With iOS 11, Apple is acknowledging that screenshots are an integrated part of our workflow. Be it sharing a conversation on Twitter, using the Notes app screenshot as text shot, or annotating an app screen to send feedback to someone.
Instant Markup is one of the new iOS 11 features that shows up when you’re trying to markup a PDF or a screenshot. This new view is much simpler and more powerful than ever. Taking a screenshot is no longer a Sleep+Wake/Home combo affair. There’s a lot more you can do now.
1. Use Keyboard Shortcuts
Screenshot markup feature is already immensely quick and useful. But if you’re using an iPad with a keyboard, this becomes even faster.
You can use Mac’s keyboard shortcuts to take screenshots. The Cmd + Shift + 3 combo takes a screenshot. The Cmd + Shift + 4 combo takes the screenshot and directly throws you into Instant Markup view.
2. Swipe the Preview and It Goes Away
When you take a screenshot, you’ll see a preview of it in the bottom-left corner. Tap on it to start marking up. But if you don’t want to do anything with it right away, just swipe it off the screen and it will go away.
3. Stack Screenshot Previews
The floating screenshot preview is not a normal UI element. So even if you take a screenshot while there’s a floating window, it won’t be included in the second screenshot. What this means is that you can take a couple of screenshots and they’ll all be stacked in the corner. You can then open the directly in the markup view or share them.
4. Drag and Drop Screenshots
As long as there are screenshots in the floating preview, you can drag and drop them to any app. Start by tapping and holding on the preview till they’re docked under your finger. Now, use the other hand to navigate to where you want to send the screenshots (like a note in Notes app). Release your finger to drop the screenshot there.
5. Tap and Hold for Sharing Options
Tap and hold on a floating screenshot preview (or stacked screenshots) and you’ll see the ever familiar Share sheet. You now be able to AirDrop the screenshots to another computer, save it to any cloud sync service using the Files app, or share it in a conversation in Messages or Slack.
6. Tap to Markup
When you tap on the screenshot preview, you’ll jump directly into the Instant Markup screen that’s available in many places across iOS 11.
7. Crop Your Image
The Instant Markup screen makes it really easy to crop the screenshot. There’s no specific mode you need to go into, no icon to find that’s 3 levels deep (like the Photos app).
Here, you’ll see that the photo is surrounded by a blue border and the edges have bold handles. Tap and hold on those handles and move them in. That’s it, your photo is cropped.
8. Markup Options
In iOS 11, the markup features are going to be enough for most people. You can doodle freeform using 6 colors and different tips (using your finger or your Apple Pencil).
Tap the + button and you’ll be able to add a signature you’ve got saved, a text box or a magnifying tool. Now, there’s an arrow tool here as well, along with the regular shape tool for adding rectangles and circles.
9. Share the Screenshots
Once you’re done marking up, you’ll want to share it. So tap on the Share button on the top left and select an app or service to send the photo to.
10. Get Done without Saving to Camera Roll
When you tap Done, you get two options. Either to save the screenshot to the Photos app (in its current state) or to delete the screenshot entirely.
This is a great feature considering the fact that you might not want silly annotated screenshots cluttering your Camera Roll.
iOS 11 Takes iPad Productivity to 11
iOS 11 is filled with productivity features and a lot of them are dedicated to improving the iPad experience. Between the new multitasking system, the Dock, drag and drop and the new Files app, you might just be able to get most of your work done on your iPad. But the question is – will you?
What do you think of the new productivity features in iOS 11? Do you think they’re enough for iPad to be your main work device? Share with us in the comments below.
