Five-minute workflow
Redact a screenshot with Photos and Markup
- Duplicate the screenshot. In Photos, open it, tap the More button, then tap Duplicate. Work on the duplicate so the two versions are easier to distinguish.
- Open Markup. Open the duplicate, tap Edit, then tap the Markup button.
- Add a rectangle. Tap Add, choose a rectangular shape, select a solid fill, and set it to full opacity.
- Cover beyond the text. Resize the rectangle so it extends past every edge of the password, address, number, QR code, or other private area.
- Zoom in and verify. Check that no character edges or nearby private details remain visible. Tap Done, reopen the result, and inspect it again before sharing.
Why a highlighter is not the same as redaction
Markup lets you adjust opacity. A translucent pen, highlighter, or shape is designed to leave content visible underneath, so it is a poor choice for hiding private information. Use a solid fill at full opacity. If sharing the image is optional, the safest choice is still not to send it.
Keep the original and the shared copy straight
Apple's Photos edits are reversible: an edited image in your library can be reverted to the original. That is useful for ordinary photo editing, but it means covering text is not the same as destroying the source. Share only the checked, visibly redacted version. If you no longer need the source screenshot, delete it separately after confirming any necessary information has a safer home.
What to look for beyond the obvious field
- Names, email addresses, phone numbers, street addresses, and profile photos.
- Passwords, one-time codes, recovery codes, seed phrases, QR codes, and API keys.
- Account balances, card details, order numbers, ticket barcodes, and document IDs.
- Browser tabs, notification previews, status bars, filenames, and background conversations.
- Photo location metadata, which is not visible in the pixels and needs a separate check.
When you need to find the risky screenshots first
Markup helps when you already know which image and region to cover. SecretScan addresses the earlier step: it uses on-device OCR and deterministic pattern checks to narrow a screenshot library to likely sensitive findings. You review every result, then can export a rendered redacted copy or request deletion of the original. It can miss content or produce false positives, so verification still matters.
Related guides
- Run a complete sensitive-screenshot audit
- Search screenshots by visible text with built-in iPhone tools
- Remove location metadata from iPhone photos before sharing
Apple references: Use Markup to add text and shapes, Duplicate and copy photos, and Undo and revert photo edits.
Last reviewed September 2, 2026.