# How to draw on your screen while presenting Figma designs

Source: https://useoverlaid.app/guides/draw-over-figma-mac

> Figma's Pencil tool and comments add content to your file, and its cursor chat disappears after a few seconds. To point at a design during a review without changing it, draw on the screen with an annotation app like Overlaid.

A design review is mostly pointing at spacing, alignment and states. Doing it inside the file means someone has to clean up afterwards.

A layer above Figma lets you mark up the live screen and leaves the file exactly as it was.

## Inside Figma (Included)

Comments and the Pencil tool leave marks in the file. Cursor chat is temporary.

1. Press C to leave a comment on a spot in the design.
2. Press Shift+P for the Pencil tool, which adds a line to the file.
3. Press / for cursor chat. The message appears live and fades a few seconds after you stop typing.

Good:
- Comments are saved and can start threads
- Cursor chat is quick for collaborators in the same file

Limits:
- Pencil lines are real layers you have to delete
- Cursor chat messages aren't stored

## Overlaid ($11.99 once, 7-day free trial)

Draws on the screen, so the Figma file never changes.

1. Open the frame you want to discuss.
2. Press ⌃⌥D and circle, draw arrows or write a note.
3. Use the spotlight to focus on one component and dim the rest.
4. Let fading ink clear the marks, then continue the review.

Good:
- Nothing to clean up in the file
- Works across Figma, prototypes and your browser
- Spotlight and zoom for pixel-level points

Limits:
- Marks aren't saved, so use Figma comments for feedback you want to keep

## Tips

- **Use both, for different jobs.** Draw on screen to explain live, then leave a Figma comment for anything that needs follow-up.
- **Zoom the screen, not just the canvas.** Figma's canvas zoom changes the view for everyone in the file. Screen zoom only changes yours.
- **Share your screen, not a tab.** If you present from the browser version in a call, share the entire screen so viewers see your marks.

## Questions

### Can you draw on top of a Figma file without changing it?

Yes, with a screen annotation app. Figma's own pencil adds a line to the file.

### Does cursor chat in Figma save what I type?

No. Figma says cursor chat messages are temporary and not stored, so use comments for anything important.

### Will my drawings show if I present a Figma prototype?

They appear as long as you share the whole screen on a call.