How to Use Instant Markup to Quickly Edit Screenshots - MacRumors
Skip to Content

How to Use Instant Markup to Quickly Edit Screenshots

by

When you take a screenshot in iOS 11 or later, there's a new feature that's designed to let you open it right up and edit it with Apple's Markup tools.

Using the screenshot editing feature, you can capture what's on the screen of your iPad or iPhone and then add text, crop, highlight specific areas, and more.

Using Instant Markup

  1. Press the Home button and the sleep/wake button simultaneously to capture a screenshot.
  2. A preview of the screenshot will pop up in the lower left of the display. Tap it to open up the Instant Markup interface. You'll have about five seconds before it disappears.ipadscreenshoteditingios11
  3. Use a finger to adjust the blue outline if you want to crop your image.
  4. Choose a pen/marker/pencil and a color and then draw with a finger or the Apple Pencil (on iPad Pro) to edit your screenshot. instantmarkupinterface

If you take multiple screenshots at once, they'll all be displayed in Instant Markup and you can swipe between them.

There are all kinds of tools in Instant Markup, including a pen, pencil, highlighter, eraser, drop shadow tool, crop, multiple pen colors, and undo/redo.

instantmarkupinterfaceios11
To access even more tools, tap on the "+" button. This gives you access to a text entry field, a signature tool to add a signature to a screenshot, a magnifier tool, and various shapes.

Saving, Sharing, or Deleting an Edited Screenshot

When you're done editing your screenshot, you can save it to photos, delete it, or share it.

  1. To save a photo or delete it, tap the "Done" button in the upper left of the iPad's display and then choose the appropriate option.instantmarkupios11savetophotos
  2. To share, tap on the Share Sheet icon at the upper right of the display, which will pop up icons to share the screenshot in an iMessage, email, or social network. instantmarkupscreenshotshareios11
  3. The Share Sheet also includes options to save the screenshot to the Files app, add it to the Photos app, and more.

Instant Markup is a feature that's present on the iPhone and the iPad in iOS 11. There is no way to turn it off at the current time, so if you dislike those little screenshot popups, the only option is to wait the few seconds for them to disappear or swipe them away to the left of the display.

Related Forums: iOS 11, iPad Accessories

Top Rated Comments

Xavier Avatar
115 months ago
Such a useful feature!
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
cecil444 Avatar
115 months ago
The markup feature existed before, you just had to dig a little to use it. Now it's super easy.

One odd note: the screenshot preview feature turned off for me somehow and I can't get it to reappear. I've been testing iOS 11 on a 6S (it's been a crazy battery hog... like horrendous, for the last couple days... hoping it gets better or a fix is issued soon). The first screenshot I took showed the preview and I was able to view and markup the image as described. But every screenshot since has (1) failed to show me the preview of the screenshot -- it just drops it in my photos as with iOS 10; and (2) failed to "blink" the screen indicating that a screenshot was successfully taken. With the sound on I do hear the camera shutter sound, but the screen no longer "blinks" as it always used to. Anyone else experiencing this same issue?
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
wolfshades Avatar
115 months ago
Does this only work with screenshots? Or can you use those tools on your saved photos?
Yes they are. Go into Photos, Edit, click on the ellipses (the "more" button) and then hit Markup, and you should be good to go.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Carlos Adell Avatar
75 months ago

Try a reboot on ipad.
Yes did that too, still not working. Thanks for helping bro!
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
macguruireland Avatar
115 months ago
When you take a screenshot in iOS 11, there's a new feature that's designed to let you open it right up and edit it with Apple's Markup tools.

Using the screenshot editing feature, you can capture what's on the screen of your iPad or iPhone and then add text, crop, highlight specific areas, and more.

Using Instant Markup

[LIST=1]
* Press the Home button and the sleep/wake button simultaneously to capture a screenshot.

* A preview of the screenshot will pop up in the lower left of the display. Tap it to open up the Instant Markup interface. You'll have about five seconds before it disappears.



* Use a finger to adjust the blue outline if you want to crop your image.

* Choose a pen/marker/pencil and a color and then draw with a finger or the Apple Pencil (on iPad Pro) to edit your screenshot.


If you take multiple screenshots at once, they'll all be displayed in Instant Markup and you can swipe between them.

There are all kinds of tools in Instant Markup, including a pen, pencil, highlighter, eraser, drop shadow tool, crop, multiple pen colors, and undo/redo.



To access even more tools, tap on the "+" button. This gives you access to a text entry field, a signature tool to add a signature to a screenshot, a magnifier tool, and various shapes.

Saving, Sharing, or Deleting an Edited Screenshot

When you're done editing your screenshot, you can save it to photos, delete it, or share it.
[LIST=1]
* To save a photo or delete it, tap the "Done" button in the upper left of the iPad's display and then choose the appropriate option.



* To share, tap on the Share Sheet icon at the upper right of the display, which will pop up icons to share the screenshot in an iMessage, email, or social network.



* The Share Sheet also includes options to save the screenshot to the Files app, add it to the Photos app, and more.

Instant Markup is a feature that's present on the iPhone and the iPad in iOS 11. There is no way to turn it off at the current time, so if you dislike those little screenshot popups, the only option is to wait the few seconds for them to disappear or swipe them away to the left of the display.

Article Link: How to Use Instant Markup to Quickly Edit Screenshots in iOS 11 ('https://www.macrumors.com/how-to/instant-markup-edit-screenshots-ios-11/')
[doublepost=1506036921][/doublepost]Has anybody found the way to increase the thickness of the pen tool?
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
I7guy Avatar
115 months ago
I like these “how to’s”. Keep em coming.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

iCloud iPhone 17 Pro

iPhone Users Who Pay for iCloud Storage Get Two New Perks on iOS 27

Thursday July 2, 2026 6:10 am PDT by
If you pay for certain iCloud+ storage plans beyond the 5GB that Apple offers for free, you will receive two more perks on iOS 27 at no additional cost. A summary of the two new iCloud+ perks on iOS 27:Increased daily usage limits for some new Apple Intelligence features, including image generation in the revamped Image Playground app. HomeKit Secure Video cameras receive generated video...
Apple Event Logo

Apple Just Released a New Product

Thursday July 2, 2026 8:04 am PDT by
Apple's first product release of summer 2026 occurred this week, but do not get too excited, as it is merely the Beats Solo Buds in a new color. Beats Solo Buds are now offered in orange through Best Buy in the U.S., with availability set to expand to 7-Eleven stores in Japan on July 4. Apple already offered orange Solo Buds in India for free with the purchase of an iPhone 15 or iPhone 15 ...
iPhone 4 on Black Feature

Apple Facing One of Its Worst Leaks Since the iPhone 4

Thursday July 2, 2026 9:53 am PDT by
Apple supplier Tata Electronics recently suffered a cyberattack that resulted in thousands of confidential files being published on the dark web, and this reportedly included some photos and documents related to the upcoming iPhone 18 Pro. We have elected not to share any of the leaked photos in this story due to the illegal nature in which they were obtained, but they can easily be found...