![](https://help.apple.com/assets/65A8108F6524DBD548085484/65A81090303713255A088515/en_GB/fcdf74cf8457ce188a2aaa7cf1293c83.png)
Mark up email attachments in Mail on Mac
When you’re writing a message and add an image or PDF document, you can use Markup to write or draw on the attachment, rotate or crop it, or add shapes or a signature to it.
![An attachment with the Markup toolbar across the top.](https://help.apple.com/assets/65A8108F6524DBD548085484/65A81090303713255A088515/en_GB/a7fcee1077bcea2fbe73365a9bd1cf7a.png)
Tip: You can use the Markup tools to add your own drawing directly to your message. Control-click anywhere in the body of your message, then choose Insert Drawing.
In the Mail app
on your Mac, move the pointer over an image or PDF you added to your message.
Click the Action pop-up menu
that appears in the upper-right corner of the attachment, then choose Markup. Or simply Force click the image.
If the pop-up menu isn’t shown, you may need to enable Markup. Choose Apple menu
> System Settings, then click Privacy & Securityin the sidebar (you may need to scroll down). Go to Others on the right, click Extensions, click Actions, then select the Markup tickbox.
Use the tools to mark up the image or PDF.
You can adjust how much of the attachment is shown at any time: move the pointer near the edges, then drag the blue handles.
To duplicate any shape, text or signature, press and hold the Option key while you drag an item; use the yellow guides to align the items.
Tool
Description
Sketch
Sketch a shape using a single stroke.
If your drawing is recognised as a standard shape, it’s replaced by that shape; to use your drawing instead, choose it from the palette that’s shown.
Draw
Draw a shape using a single stroke. Press your finger more firmly on the trackpad to draw with a heavier, darker line.
This tool appears only on Mac computers with a Force Touch trackpad.
Shapes
Click a shape, then drag it where you want. To resize the shape, use the blue handles. If it has green handles, use them to alter the shape.
You can zoom and highlight shapes using these tools:
Loupe
: Drag the loupe to the area you want to magnify. To increase or decrease the magnification, drag the green handle; drag the blue handle to change the loupe size.To further magnify an area, you can create additional loupes and stack them, using the yellow guides to align them.
Highlight
: Drag the highlight where you want. To resize it, use the blue handles.
Text
Type your text, then drag the text box where you want.
Sign
If signatures are listed, click one, then drag it where you want. To resize it, use the blue handles.
To create a new signature, click the Sign tool, click Create Signature if shown, then click how you want to create your signature:
Use a trackpad: Click the text when asked, sign your name on the trackpad using your finger, press any key when you’re finished, then click Done. If you don’t like the results, click Clear, then try again.
If your trackpad supports it, press your finger more firmly on the trackpad to sign with a heavier, darker line.
Use your Mac computer’s built-in camera: Hold your signature (on white paper) facing the camera so that your signature is level with the blue line in the window. When your signature appears in the window, click Done. If you don’t like the results, click Clear, then try again.
Use your iPhone or iPad: Click Select Device to choose a device (if more than one is available). On your device, use your finger or Apple Pencil (on iPad) to sign your name. If you don’t like the results, tap Clear, then try again. When you’re ready, tap Done.
If you use VoiceOver, the built-in screen reader on Mac, you can add a description of a signature when you create one. This is especially useful if you create multiple signatures and need to distinguish between them to ensure you use the intended signature. Before you click or tap Done, click the Description pop-up menu, then choose a description, such as Initials, or choose Custom to create your own description. When you’re ready to sign a PDF document, navigate the list of signatures using VoiceOver. When you hear the description of the signature you want to use, press VO-Space bar to select it.
If you use iCloud Drive, your signatures are available on your other Mac computers that have iCloud Drive turned on and Mail selected in iCloud Drive options.
To delete a signature, move the pointer over it, then click
(it appears to the right of the signature). The signature is no longer available to use in any app where you can add a signature.
Shape Style
Change the thickness and type of lines used in a shape, and add a shadow.
Border Colour
Change the colour of the lines used in a shape.
Fill Colour
Change the colour that’s used inside a shape.
Text Style
Change the font or the font style and colour.
Rotate Left
or Rotate Right
Click
to rotate the item to the left. Continue clicking to keep rotating.
To rotate the item to the right, press and hold the Option key, then click
until you’ve finished rotating the item.
Crop
Hide part of an item. Drag the corner handles until just the area you want to keep is shown within the frame’s border. You can also drag the frame to reposition it. When you’re ready, click Crop.
Image Description
Enter, view or edit a description of an image. (The tool is highlighted when an image has a description.)
Image descriptions can be read by screen readers and are useful for anyone who has difficulty seeing images online. For example, if you use VoiceOver, the built-in screen reader on Mac, you can press the VoiceOver command VO-Shift-L to hear a description of the image in the VoiceOver cursor.
Annotate
, ,Annotate the item by sketching or drawing on it using your nearby iPhone
or iPad . If both devices are nearby, click Annotate, then choose a device. The tool may appear highlighted to show your device is connected. To disconnect your device without using it, click the tool again.
Note: To use your nearby iPhone or iPad to sign or annotate items, it must meet Continuity system requirements. See the Apple Support article System requirements for Continuity on Mac, iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch.
When you’ve finished, click Done.
You can change or add annotations until you send your message. Once sent, your annotations become part of the image or PDF, and you and your recipients can’t modify them.