ScreenVault

ScreenVault / Annotate screenshot

Annotate screenshots

Point at the bug, number the steps, hide the customer’s email. Arrows, boxes, labels, a highlighter, pixelation and real black-box redaction, drawn and exported entirely in your browser.

Why blur is not redaction

Blurring and pixelating don’t delete information; they average it. Each output pixel is still a function of the secret underneath. When the secret comes from a small, predictable set (digits, a known email format, a known font), that is enough to guess it back. Try it:

✕ Still readable by eye. Light blur mostly softens edges; the shapes of the digits survive.

The number shown is a made-up test value. For anything sensitive, use the Redact tool above: the export is re-drawn as a flat image, so nothing hides beneath the box.

Annotations that make bug reports faster to act on

  • One box for the defect, arrows only for relationships. Three red boxes read as three bugs.
  • Number the steps and repeat the numbers in the ticket text, so the screenshot and the steps to reproduce cross-reference each other.
  • Redact before you paste. Customer names, emails, tokens in URLs and internal hostnames end up in tickets that are later shared with vendors.
  • Keep the original. Save the annotated copy to your vault alongside the raw capture, so you can re-crop or diff it later.

Questions

How do I annotate a screenshot online?

Drop or paste the screenshot, pick a tool (box, arrow, text, highlighter, pixelate or redact) and drag on the image. Undo with the button or Ctrl/⌘+Z, then download, copy or save it to your vault.

Is blurring enough to hide passwords or emails?

Often not. Light blur and large-block pixelation of short, known-format text (numbers, emails) can sometimes be reversed or guessed by trying candidates until one blurs to the same pattern. Use the solid Redact tool for secrets; it replaces the pixels entirely.

Does the redaction really remove the text?

Yes. The export is a new flat PNG drawn from the canvas, so under a black box there is only black. That differs from PDF editors, where a box drawn on top can sometimes be removed to reveal the text beneath.

Can I number the steps in a bug report?

Use the Step tool: each click drops the next numbered marker (1, 2, 3…) in the current colour, which pairs well with numbered steps to reproduce.

Other screenshot tools