How can I restore Outline Shapes in the Photos App?

It is still possible to add circle and rectangular outlines to images in the Photos app on iOS using the Markup feature.

Tap Edit, then tap the pen icon in the top right to begin Markup. Tap the “+” button on the right side of the tool selector, then tap “Add Shape” to select and insert a shape. You can then edit the shape, including its fill color, at the bottom of your screen. Make the fill color transparent to turn the shape into an outline.

The faster way to add an outline shape to your image is to use any of the drawing tools to draw a circle or square around something in the photo. Once you’ve drawn the circle or square, keep your finger or Apple Pencil on the screen; your drawing should automatically be converted into the shape it determined you were trying to draw.

For help with Markup on Mac, see the following support article: Use Markup to write or draw on a photo in Photos on Mac - Apple Support

It is still possible to do it on an iPhone. The problem is, that Apple has moved the controls and forgot to put labels below the controls. Initially they will look all the same.

When you add a shape, there are four circles below the picture.

From left to right:

1. The circle to the left lets you pick the colour and the transparency of the border.
2. The second circle determines the thickness of the border.
3. The third circle controls the color of the interior of the shape. Set its transparency slider to zero for an empty shape.
4. The rightmost circle determines the overall transparency.

I have figured this out on my iPhone. It is definitely overly complicated and confusing… but after adding a shape you will see the four buttons to modify it along the bottom. The right most button controls the opacity of the WHOLE SHAPE. You cannot set this to 0 or the whole thing disappears. The third button controls the color and opacity of the shape fill. Click this one to set the fill opacity to 0. You can then use the other two buttons to the left to set the size and color of the line.

Walt, you tap "Edit" at upper right of the iPhone display, when you are viewing a photo enlarged on iOS 17. It has to be a regular photo, not a Live Photo. For special media kinds the controls are different.

Once in edit mode open the markup tool (with the pen icon) as described by timdifferent in this post: https://discussions.apple.com/thread/255189852?answerId=259652967022&sortBy=oldest_first#259652967022

It’s not gone, just slightly different. Before, the default setting was solid outline, transparent inner box. You had to got through a couple of clicks to change these parameters. Now the default is a light gray solid shape with a solid outline. To change the transparency, click on one of the two color buttons (see images below) and the color palette appears. Just below the little squares of color there is a slider. Slide all the way to the left to get complete transparency or 0% Opacity… good luck!

Click on the new opaque shape, and across the bottom of the screen you’ll see two color dots. Click the right dot for fill, and set the opacity to 0%. (Optionally click the left dot to change outline parameters). You have many more options now which is why it may seem confusing. Sometimes it helps to just slow down and think it through (that’s how I figured this one out). I promise it’ll be clear if you play around with it. You may like the new options. Best wishes.

You can still get outline shapes, but the process is more complicated.

Think of it as two steps:

1) Pick the shape you want and set the color opacity to 0%. There will still be an outline visible

2) Pick the Border color you want, set the size in points, and set the opacity (of the border) to 100%

It’s not gone. It’s not ‘taken away’. Look at the icons across the bottom of the screen (iPhone). There are two color dots. One (left) for outline one (right) for fill. Click the one for fill then drag the transparency slider left to 0.

I was also confused, but if you take a little time with it you will realize they improved the graphical user interface so that you now have more powerful options.

It sounds like you've added a fill color to the shapes. You want this, right?

The following is how to set the shape outline color and the fill color of shapes:

So check to see if you have a fill color selected and change it to no fill color.

Thank you so much. The advice about drawing the shape then holding my finger on it so it “rounds out” worked beautifully. I drew a lopsided oval, contunued to hold my finger on it, and the tool made it perfect. I agree with everybody else out there — no thanks to iOS for screwing up the drawing tools. Like, who needs to plop an opaque blob on a photo? However you solved my very frustrating (like for two months) problem. Thanks.

Making the fill color transparent is not an option with iOS 17.4 on my iPhone 13

Taking away the Outline default shape, without question has to be the worst update to the Edit feature within the Photos app. I understand that you can draw an outline quickly with your finger, while keeping pressed down on the screen, and it will create an outline....BUT you cannot the edit the color or size of this outline...or move it to a more specific outline location on the photo. And to select the outline within the "Shapes" feature, involves several more insane steps of selecting outline color, then Opacity...and then still not certain as to which one is which. I cannot comprehend why and Outline shape was replaced with a completely filled in square or rectangle. Why not just have the Outline shape, as a Default shape?? Or it at least allow us to Customize one and/or Save that as our Favorite shapes???

1. I use opaque shapes to insert a text graphic into an image.

2. You can change the opacity by selecting the shapes’ color dot and sliding the opacity value to the left.

note: opacity is a changeable option for all the shapes and maybe even text (I haven’t tried less opaque text yet).

It used to be a LOT easier to make a simple rectangular 'outline' - to say, make a rectangle around something one wants to highlight. One also used to be able to make an arrow point in any direction one wanted. Now that appears to be impossible, or if it's possible, Apple doesn't make it easy anymore.

Why have you made it more difficult to make simple outlines and arrows..???

I am unable to get shapes inMarkup feature in photos that are not all black and obliterate the feature i had the shape over. Any ideas? Why does Apple make things more complex everytime they do an update. I held back on installing it because i knew it was going to create a problem somewhere. It sure has. So frustrated. Repeat- the Markup feature now has shapes that blockout ( dark grey or black) and coverup the area you want identified by an opaque shape on a photo.