# Adding Custom Graphics to a PDF Create and add custom annotation and page graphics to your PDF document. ## Discussion You can add custom annotation and page graphics to a PDF by overriding the `draw` method for [`PDFAnnotation`](/documentation/PDFKit/PDFAnnotation) or [`PDFPage`](/documentation/PDFKit/PDFPage). If the graphic applies to the whole page, like a watermark, custom border, or logo, you add it to the page using [`PDFPage`](/documentation/PDFKit/PDFPage). If the graphic is something small, such as circling or highlighting a particular element on the page, or a repeatable custom graphic, such as a heart, club, spade, or diamond, then it should be added using [`PDFAnnotation`](/documentation/PDFKit/PDFAnnotation). Some graphics, like lines, can work as annotations or page elements. Drawings are static, unlike interactive annotation types like widgets. To learn more about widgets, see [Adding Widgets to a PDF Document](/documentation/PDFKit/adding-widgets-to-a-pdf-document).  ### Register a Delegate for the Document Register a [`PDFDocumentDelegate`](/documentation/PDFKit/PDFDocumentDelegate) to the [`PDFDocument`](/documentation/PDFKit/PDFDocument) loaded in the current [`PDFView`](/documentation/PDFKit/PDFView). This delegate will allow you to specify a method for building PDF annotations or PDF pages. The [`PDFDocument`](/documentation/PDFKit/PDFDocument) is called `document`. ```swift document.delegate = self pdfView?.document = document ``` ### Implement a Custom Subclass Create a custom subclass for your custom graphics, one that will include your drawing. This example shows how to add a custom line graphic to a PDF, either through a PDF annotation or a PDF page. #### Implement a Custom Annotation Subclass Create a custom annotation subclass for your line graphic. ```swift class LineAnnotation: PDFAnnotation { } ``` Implement the [`class(forAnnotationType:)`](/documentation/PDFKit/PDFDocumentDelegate/class(forAnnotationType:)) function in the document’s delegate. This method returns the subclass type for [`PDFAnnotation`](/documentation/PDFKit/PDFAnnotation) for a given annotation subtype string. In this case you return the `LineAnnotation` class for a `Line` type annotation. ```swift func `class`(forAnnotationType annotationType: String) -> AnyClass { if annotationType == "Line" { return LineAnnotation.self } else { return PDFAnnotation.self } } ``` #### Implement a Custom Page Subclass Create a custom subclass for [`PDFPage`](/documentation/PDFKit/PDFPage) that includes your line graphic. ```swift class LinePage: PDFPage { } ``` Implement the [`classForPage()`](/documentation/PDFKit/PDFDocumentDelegate/classForPage()) function in the document delegate. This class returns the subclass type for [`PDFPage`](/documentation/PDFKit/PDFPage), the `LinePage` class: ```swift func classForPage() -> AnyClass { return LinePage.self } ``` ### Override the Draw Method and Add Your Custom Graphic Override the `draw` method in your subclass to draw your custom graphic, the line. Draw the original content by calling the superclass version of the `draw` method. The `draw` methods for pages and annotations are nearly identical, the only difference being the `in context` parameter for annotations and the `to context` parameter for pages: **For annotations, use this** [`draw(with:)`](/documentation/PDFKit/PDFAnnotation/draw(with:)) **method:** ```swift override func draw(with box: PDFDisplayBox, in context: CGContext) { // Draw original content. super.draw(with: box, in: context) } ``` **For pages, use this** [`draw(with:)`](/documentation/PDFKit/PDFPage/draw(with:)) **method:** ```swift override func draw(with box: PDFDisplayBox, to context: CGContext) { // Draw original content. super.draw(with: box, to: context) } ``` In the appropriate `draw` method, add your custom drawing, in this case the line. To ensure that your drawing maintains its properties and doesn’t affect other contexts in your PDF, make sure to save and restore your graphics state (before and after, respectively) you add your custom drawing code. > Important: > Ensure that you draw your content with respect to the PDF page coordinate system. The origin is at the bottom left corner, with the Y axis increasing from bottom to top and the X axis increasing from left to right. ```swift class LineAnnotation: PDFAnnotation { override func draw(with box: PDFDisplayBox, in context: CGContext) { // Draw original content under the new content. super.draw(with: box, in: context) // Draw a custom purple line. UIGraphicsPushContext(context) context.saveGState() let path = UIBezierPath() path.lineWidth = 10 path.move(to: CGPoint(x: bounds.minX + startPoint.x, y: bounds.minY + startPoint.y)) path.addLine(to: CGPoint(x: bounds.minX + endPoint.x, y: bounds.minY + endPoint.y)) UIColor.systemPurple.setStroke() path.stroke() context.restoreGState() UIGraphicsPopContext() } } ``` > Note: > PDFAnnotation also allows custom drawing for annotations with a type unknown to PDFKit, but only if the annotation has an appearance stream (``doc://com.apple.pdfkit/documentation/PDFKit/PDFAnnotation/hasAppearanceStream``). --- Copyright © 2026 Apple Inc. All rights reserved. | [Terms of Use](https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/terms/site.html) | [Privacy Policy](https://www.apple.com/privacy/privacy-policy)