The Select Tool
The Select tool is how you edit existing annotations. You cannot resize, rotate, recolor or group anything while a drawing tool is active.
Activating
| Method | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Toolbar | Click the arrow / pointer icon |
| Keyboard | V |
| From any other tool | Esc |
The cursor changes to a standard arrow. The status bar shows Tool: Select.
Clicking on Annotations
| Click | Result |
|---|---|
| Single click on an annotation | Select it. Handles appear. |
| Ctrl+Click on another annotation | Add to selection (multi-select). |
| Shift+Click | Same as Ctrl+Click. |
| Click empty space | Deselect everything. |
| Click-and-drag empty space | Rubber-band select all annotations inside the rectangle. |
Selection Visual
When an annotation is selected you see:
- Blue dashed outline around its bounds.
- Eight blue square handles at the corners and midpoints for resize.
- Blue ellipse 25 pt above the top centre, linked by a dashed line — the rotation handle.
- Small central blue square — the move handle.
- For polygon / polyline / freehand: orange dots at every vertex — the vertex handles (see 04.3).
Keyboard After Selection
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Nudge 1 pt | Arrow keys |
| Nudge 10 pt | Shift + arrow keys |
| Delete | Delete or Backspace |
| Duplicate | Ctrl+D |
| Cut / Copy / Paste | Ctrl+X / Ctrl+C / Ctrl+V |
| Select all on page | Ctrl+A |
| Deselect all | Esc |
The Context Menu (Right-Click)
Right-click a selected annotation (or right-click any annotation without selecting first) for:
- Cut / Copy / Paste / Duplicate / Delete
- Bring to Front / Send to Back
- Change Color (6 presets + Custom)
- Change Opacity (100 / 75 / 50 / 25%)
- Move to Layer (if document has layers)
- Group / Ungroup
- Align Left / Right / Top / Bottom / Center H / Center V / Distribute
- Flip Cloud Direction (for clouds only)
- Insert Point Here / Delete Point (for polygon / polyline / freehand only)
- Save Attachment / Open Attachment (for file attachments only)
- Properties…
Context-menu availability changes based on the selected annotation type.
What the Select Tool Does NOT Do
- It will not create new annotations. Use a drawing tool for that.
- It will not modify text content. Double-click a text annotation to edit its text.
- It will not change the active layer — that's via the Layers panel.
Tips
Tip
Tip — If you can't select an annotation, check: 1. Is the right tool active? You must be in Select mode. 2. Is the annotation on a hidden layer? 3. Is the annotation locked (see Properties → Lock)?
Tip
Tip — On crowded pages, Alt+Click cycles through overlapping annotations so you can select the one underneath.