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Why isn't the annotate feature included in Preview?

When I take a screenshot, I can annotate it using my iPad in Quickview. However, when I open it in Preview, that same functionality isn't there. Yes, my iOS and MacOS are compatible with the feature.

MacBook Pro (M2, 2022)

Posted on Aug 17, 2023 9:12 AM

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Posted on Aug 17, 2023 9:44 AM

We are other end users with no insight into why Apple does or does not do things, so "why" questions cannot get official answers here.


I annotate all the time with Preview on my Macs. Preview has a "Markup" icon in the tool bar (outlined in yellow here) that, when clicked, gives me plenty of options for annotation:



All the red text, underlining, and arrows in the screenshot were made with Preview on an iMac, as was the redaction of the serial number. This has saved me having to take images into Photoshop for annotations.


Preview functions for Ventura are in this Apple Guide:


Preview User Guide for Mac - Apple Support




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Aug 17, 2023 9:44 AM in response to krats1976

We are other end users with no insight into why Apple does or does not do things, so "why" questions cannot get official answers here.


I annotate all the time with Preview on my Macs. Preview has a "Markup" icon in the tool bar (outlined in yellow here) that, when clicked, gives me plenty of options for annotation:



All the red text, underlining, and arrows in the screenshot were made with Preview on an iMac, as was the redaction of the serial number. This has saved me having to take images into Photoshop for annotations.


Preview functions for Ventura are in this Apple Guide:


Preview User Guide for Mac - Apple Support




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Aug 17, 2023 9:34 AM in response to krats1976

On an iPad you use the Apple Pencil to write on screen shots or PDFs etc...

You can't do that on a Mac as it does not support the Apple Pencil.


You can use the edit tools in the Preview App to add text boxes, shapes, signatures, and even free draw with the Sketch or Draw tools.

click here ➜ Annotate an image in Preview on Mac - Apple Support


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Aug 17, 2023 9:42 AM in response to Phil0124

Yes, I know you can't use the Apple pencil on a Mac.


As I said, in Quickview and other apps (like pages), you can use the annotate tool to open a screen on an iPad on which you can annotate the image. You select the Markup tool and there is an annotate button that allows you to "annotate on an iOS device."


However, that feature is not available in Preview, which seems silly. You can mark it up, but to do so on an iOS device, you have to first push it over using AirDrop or something and then save it or push it back to your Mac. I want to know why I can annotate using my iPad in Quickview, but not in Preview.

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Why isn't the annotate feature included in Preview?

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