Add to Chrome
SiteAnnotation is installed from the Chrome Web Store. Open its page, press Add to Chrome and confirm in the dialog. Chrome shows which permissions the extension asks for; the access section explains each of them.
There is no sign up after installation. The extension works as soon as Chrome adds it.
Pin the icon
Chrome hides new extensions in the puzzle menu. Pin SiteAnnotation so it is one click away:
- Click the puzzle icon on the right of the address bar.
- Find SiteAnnotation in the list and click the pin next to it.
- The SiteAnnotation icon now stays on the toolbar.
First capture
- Open the page you want to review.
- Click the SiteAnnotation icon or press Alt+Shift+O. The side panel opens next to the page.
- Choose a capture mode: Area, Whole page, Block, Text or Page data.
- Add a comment to the item, or open the screenshot in the editor to mark it up.
The item lands in your first report. When the report is ready, export it as PDF, Word, HTML or Markdown. How it works describes every step in detail.
Keyboard shortcuts
| Action | Keys |
|---|---|
| Open the side panel | Alt+Shift+O |
| Area | Alt+Shift+S |
| Block | Alt+Shift+E |
| Text | Alt+Shift+Q |
| Whole page | Not set by default |
| Page data | Not set by default |
To change them, type chrome://extensions/shortcuts in the address bar and press Enter. Websites cannot open Chrome pages by a link, so the address has to be typed. On a Mac, Alt is the Option key.
If it does not work
The panel says the page can't be captured. Chrome does not let extensions work on its own pages (chrome:// addresses, settings, the new tab page, page source), on Chrome Web Store pages, in the built-in PDF viewer and on error pages. Open a regular website and try again.
Local files do not work. Open chrome://extensions, find SiteAnnotation, open Details and turn on Allow access to file URLs.
A shortcut does nothing. Another extension may already use the same keys, and Chrome then leaves the command without a key. Check chrome://extensions/shortcuts and assign a free combination.
The extension cannot be installed or is blocked on some sites. On a work computer, an administrator policy can block extensions or limit the sites they run on. Ask your IT team; SiteAnnotation cannot change these settings.
Browsers
SiteAnnotation is made for desktop Google Chrome: Windows, macOS, Linux and ChromeOS. Chrome on phones and tablets does not support extensions.