Geometric shapes
Highlight screenshots with rectangles and ellipses, adjust outlines and fills, create rounded corners, sectors, and rings, and transform shapes.
Frame a passage with a rectangle or circle a button with an ellipse to help others find the important part of a screenshot. The same tool also creates rounded rectangles, sectors, and rings, and you can keep adjusting shapes after drawing them.
Draw a rectangle or ellipse
Use geometric shapes in screenshots and image pins. For a screenshot, select an area first. On an image pin, press SpaceSpace to show the annotation toolbar.
Click “Geometry,” or press the default shortcut Shift+1⇧ Shift+1, to open the shape options.
Choose “Rectangle” or “Ellipse.” You can also press TabTab to switch between them.
Hold the mouse button and drag on the image, then release to finish. Hold Shift⇧ Shift while dragging to draw a square or circle.
If an existing shape is selected, changing the shape type or style changes it directly. To set a different style for the next shape, press EscEsc once to deselect first.
Choose outlines, fills, and colors
With “Filling” unchecked, only the outline is drawn, highlighting content without covering it.
- Line style: Choose solid, dash, dot, dash-dot, or dash-dot-dot.
- Width: Adjust the “Pencil” value to change the outline width.
- Color: Choose a palette color for the outline or filled area.
Checking “Filling” fills the interior with the selected color and disables the line style and width controls. To let the background show through, select the shape, hold Ctrl⌘ Command, and scroll to adjust its transparency.
- OutlineFrame content with lines. Adjust the line style and width.
- FillFill the interior; lower opacity to show the image beneath.
- Rounded cornersSquare handles resize; circular handles inside corners adjust rounding.
Turn sharp corners into rounded corners
With a rectangle selected, adjust “Rounded” in the toolbar to make a rounded rectangle; set it to 0 to restore sharp corners. Ellipses do not use this option.
You can also adjust the rectangle directly: move the pointer over the selected shape and drag a circular handle inside a corner. All four corners change together, up to half the length of the shorter side.
Distinguish the two handle types: square handles resize the shape; circular handles adjust rounded corners.
Turn an ellipse into a sector or ring
An ellipse's circular handles adjust its opening and inner diameter. The following uses filled shapes, but outline shapes work the same way.
- 1. Open a gapStart with the right circular handle and drag around the center.
- 2. Adjust the sectorEdge circles set the start and span; the center circle sets the inner diameter.
- 3. Cut out the middleDrag the center circle outward to make an annular sector.
- 4. Make a ringSet the span to a full turn, keeping the hole in the middle.
Draw a circle or ellipse, leave it selected, and move the pointer over it to find the circular handle near the right edge.
Drag that handle around the center to open a gap and create a sector. Two circular handles now adjust the start position and angular span.
Drag the circular handle near the center outward to cut out the middle, creating an annular sector. Set the angular span back to a full turn to make a ring.
Circular handles appear on hover by default. If they are missing, check that the shape is selected, then check “Display of rounded corner control points” in the “Annotation” settings. This option also affects ellipse handles.
Move, resize, and rotate
Select a shape to adjust it directly on the image:
| Goal | Operation |
|---|---|
| Move | Drag inside the shape, or use the arrow keys for small adjustments |
| Resize | Drag square handles at corners or edges |
| Make a square or circle | Hold Shift⇧ Shift while resizing |
| Rotate | Move outside the selected shape and drag when the rotation cursor appears |
| Rotate in fixed increments | Hold Shift⇧ Shift while rotating to snap to 15° increments |
Edit again or delete
“Mark secondary editing” is enabled by default. Switch back to “Geometry” and click an existing shape to change its shape, color, and style. If you cannot select it again, check this option in the “Annotation” settings.
Select a shape and press DeleteBackspace to delete it. Press Ctrl+Z⌘ Command+Z to undo a mistake.
If scrolling does not adjust transparency, open the “Annotation” settings and make sure “Disable mouse wheel to adjust annotation tools” is unchecked.
Related articles
Annotation basics
Learn to edit, undo, redo, and duplicate annotations on screenshots and image pins, then arrange toolbar buttons, groups, and hidden tools.
Pencil
Draw freehand on screenshots and image pins, adjust line styles, width, and transparency, use Shift for straight lines, and smooth or undo strokes.