Annotate any image directly from a URL
Append a ?url= parameter pointing at any publicly accessible image, and the editor opens with it ready to annotate. The image is fetched server-side, so the same-origin and CORS rules a browser would apply to a client-side fetch don't get in the way.
How to use
Single image
Append ?url= with the full image URL. The server fetches the image, hands it to the editor, and you skip straight to drawing.
https://mytools.com/image/draw-red-circles/by-url?url=https://example.com/screenshot.png
Requirements
| Protocol | http:// or https:// only |
| Content-Type | image/png, image/jpeg, or image/webp |
| Size | Up to 25 MB after fetch |
| Source | Any publicly accessible URL — no auth headers are sent |
Server-side fetch · No CORS restrictions · Same in-browser editor
Why use the URL entry point?
Skip the upload step
When you already have an image URL — from a build artefact, a hosted screenshot, a previous tool — pass it directly instead of downloading and re-uploading.
No CORS restrictions
The image is fetched on the server, not in the browser. CORS headers, hotlink protection and same-origin rules don't enter the picture.
Shareable and linkable
The URL is the session. Share it with a teammate and they open the same image in the same editor, instantly.
Chains with other tools
Pipe the output of /image/compress-image or any other MyTools image tool straight into the annotator without manual re-upload.
Bookmarklet-ready
Build a one-line bookmarklet that grabs the current page's screenshot URL and opens it here. The whole flow is a query string.
Same editor, different entry
Once the image is loaded, the experience is identical to the main tool — circles, arrows, text, undo, download.
How it works
Build the URL
Start with /image/draw-red-circles/by-url, append ?url= and the full image address.
The image loads automatically
The server fetches the image, validates its content type, and forwards it to the editor.
Annotate and download
Draw your red circles, arrows or text, then download the annotated image as usual.
Frequently asked questions
- Images are never stored — fetched and forwarded in a single request.
- URLs and images are not logged, inspected, or retained.
- No sign-up needed — construct the URL and go.