Insert and edit images

You can add images and photos to your Explain Everything projects to illustrate your point or discuss the image itself by annotating and highlighting on it.

Image basics and tips

  • You can add an existing image right from your device, or take a picture and add it directly to the canvas.
  • The Image Editor opens every time you add a single image or a newly taken photo to your canvas.
  • Move, rotate, and scale added images with the  Hand Tool.
  • You can annotate the image with the  Draw Tool or the  Highlighter. The annotations stick to the underlying images by default.
  • To quickly straighten an image on Apple, Android, and Chromebook devices, select  Hand Tool from the Toolbar and select the image on the canvas with two fingers.
  • To quickly straighten an image on the Web version, select  Hand Tool from the Toolbar and double-click the image on the canvas.

Add existing images

  1. While in a project, select  Add Media from the toolbar.
  2. From the menu, select  File.
  3. Navigate to the location where your image is stored and select it. You can select multiple images from a single location.
  4. Select Import.
  5. If you selected a single image, you can edit it with the Image Editor.

Tip: You can also add existing images to your canvas using the Drag and Drop feature.

Tip: Haven’t got images on your device at hand? Learn how to take a photo and add it to your canvas or add images from Unsplash to your canvas.

  1. While in a project, select  Add Media from the toolbar.
  2. From the menu, select  Photo, Video, or File.
  3. Navigate to the location where your image is stored and select it.
  4. If you'd like you can edit the image with an Image Editor.
  5. Select Done when you're ready.

Tip: You can also add existing images to your canvas using the Drag and Drop feature.

  1. While in a project, select  Add Media from the toolbar.
  2. From the menu, select  Existing Image/Video.
  3. Navigate to the location where your image is stored and select it. You can select multiple images from a single location.
  4. Select Upload/Open.
  5. If you selected a single image, you can edit it with the Image Editor.

Tip: You can also add existing images to your canvas using the Drag and Drop feature.

Take a photo and add it

  1. While in a project, select  Add Media from the toolbar.
  2. From the Insert New menu at the top, select  Picture.
  3. Take a picture with your camera.
  4. Select Use Photo if you’re happy with the result or Retake to take another shot.
  5. Edit the image with the Image Editor if you like.
  6. Select Done when you're ready.
  1. While in a project, select  Add Media from the toolbar.
  2. From the menu, select  New Picture.
  3. Take a picture with your camera.
  4. Confirm if you’re happy with the result or Cancel to take another shot.
  5. Edit the image with the Image Editor if you like.
  6. Select Done when you're ready. 
  1. While in a project, select  Add Media from the toolbar.
  2. From the menu, select  New Photo.
  3. Take a picture with your camera.
  4. Select Use Photo if you’re happy with the result or Retake to take another shot.
  5. Edit the image with the Image Editor if you like.
  6. Select Done when you're ready. 

Edit an image or a photo

You can edit images and photos before adding them to your canvas with the Image Editor. The Image Editor opens every time you add a single image or a newly taken photo to your canvas.

Image editor basics

Note: You can't use the Image Editor on images that are already on the canvas. However, you can use the  Eraser or the  Cutout Tool to achieve similar effects.

Crop a selected area

  1. While in the Image Editor, select either Lasso or Rectangular Selection.
  2. Select the area of an image or a photo that you'd like to add to your canvas — in the Rectangular Selection mode, move the dots with your finger or stylus to adjust the area you’d like to remain; in the Lasso mode, mark the area you’d like to keep with your finger or stylus.
  3. When you’re happy with the result, select Apply.
  4. Select Done to add the cropped image or photo to your canvas.
  1. While in the Image Editor, select either Lasso or Rectangular Selection.
  2. Select the area of an image or a photo that you'd like to add to your canvas — in the Rectangular Selection mode, move the dots with your finger, stylus or cursor to adjust the area you’d like to remain; in the Lasso mode, mark the area you’d like to keep with your finger, stylus or cursor.
  3. When you’re happy with the result, select Apply.
  4. Select Done to add the cropped image or photo to your canvas.
  1. In the Image Editor, select the Rectangular Selection.
  2. Select the area of an image or a photo that you'd like to add to your canvas. Move the dots with your cursor to adjust the area you’d like to keep.
  3. When you’re happy with the result, select Apply.
  4. Select Done to add the cropped image or photo to your canvas.

Remove areas of a certain color

With the Instant Alpha option, you can select a color on the image and get rid of it, making it transparent. This way, you can quickly remove large portions of the image (like backgrounds) and add it to your canvas without them.

  1. In the Image Editor, select Instant Alpha.
  2. Drag across the selected area to adjust the color sensitivity.
  3. Select Apply when you're happy with the result.

This feature is not yet available in the Android version of Explain Everything.

This feature is not yet available in the web version of Explain Everything.

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