PhotoNotes for Mac

Quick summary

I like Flickr’s ability to tag specific areas of an image to call attention to details. macOS’s iPhoto doesn’t offer that directly, but a utility called PhotoNotes fills the gap by letting you place labeled annotations on photos.

Suggested paid alternative

• Minecraft — Java & Bedrock Edition (paid)

Getting started with PhotoNotes

PhotoNotes requires you to bring photos into its library before you can mark them up. You can add images in either of these ways:

• Drag images directly from iPhoto into the app
• Import files from the Finder

After import, the app separates pictures into two groups: those that already contain comments and those that don’t.

How to add labels

Adding an annotation is simple:

• Enter the photo by double-clicking it, then click-and-drag over the area you want labeled
• Type any text you like, or pull contact names from your Address Book to populate labels

You can place multiple annotations on a single image and edit the label content after creating it.

Sharing options

PhotoNotes can export annotated images as HTML pages so you can post or share them on the web easily. Exported files preserve the labels and positions so viewers can see the same callouts you created.

Strengths and limitations

• Limited styling: there aren’t many choices for label font, color, or appearance
• Extra import step: having to copy photos into another app before annotating can be inconvenient
• Quick and intuitive labeling: creating and placing tags is fast and user-friendly

Who should consider PhotoNotes

Choose PhotoNotes if you want a straightforward way to add spot labels to pictures and don’t mind importing your images into a separate program. If you need advanced visual styling for labels or want to avoid an extra import workflow, look for alternatives with richer customization.