How to add a callout arrow to a screenshot

You have a screenshot that needs to point out one detail, but a plain image leaves people guessing where to look. A simple arrow and a short label can make the important part obvious without covering it.

You can make both in the Photo Editor. Draw the arrow with the brush, add a text label, and export a separate copy so the original screenshot stays unchanged.

Add an arrow and label

1. Open the Photo Editor and open the screenshot from your device. Zoom in enough to see the detail you want to point out.
2. Add a new layer for the callout if you want to keep it separate from the screenshot. Separate layers make it easier to erase or adjust the arrow and label without changing the original image.
3. Choose the brush and a color that stands out against the part of the screenshot where the arrow will go. Set a stroke width that will remain visible at the image's normal viewing size. A line that looks large while zoomed in may become hard to see after export.
4. Draw the arrow shaft from an open area toward the detail. Leave a little space around the detail itself, so the arrow points to it without hiding it.
5. Make the arrowhead with two short brush strokes. Start both strokes near the point, then draw them back toward the shaft to form a simple V. You do not need a ready-made arrow shape.
6. Choose the text tool and add a short label near the tail of the arrow. Check the screenshot at normal size, then export or download a separate copy using the editor's available save option.

Keep the original screenshot until you have opened the exported image and checked that the arrow, label, and image details all look right.

Choose a callout style

Use one arrow for one detail

A single arrow is usually the clearest choice when you need to identify one button, setting, error message, or object. Aim the tip at a specific edge or feature, rather than at a broad area. If the target is small, leave a tiny gap between the arrow tip and the detail so it does not cover the thing you are identifying.

Add a label when the arrow is not enough

A label can explain what the viewer should notice, such as “check this value” or “select this option.” Keep it short. Long text blocks compete with the screenshot and are harder to read when the image is viewed on a phone or reduced in size. If the label needs a full explanation, put that explanation next to the image instead of inside it.

Pick a color for the screenshot

Choose a color that contrasts with the area around the arrow. A bright color may stand out on a dark screenshot, while a dark color may work better on a pale page. Avoid putting a red arrow over a red warning or a blue arrow over a blue selection highlight. If the image has mixed colors, use a thick, high-contrast line and place it over a less busy area.

Fix a callout that is hard to read

1. Make the arrow thicker. If it disappears when you view the image at normal size, increase the brush width and redraw it. Judge the line at the size the recipient will actually see, not only while zoomed in.
2. Move the label away from the detail. Text placed directly over a control or message can hide the thing the arrow is meant to explain. Put the label in a blank area and keep the arrow shaft clear of important text.
3. Choose a more contrasting color. If the arrow blends into a window border, icon, or highlight, try a different color. Check the whole path of the arrow, since one color may stand out at the tip but disappear along the shaft.
4. Redraw a crooked arrow. Use undo or erase the marks on the callout layer, then draw the shaft and two arrowhead strokes again. Short, deliberate strokes are easier to control than one quick movement.
5. Check the exported copy. Open the saved image and inspect it at normal size. If the text is clipped or the arrow appears too small, return to the editor, adjust the callout, and export another copy.

Keep the screenshot easy to understand

Use one visual cue for each point you want to make. Several arrows crossing each other can make a simple screenshot more confusing. If you need to show multiple details, add numbered labels and explain the numbers in a caption, or make separate annotated images.

Leave enough of the original screen visible to show where the detail comes from. Cropping tightly around one icon may remove the surrounding menu or title that gives it context. Before sharing, also check for private information such as names, account numbers, messages, or browser tabs. A callout is not a privacy cover, so obscure anything sensitive with an appropriate opaque mark before sending the image.

The Photo Editor works in your browser, and the screenshot and exported image stay on your device.