looks like a curved arrow facing left).
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Tap the Markup/Form Filling icon when you’re done. In Files, tap the Markup icon or the Form Filling icon (it looks like a pencil hovering over a box with three dots in it) at the top of the screen. Which one you see will depend on what you were doing in the markup menu (e.g., drawing vs. adding text or signatures). Tap the blue checkmark at the top right corner to save your changes and exit the document.
- In Books, tap the Markup icon at the top right corner to exit Markup mode.

Section 3 of 4:

Using Markup in Mail

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1
Start composing an email in the Mail app. You can either start a brand new email or reply to an existing message.
- You can use Markup in mail to mark up an attachment (like a photo or PDF) or to create a drawing from scratch and attach it to your email.
Once you tap anywhere inside your message, the keyboard will open, and a menu bar will appear.
In the menu that pops up, select the type of attachment you want to add. For example, tap Photo Library to attach a photo from your gallery, or tap Attach File to browse for and attach a PDF.
Once the attachment appears in the email, tap it to select it. Tap the > icon in the menu bar to open more options, then select Markup. You might need to scroll down to find it.
Use the methods described in the sections above to mark up your {{#Drawing on Photos with Markup|photo}} or {{#Marking Up PDFs|PDF}}. When you’re done, tap the blue checkmark at the top right, or select ••• > Done, to save your changes and return to Mail.
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Tap
in the format bar to create a drawing. If you don’t want to mark up an attachment, you can simply tap the markup tool in the format bar. This will open a blank page. Use the markup tools to draw or add stickers, text, or shapes. You can also insert a signature. When you’re done, tap ••• > Done > Insert Drawing to add your drawing to the email.
- You can also choose to discard the drawing or save it to Files.
- Tap drawing in the top left corner to save your drawing to Files or Photos. You can also print or share from this menu.

Section 4 of 4:

Frequently Asked Questions

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Which iPhone apps have the Markup feature? You can find Markup in many of iPhone’s built-in apps. In addition to Photos, Files, and Mail, this feature is also available in Notes, Books, and Messages.
- In most of these apps, you can only use Markup to annotate image files (such as PDFs, JPGs, and the iPhone’s native HEIF photo format). However, you can also draw directly on your notes in the Notes app.
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Can I mark up a Word document on my iPhone? You can’t use Markup in Word for iPhone, but Word has its own drawing tools that are similar to the ones available in Markup. To access them, scroll all the way to the right in the toolbar above the keyboard, tap •••, and tap the blue Home dropdown. Select Draw to open the Draw tab, then select Start Inking to open a menu of drawing tools.
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Where do I find the markup tool? This varies depending on the app you’re using. For example:
- Photos: Open a photo and tap the
  Edit icon, then select the
  Markup tool at the top of the screen.
- Files: Open a PDF and tap the
  Markup icon at the bottom left corner of the screen. Sometimes you have to tap ••• > Markup in the same location.
- Books: The Markup icon is located at the top right corner of the screen when you have a PDF open.
- Mail: Tap the body of the email, then tap the Markup icon in the format bar. You can also tap an attachment, then tap > in the context menu. Scroll down and select Markup.
- Notes: The Markup icon is in the menu bar at the bottom of the screen when a note is open.