iOS 26
iOS 18
iOS 17
iOS 16
Modifying this control will update this page automatically

Add images, scans, links, and other files to a Freeform board on iPhone

You can add any photo or video to a Freeform board, or take a new one with your iPhone camera. You can also add different types of files to your board by scanning, linking, or inserting them.

A Freeform board with several inserted files: a 3D image file, a link, a video, stickers, and a photo. The 3D image file is selected, and its rotation button and formatting tools are visible.

Add a photo, video, sticker, link, or other file

  1. Go to the Freeform app on your iPhone.

  2. Open a board, or tap the New Board button to start a new one.

  3. Do one of the following:

    • Tap the Media button, tap an option, then tap the Done button when you’re finished.

    • Copy the item to your Clipboard, tap an empty space, then, when a menu appears, tap Paste.

    • To add premium images from the Content Hub to your board, tap the Content Hub button in the toolbar, tap an object category in the top of the dialog, then tap a premium image to add it to the board. Anyone can use premium Content Hub images, but you need to subscribe to Apple Creator Studio to remove their watermarks.

Double-tap any media item—photo, video, or other file—to preview it.

If Apple Intelligence* is turned on, you can use Image Playground to create one-of-a-kind images in Freeform. See Create original images with Image Playground.

Note: You can insert files saved on your iPhone or in iCloud Drive. For most file types, Freeform makes a copy of the inserted file. When you add a link to a collaborative Keynote presentation, Numbers spreadsheet, or Pages document, participants in your Freeform board can tap the card to move to the shared file in iCloud. (If you want others to be able to collaborate on the file, you must save it in iCloud.)

Scan and add a document

You can scan a paper document and add it to your board as a PDF without leaving Freeform.

  1. Go to the Freeform app on your iPhone.

  2. Open a board, or tap the New Board button to start a new one.

  3. Tap the Media button, then tap Scan Documents.

  4. Position the iPhone camera so the document appears on the screen.

    iPhone automatically captures the page. To capture the scan manually, tap the Auto Shutter button, tap the Take Picture button or press a volume button, drag the corners to select the area you want in the scanned document, then tap Keep.

  5. Scan additional pages, then tap the Done button when you’re done.

A card with an image of the first page of your scan appears on your board.

Tip: To save your scan to iCloud Drive or on your iPhone, select the card, tap the Preview button, tap the Share button, then tap Save to Files.

Format a photo or video

  1. Go to the Freeform app on your iPhone.

  2. Open a board with a photo or video in it.

  3. Tap a photo or video to open its formatting tools at the bottom, then do any of the following:

    • Crop or mask the photo: Tap the Crop Mask button.

    • Remove the photo’s background: Tap the Modify Image button, then tap Remove Background. If the background of the photo can’t be made transparent, Remove Background isn’t available.

      Tip: You can also paste an image without a background. See Lift a subject from the photo or video background.

    • Add a shadow, round the corners, add a description, and more: Tap the More button, then choose an option.

    • Replace the photo or video: Select the photo or video, tap the Modify Image button or the Modify Movie button, tap Replace, then select a replacement.

    • Preview the photo or video: Tap the Preview button, or double-tap the photo or video.

      To preview a movie in full screen, double-tap it.

Auto Crop a photo

If you're subscribed to Apple Creator Studio, you can use Auto Crop to intelligently generate suggestions that improve image composition.

  1. Go to the Freeform app on your iPhone.

  2. Open a board with an image, double-tap the image to view the mask controls, then tap Auto Crop to preview cropping suggestions.

  3. Tap a suggestion to update your image, then tap Done.

Increase resolution with Super Resolution

If you're subscribed to Apple Creator Studio, you can use Super Resolution to increase the resolution of photos, making them clearer.

  1. Go to the Freeform app on your iPhone.

  2. Open a board with an image, tap the image, then tap the Image Inspector button.

  3. Tap Super Resolution.

Create new images with Image Generation

If you’re subscribed to Apple Creator Studio, you can use image generation to intelligently create images and edit existing ones.

This feature is not available in all countries and regions. To learn more, see the Apple Support article About Apple Creator Studio.

  1. Go to the Freeform app on your iPhone.

  2. Open a board, then tap the Content Hub button in the toolbar.

    Note: If this is your first time using Image Generation in Freeform, follow the onscreen instructions to share your age range with the app. Image Generation is not available for all ages, so a parent or guardian must enable this feature for children and teens in their family group. See Set up Family Sharing.

  3. Tap Generate Image, then follow the onscreen instructions.

    If you’re asked to send an image, select Allow Once or Always Allow. To reset this, tap the More button, tap Intelligence Features, then tap Reset Permissions.

  4. Do one of the following:

    • Add the image to the board: Tap the Insert button.

    • Save the image: Tap the Save button, then choose where you want to save the image.

Important: Image Generation is subject to usage limitations. To check your usage status, tap the More button, tap Intelligence Features, then tap Show Usage Status.

Put an image inside a shape

You can use a shape as a mask or frame for an image. For example, you can put your photo inside a circle.

  1. Go to the Freeform app on your iPhone.

  2. Open a board, or tap the New Board button to start a new one.

  3. Add a photo or other image to the board.

  4. Tap the Content Hub button, tap the Add Shape button, then choose a shape.

  5. Position the shape over the image, then select both it and the image.

  6. Tap the More button in the formatting tools at the bottom, then tap Mask with Shape.

Or drag an image onto a shape to use it as a frame.

To remove it from the shape, select the masked image, tap the More button in the formatting tools at the bottom, then tap Reset Mask.

Tip: To add a photo, video, file, or link to a Freeform board from supported apps (such as Notes, Photos, Safari, and more), select it and tap the Share button in the other app, tap the Freeform app icon, then tap New Board or the name of an existing board. (If you want others to be able to add items to your board, you must save it in iCloud.)

*Apple Intelligence is available in beta with support for the following languages: English, Danish, Dutch, French, German, Italian, Norwegian, Portuguese, Spanish, Swedish, Turkish, Chinese (Simplified), Chinese (Traditional), Japanese, Korean, and Vietnamese. Some features may not be available in all languages or regions. For more information on language and feature availability and system requirements, see the Apple Support article How to get Apple Intelligence.
See alsoDraw or handwrite on a Freeform board on iPhonePosition items on a Freeform board on iPhoneAdd accessibility descriptionsApply consistent styles and formatting in Freeform on iPhone
Morty Proxy This is a proxified and sanitized view of the page, visit original site.
Helpful?
Character limit: 250
Maximum character limit is 250.
Thanks for your feedback.
Morty Proxy This is a proxified and sanitized view of the page, visit original site.