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For Skitch veterans

Skitch's arrows and callouts,
reborn for 2026 Windows.

Skitch for Windows was killed in 2016. Maxisnap picks up where it left off — same annotation DNA, modern editor, Windows 10 and 11.

Maxisnap is the modern Skitch replacement for Windows 10 and 11. Skitch for Windows was retired by Evernote in January 2016 and never replaced. Maxisnap's annotation toolkit preserves Skitch's signature moves — the thick perpendicular arrow, text boxes with pointer tails, numbered pins, pixelation blur, and clean shapes — in a 2026 editor with hotkey-driven capture and modern upload options.

What Skitch did well

Five Skitch trademarks, preserved

The arrow

Skitch's thick, perpendicular arrows were its most recognizable annotation. Maxisnap's arrow tool renders the same weight, with 3-layer depth (drop shadow, outline, linear gradient) for the sculpted Monosnap-era feel.

Text with pointer tail

Inline text editing opens at the arrow tail immediately after drawing. Type, press Enter, done. Subtle drop shadow keeps text readable over busy screenshots.

Numbered pins

Auto-incrementing numbered circles for step-by-step callouts. Delete one in the middle, renumber automatically — the bug that used to break this was fixed in v1.8.2.

Pixelation blur

Pixel-block blur for hiding sensitive data. Composites over prior annotations in v1.9.0+, so the blur actually covers what you drew on top of.

Clean shapes

Rectangle, ellipse, line. No gradient fills, no drop-shadow fluff by default. Skitch's minimalist shape aesthetic carried over.

Side by side

Skitch (2016) vs Maxisnap (2026)

Area Skitch 2016 Maxisnap 2026
Windows supportDiscontinuedWindows 10 & 11
Mac supportMinimal maintenancemacOS 12+
Thick-arrow annotationYesYes
Text with pointerYesInline editing
Numbered pinsYesAuto-renumber
Pixelation blurYesComposited over annotations
Cloud share linkEvernote-tiedMaxisnap Cloud
SFTP / S3 uploadNoYes
Active maintenanceDead since 2016Monthly
FreeWasStill is
Frequently asked

Skitch questions

Why was Skitch discontinued for Windows?

Evernote retired Skitch for Windows in January 2016 as part of consolidation toward the core Evernote product. The Mac version continued with minimal updates but is also no longer actively developed.

Can I still download Skitch for Windows?

Old installers exist on third-party sites, but they're unsupported, haven't had security updates in a decade, and may not work reliably on Windows 10/11. Uploads to current Evernote endpoints also fail.

Does Evernote still make Skitch?

Officially retired for Windows in 2016. Mac version is in reduced maintenance. No new features in years. The annotation DNA lives on in Maxisnap.

What's the modern Skitch?

Maxisnap is the practical answer on Windows. Same annotation strengths — thick arrows, text with tail, numbered pins, pixelation — with a modern editor, hotkey capture, and SFTP/S3/cloud upload.

Does Maxisnap run on Windows 11?

Yes. v2.1.9 is tested on Windows 10 and 11, 64-bit. HiDPI, multi-monitor, and Windows 11 snap layouts all work.

Skitch's soul, running on Windows 11.

Free download. The annotation workflow you already know.

Download Free See features

Related: numbered pins · blur tool · Snagit alternative · Maxisnap vs Snagit · features · Monosnap alternative · is Monosnap dead?