Turn annotations into shapes and text

Available in: Explain Everything for iPadOS, iOS, and Android

With Drawing recognition your Draw tool annotations can turn into recognized Shapes or Text. You can start with the recognition enabled, transform an existing annotation through the context menu, or use the touch-and-hold gesture to recognize what you've just drawn.

Writing recognition basics

  • Drawing recognition will attempt to detect whether the annotation is a shape or writing. It will then give you options to select from based on the closest match.
  • You can further edit text and shape objects created through the recognition.
  • Recognition creates a match for each object on the canvas separately. If you created another annotation across the canvas, switched tools mid writing, each bit will have its own suggestion. Similarly, if you select a group of objects to recognize, you will get a suggestion for each object in the selection.

Enable the Drawing recognition mode

You can enable the Drawing recognition mode to see what your annotations can turn into and select the appropriate option.

  1. Select the Draw tool from the toolbar.
  2. From the tool dock, select Drawing recognition.
  3. Start annotating on your canvas. Suggestions will appear as you finish lines.
  4. From the suggestions, select either the Shape or Text to transform your annotations.
  1. Select the Draw tool from the toolbar.
  2. From the tool dock, select Drawing recognition.
  3. Start annotating on your canvas. Suggestions will appear as you finish lines.
  4. From the suggestions, select either the Shape or Text to transform your annotations.

Drawing recognition is currently unavailable on the Web version of Explain Everything.

Recognize an existing drawing

If you've already created an annotation, but have not done it using the Drawing recognition mode, you can still perform the recognition action on it manually.

  1. Select the Hand tool from the toolbar.
  2. Select an annotation on the canvas you'd like to turn into text or shape.
  3. From the context menu, select Special actions.
  4. Select Recognize drawings.
  5. From the suggestions, select either the Shape or Text to transform your annotations.
  1. Select the Hand tool from the toolbar.
  2. Select an annotation on the canvas you'd like to turn into text or shape.
  3. From the context menu, select Special actions.
  4. Select Recognize drawings.
  5. From the suggestions, select either the Shape or Text to transform your annotations.

Drawing recognition is currently unavailable on the Web version of Explain Everything.

Instantly transform annotations with a gesture

The Hold to match drawing option in Settings, makes it so that you can turn your annotations into a shape or text with a gesture. If it's enabled, as you draw the final line of your annotation, hold down at the end and after a brief moment the annotation will transform to the nearest match.

  1. Select the Menu from the top right-hand corner of the screen.
  2. Select Settings.
  3. Navigate to the Editing tab.
  4. Scroll down to Hold to match drawing and enable it.
  5. You can now hold down at the end of the last line of your annotation to turn it into a shape or text.
  1. Select the Menu from the top right-hand corner of the screen.
  2. Select Settings.
  3. Navigate to the Editing tab.
  4. Scroll down to Hold to match drawing and enable it.
  5. You can now hold down at the end of the last line of your annotation to turn it into a shape or text.

Drawing recognition is currently unavailable on the Web version of Explain Everything.

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