> 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/field-operations/mobile/mark-up-a-photo-on-mobile.md). # Mark up a photo or PDF on mobile Add notes directly to a visit photo or uploaded PDF from the mobile app. Photos support drawing, text, arrows, boxes, circles, and orientation changes. In a PDF, fill existing form fields or add editable text and drawing. > **Where to find it:** Mobile app > Visits > open a visit > Files > tap a photo or PDF > **Markup photo** or **Markup PDF** ## Mark up a photo 1. Open the visit and find the **Files** section. 2. Tap the photo you want to mark up. 3. Tap **Markup photo**. 4. Pick a tool and add your marks. Use **Undo** and **Redo** if needed. 5. To rotate or flip the photo, open **Rotate & Flip**, make the change, and choose **Done**. 6. Tap **Save**. The marked-up photo replaces the version shown in Essential, and the original is kept so it can be restored later. ## Mark up a PDF 1. Open the visit and find the **Files** section. 2. Tap the uploaded PDF you want to mark up. 3. Tap **Markup PDF**. 4. Tap an existing form field to enter a value, or choose **Add text** or **Draw** in the tool strip. Tap where the top-left of your text should start, or drag to choose its box. Select added text and tap **Edit text**. Choose a size from **Size (pt)**, or **Custom size…** to enter an exact size from 6 to 144 pt. Choose a color or alignment, then **Apply**. The color picker fits two rows with one Black swatch. A saved custom color remains available without changing it automatically. You can also double-tap added text to edit it directly. While Draw is active, tap **Draw color** to choose the color for new strokes, then **Apply**. To recolor an existing drawing, select it and tap **Edit drawing**. To move added text or a drawing, hold it with one finger and drag it to the new position. To resize it, drag a corner handle with one finger; pinching with two fingers zooms the PDF. Use **Hand** to move around the page and the **Undo** arrow to change a recent edit. When a mark is selected, **Delete selected** appears over the document. Open the **More** menu for **Redo**, draft tools, or original comparison. 5. Pinch to zoom, or open **More** for **Fit width**, **Fit page**, **200%**, or **800%**. Use the bottom arrows to change pages, or tap the page count to jump to a page. You can edit several pages before saving. 6. Tap **Save**. Save uploads the complete edited PDF. Existing form fields and added text stay editable when you reopen it. Rotate and flip are photo tools. Protected marks stay read-only. Text supports Latin, Greek, Cyrillic, and Chinese characters. If a character has no supported font, or a value does not fit, Save explains what to correct. Correct or copy that text before closing; the last successfully retained draft stays on this device. Edit the same text box to correct it, or enlarge the box for more room. You can also edit a PDF selected while adding a visit attachment, before uploading it. Tap **Use PDF** to return the edited copy to the attachment screen, then **Save** to upload it. This works offline for PDFs up to **8 MiB**, including the edited copy. Signed, dynamic, or unsupported PDFs stay selected for upload without editing. PDFs already stored in Essential have a **50 MiB** editing/save limit. Essential checks that an editable copy can be exported before you start. A PDF near the size limit shows a warning; small edits are still allowed. If its editable copy is already too large or cannot be prepared, close the editor and use the original or a smaller PDF. An existing retained draft stays on the device. ## Keep or recover a PDF draft PDF edits are kept on this device until **Save** confirms the upload. Open **More** and use **Keep draft** to retain your work without uploading, or **Export draft** to share an editable PDF copy. When closing with unsaved work, choose **Keep draft and close** to return later as the same signed-in user. If Save asks you to correct an answer suggested by an earlier app version, clear that answer in the PDF and enter it again manually, then save. Your draft stays on this device. If you are offline, keep editing an already-open draft and reconnect to save. **Cancel save** retains the draft, but the upload may already have reached Essential. Use **Check save** to check the result; if no saved result is found, **Retry snapshot** sends the retained copy again. Resolve that save before uploading newer edits. If the PDF changed elsewhere, keep or export your draft and reopen the current version. ## View or restore the original A file that's already been marked up shows **Edited**. For a PDF, open **More** and tap **View original** for a read-only comparison. Tap **Return to draft** to continue editing. To make the original PDF current again, choose **More** > **Restore original** and confirm the warning. Editing pauses while the original is restored. Essential keeps your unsaved draft on this device before closing the editor. If the draft cannot be kept, the editor stays open so you can try again. For a photo: 1. Open the photo and tap back into the markup editor. 2. Tap **Original** to compare it with the edited version. 3. While viewing **Original**, tap **Revert** to restore it and remove the marked-up version. Keep an internet connection while saving. If a photo save fails, the editor stays open so you can try again without losing your marks. ## Related guides * [Add and name photos in the mobile app](/field-operations/mobile/add-and-name-photos.md) * [Add files, notes, and access info on mobile](/field-operations/mobile/add-files-notes-and-access-info.md) * [Open a visit in the mobile app](/field-operations/mobile/open-a-visit.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. 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