Frequently Asked Questions

Instant Markup is a professional-grade, speed-first annotation tool designed for PDFs, Word documents (.docx), and images (PNG, JPEG). Built around a streamlined 'draw → comment' workflow, it allows you to mark up documents rapidly. Whether you're using a trackpad, stylus, or touchscreen, Instant Markup provides a low-friction environment for high-speed feedback and collaboration.

Our tool is optimized for professionals who handle high volumes of document feedback: lawyers reviewing contracts, screenwriters editing scripts, teachers grading assignments, and researchers analyzing papers. It's built for anyone who needs to move faster than traditional, heavy PDF editors allow.

You can start annotating immediately as a guest to test the workflow. However, to save your progress in the cloud, export full documents, or access Pro features, you'll need to create a free account.

Instant Markup supports PDF documents, Microsoft Word files (.docx), and high-resolution images (PNG, JPEG, WebP). Word documents are automatically converted to PDF for seamless annotation. Regardless of the source format, you can export your finished work as a professional, flattened PDF report or a CSV summary of all annotations.

We offer a focused set of high-performance tools: a pressure-sensitive Pen for freehand drawing, a Highlighter for text and areas, Text boxes for direct notes, and a unique 'Draw-to-Comment' feature that automatically opens a note field when you finish a stroke.

You can export your work in two primary ways: a fully rendered PDF with all annotations embedded, or a CSV file containing a structured list of every comment, page number, and author for easy integration into other workflows.

Yes! Instant Markup is highly optimized for iPad (Apple Pencil) and Android tablets. We support pressure sensitivity and palm rejection through the browser for a natural drawing experience.

The Free tier allows you to test the full 'draw → comment' workflow on a limited number of pages. It's perfect for verifying that the tool meets your needs before upgrading. Free users have limited storage duration and restricted exports.

The Review Pass is a 48-hour 'Pro Unlock'. For just $5, you get unlimited access to all features—including full-length document annotation, unlimited exports, and cloud storage—for two days. It's ideal for tight deadlines or one-off projects.

For $15 per year, Pro Annual offers the best value. It includes unlimited documents, unlimited pages, full exports, and 1GB of persistent cloud storage. It's designed for power users who annotate documents regularly.

Yes. You can manage and cancel your Pro Annual subscription through your account settings at any time. You will retain access to Pro features until the end of your current billing cycle.

Your documents and annotations are stored using industry-standard encryption. We use Firebase (by Google) for secure authentication and data persistence. We do not sell your data, and your documents are only accessible to you and the people you explicitly share them with.

Free tier documents are stored temporarily and may be removed after 24 hours of inactivity. Review Pass users have cloud access for 48 hours. Pro Annual users enjoy 1GB of persistent storage as long as their subscription is active.

Instant Markup requires an internet connection to load documents and sync annotations to the cloud. However, once a document is loaded, the drawing and commenting engine is highly resilient to minor connection flickers.

We support the latest versions of Chrome, Safari, Firefox, and Edge. For the best experience on mobile and tablets, we recommend using Safari on iOS/iPadOS and Chrome on Android.

Currently, you can share links to your annotated documents. We are actively working on real-time 'multiplayer' editing features which will be released to Pro users in a future update.