Annotate a Pages document on iPad
Using Apple Pencil or your finger, you can edit and add other marks to your document with a selection of markup tools. These annotations are connected to and move with the text, object, or table cells where you add them. If you delete the associated text, object, or cells, the annotation is also deleted.
When you don’t want to see annotations, you can hide them, then show them again at any time.
Note: If you share your document, recipients can see your annotations.
Note: If you want to use your Apple Pencil for selecting objects and scrolling instead of annotating or drawing, tap , tap Apple Pencil, then turn on Select and Scroll. If your Apple Pencil supports it, you can turn on Double-Tap to Switch, then double-tap the lower part of Apple Pencil to turn Select and Scroll on and off.
Add annotations
Tap with your finger or Apple Pencil, tap Smart Annotation, then add your marks.
The text or object is briefly highlighted with a color to show what the annotation is anchored to.
Note: If you last used Apple Pencil to annotate, you can tap the screen with it to open Smart Annotation view automatically.
Do any of the following with the tools at the bottom of the screen:
Switch tools: Tap a different tool. Tap the pen, highlighter, and pencil tools again to see more options.
Change the color: Tap a color at the bottom of the screen, or tap the color wheel to see more options. If you see only the current color, tap it to see more options.
Erase an annotation: Tap the eraser tool, then tap the annotation.
Move an annotation: Tap the selection tool, drag around the annotation to select it, then drag the annotation to a new location.
Duplicate an annotation: Tap the selection tool, then drag around the annotation to select it. Tap the selection, then tap Duplicate.
To scroll the page, swipe with two fingers; if you’re using Apple Pencil, swipe with one finger instead.
To show or hide the tools, tap .
When the tools are hidden, you can still add marks with Apple Pencil, but you can’t add marks with your finger. You can use your finger to scroll.
When you’re finished, tap Done.
Delete annotations
Annotations are connected to the text or object where you add them, so if you move or delete that text or object, the annotation is also moved or deleted.
Delete a single annotation: If you’re annotating the document, tap the eraser tool, then tap the annotation. Otherwise, tap the annotation, then tap Delete.
Delete all annotations: Tap , tap Smart Annotation, then tap Erase All in the toolbar at the top of the screen. When you’re finished, tap Done.
Note: If you delete text but its annotation remains, the mark might be connected to the word before or after the text you deleted.
Show or hide annotations
Tap , then turn Smart Annotations on or off.
You can also add drawings to your document. To learn more, see Add a drawing.
When you print your document or export it as a PDF, you can choose to include the annotations. See Print a document or envelope and Export to Word, PDF, or another file format.
If you send your document to someone else and they open it in Pages on their iPhone or iPad, the document opens in reading view, and annotations are hidden until they tap at the top of the screen.