> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://learn.withessential.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://learn.withessential.com/administration/basics/mark-up-a-photo.md). # Mark up a photo or PDF Add notes directly to a photo or an uploaded PDF with drawing, text, arrows, boxes, and circles. You can also erase marks and undo or redo changes. Photos can be rotated or flipped before saving. > **Where to find it:** On the web, open a photo or uploaded PDF from a job, property, asset group, or purchase order, then choose **Edit**. Photos in inspection reports and work acknowledgments also support markup — on an inspection report, click the photo to open it, then choose **Edit**. On mobile, open a visit photo or uploaded PDF and choose **Markup photo** or **Markup PDF**. ## Mark up and save a photo 1. Open the photo you want to change. 2. Choose **Edit** or **Markup photo**, depending on the page. 3. Pick a tool and add your marks. Use **Undo** and **Redo** if needed. 4. To change the photo orientation, open **Rotate & Flip**, make the change, and choose **Done**. 5. Choose **Save**. The marked-up photo replaces the version shown in Essential. Its file name, attachments, and visibility stay the same, and Essential keeps the unedited original so you can restore it later. In an inspection-report or work-acknowledgment photo field, Essential updates that same field photo in place. On mobile, keep an internet connection while saving changes to an existing visit file. If the request fails before anything is saved, the editor stays open so you can try again without losing your marks. If the file changed after you opened it, Essential tries to load the latest version instead of overwriting it. When that refresh cannot finish, markup stays unavailable for the stale preview until fresh file data is loaded. ## View or restore the original Photos edited from a file preview show as **Edited** where that status is available and can be restored there. 1. Open the edited photo and return to the markup editor. 2. Choose **Original** to compare it with the edited version. 3. While viewing **Original**, choose **Revert** to restore it. Reverting removes the marked-up version from view and makes the original photo current again. For job, property, asset-group, comment, and report attachments, the timeline also retains the before and after files from each new markup edit or restore. Select **View changes** on the attachment event to open those copies read-only. Asset-group attachment history is available on the asset group and its property; back-office files keep their existing access restrictions. ## Mark up a PDF page PDF markup is available on the web and in mobile visit files. 1. Open the uploaded PDF and choose **Edit** on the web or **Markup PDF** on mobile. 2. On the web, add drawing, text, arrows, boxes, or circles. On mobile, fill existing form fields or use **Add text** and **Draw**. Use **Undo**, or open **More** for **Redo**, **Delete selected**, and zoom options. 3. Use the page navigation arrows to move to another page, and mark it up too if you want. You don't need to save or reopen the PDF in between pages. 4. Choose **Save**. One Save uploads your changes across all the pages you edited. Existing PDF text stays searchable and selectable; mobile form values and added text remain editable when you reopen the PDF. Rotate and flip are photo-only tools. On the web, an edited PDF also shows **Edited** and **Original** when that status is available. Open **Original** and choose **Revert** to restore the complete original PDF. On mobile, choose **More** > **View original** for a read-only comparison and **Return to draft** to keep editing. **Restore original** makes the original PDF current after confirmation and retains your unsaved draft on this device. On mobile, tap an existing form field to enter a value, or use **Add text** and **Draw**, then **Save**. See [Mark up a photo or PDF on mobile](/field-operations/mobile/mark-up-a-photo-on-mobile.md) for the full workflow and draft recovery. ## When markup is unavailable Markup is available for PDFs and supported photo formats, including JPEG, PNG, HEIC, and HEIF. Web inspection-report photo fields also support GIF and WebP: saving markup makes a still JPEG, and **Revert** restores the original file, including any animation. Other file viewers do not offer GIF or WebP markup. Markup is not offered for videos or generated inspection-report and work-acknowledgment documents. Purchase-order files can be marked up when Inventory is enabled for your business. The files and photos you can open still follow your normal feature access, role permissions, and file-visibility settings. ## Related guides * [Add files, notes, and access info on mobile](/field-operations/mobile/add-files-notes-and-access-info.md) * [Mark up a photo or PDF on mobile](/field-operations/mobile/mark-up-a-photo-on-mobile.md) * [Property files and who can see them](/customers-and-work/properties/property-files-and-who-can-see-them.md) * [Files on an asset group](/field-operations/assets/files-on-an-asset-group.md) * [Fill inspection reports on mobile](/field-operations/mobile/fill-inspection-reports.md) * [Create a work acknowledgment on mobile](/field-operations/mobile/create-a-work-acknowledgment.md) --- # Agent Instructions This documentation is published with GitBook. GitBook is the documentation platform designed so that both humans and AI agents can read, navigate, and reason over technical content effectively. Learn more at gitbook.com. ## Querying This Documentation If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation by asking a question. Perform an HTTP GET request on the following URL with the `ask` and `goal` query parameters: ``` GET https://learn.withessential.com/administration/basics/mark-up-a-photo.md?ask=&goal= ``` `ask` is the immediate question: it should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language. `goal` is what the user is ultimately trying to achieve, the reason they need the answer. Sharing it helps GitBook give you a better, more relevant answer. A goal is most helpful when it describes the outcome the user wants rather than restating the question. For example, with `ask=how do I create an API token`, a goal like `automate deployments from our CI pipeline` lets GitBook tailor the answer to that use case. The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation. Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.