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On the moto g stylus (2025), the built-in pen can open Moto Note, capture a screenshot, or select part of a screenshot for cropping. You can mark up the captured image with drawing, highlights, and text. That is different from editing a PDF itself: Motorola’s 2025 instructions document screenshot markup, but do not confirm a built-in tool for writing on arbitrary PDF pages.
Open the stylus menu
- Press the end of the built-in stylus inward to release it, then slide the stylus out.
- With the phone unlocked, tap a shortcut in the stylus menu. With the phone locked, removing the stylus opens Moto Note’s drawing and image tools for a quick note.
The menu can be customized, so the shortcuts shown on your phone may differ. Motorola’s moto g stylus (2025) User Guide identifies Write a note, Moto Note, Screen shot, and Free-form crop among the available shortcuts.
Take a note with the stylus
Start from the stylus menu
Tap Write a note to write or draw in Moto Note. The quick note is saved in Moto Note.
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Open Moto Note directly
Swipe up from Home, open the Moto folder, and tap Moto Note to create, edit, or share notes. The stylus can also handwrite into text fields in apps that accept text; what appears can depend on keyboard support and handwriting settings. Motorola describes these options in its stylus instructions for the moto g stylus (2025).
#1 Best Overall
- Unlocked: Compatible with all major U.S. carriers, including Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile and other major carriers.
- Premium built-in stylus. Effortlessly jot notes, edit photos, sketch artwork, and navigate on the only phone in its class with a built-in stylus***.
- Striking design with advanced protection. Make a statement with an ultrathin design, modern colors, and a vegan leather finish plus outstanding water and drop protection*.
- 6.7" pOLED Super HD display + Dolby Atmos. Experience cinema-quality entertainment with over a billion shades of color and multidimensional sound.
- Networks + Bands - 5G: sub-6, 4G: LTE, 3G: WCDMA, 2G: GSM 2G: GSM band 2/3/5/8 3G: WCDMA band 1/2/4/5/8 4G: LTE band 1/2/3/4/5/7/8/12/13/14/17/18/19/20/25/26/28/29/30/38/39/40/41/42/48/66/71 5G: NR n1/2/3/5/7/12/14/20/25/26/28/29/30/38/40/41/48/66/70/71/77/78
Capture a screenshot
For the quickest pen-based capture, open the stylus menu and tap Screen shot. Motorola also documents other ways to capture the screen:
- Hold Power + Volume Down.
- Use the screenshot control in Quick Settings.
- Use three-finger capture if it is enabled on your phone.
A scrolling capture can include content beyond the portion currently visible. The precise controls available depend on the screen and capture route; see Motorola’s screenshot instructions for the moto g stylus (2025).
Rank #2
- 6.7" Super HD, 1220x2712px, 446ppi, AMOLED, 10-bit, 120Hz Refresh rate, 3000nits Peak brightness, 5000mAh Battery
- 128GB ROM, 8GB RAM, Qualcomm SM6475-AB Snapdragon 6 Gen 3 (4nm), Octa-core, Adreno 710 GPU, Android 15, up to 2 major Android upgrades
- Rear Camera: 50MP, f/1.8 (wide) + 13MP, f/2.2 (ultrawide), Front Camera: 32MP, f/2.2 (wide), Bluetooth 5.4
- 3G UMTS: 850/900/1700/1900/2100MHz, 4G LTE: 1/2/3/5/7/8/12/14/25/26/29/30/38/40/41/48/66/70/71/77/78, 5G: 1/2/3/5/7/8/12/14/25/26/29/30/38/40/41/48/66/70/71/77/78 - Nano-SIM + eSIM
- Carrier unlocked US Model – Global Connectivity – Plug & Play with an ACTIVE SIM on AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile, and most U.S. carriers. New activations are only supported on T-Mobile, AT&T, & Verizon in the U.S., as many carriers may not recognize Carrier Unlocked IMEI's as Compatible. NOT compatible with Xfinity. Carrier unlocked device may retain original carrier logo on start up, while being fully unlocked
Annotate the screenshot, not the original document
- Display the document page or other content you want to mark and take a screenshot.
- Open the screenshot editor from the capture preview.
- Use the available tools to crop, draw, highlight, add a text box, or blur an area with a mosaic effect. Undo and redo changes as needed.
- Save the edited image, or share it. Motorola says saved screenshots are in Photos > Collections > Screenshots.
This is useful when you want to point something out on a page and send or save a marked-up image. The resulting file is an image; it does not add annotations to the underlying PDF or web document.
Select an irregular area with Free-form crop
Tap Free-form crop in the stylus menu, then trace the area you want with the pen. This captures and crops part of the screen to the shape you draw. It changes the screenshot selection, not the source document. The shortcut and crop behavior are described in the 2025 user guide.
Rank #3
- Unlocked: Compatible with all major U.S. carriers, including Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile and other major carriers.
- Premium built-in stylus. Effortlessly jot notes, edit photos, sketch artwork, and navigate on the only phone in its class with a built-in stylus***.
- Striking design with advanced protection. Make a statement with an ultrathin design, modern colors, and a vegan leather finish plus outstanding water and drop protection*.
- 6.7" pOLED Super HD display + Dolby Atmos. Experience cinema-quality entertainment with over a billion shades of color and multidimensional sound.
- Sony - LYTIA camera with OIS. Capture brighter, more vibrant photos at night with the 50MP camera featuring Optical Image Stabilization and moto ai.
Choose the right workflow
| What you want | Use | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| A reusable freehand note | Write a note or open Moto Note | A note saved in Moto Note |
| A quick image of the whole screen | Stylus menu’s Screen shot shortcut, or another documented screenshot route | A screenshot you can edit, save, or share |
| Only an irregular part of what is on screen | Free-form crop | A cropped screenshot, not an edited source file |
| Annotations stored inside the original PDF | Use a PDF app only if it supports that workflow on your device | Motorola’s cited 2025 materials do not establish a specific built-in PDF markup method |
If you mean editing a PDF itself
Use the screenshot workflow when an annotated image is enough. If you need comments or ink saved inside the original PDF, check that your chosen PDF app offers direct markup and that you are editing the PDF rather than a captured image. Motorola’s 2025 materials cited here do not verify a particular app or set of steps for direct PDF annotation. Its article about pre-loaded apps on the moto g stylus (2025) notes that Adobe Scan may be pre-loaded and can scan documents to formats such as PDF and Word; it does not establish Adobe Scan as a PDF markup tool.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Do not assume the 2026 pen toolbar matches
Motorola has separate instructions for the moto g stylus (2026), including a toolbar Annotate tool. That newer-model guidance is not evidence that the same button or behavior is available on the 2025 phone. For the 2025 model, follow the screenshot and stylus-menu options documented for that device; see Motorola’s 2026 pen instructions only for the distinction between model generations.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- Unlocked: Compatible with all major U.S. carriers, including Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile and other major carriers.
- Super-bright 6.7" display + Bass Boost: Take your entertainment to the next level with a fast-refreshing 120Hz display* and stereo sound with more powerful bass****.
- 50MP** Quad Pixel camera system: Capture sharper photos day or night with 4x the light sensitivity—and share beautiful selfies with a 16MP front camera.
- Superfast 5G performance*****: Unleash your entertainment at 5G speed with the MediaTek Dimensity 6300 chipset and up to 12GB of RAM with RAM Boost.******
- Long-lasting battery + TurboPower charging***: Work and play all day with a 5000mAh battery, then get hours of power in just minutes.
Rank #4
- Carrier: This phone is locked to Total Wireless and can only be used on the Total Wireless network. A Total Wirelss plan is required for activation. Activation is simple and can be done online upon receipt of your device following 3 EASY steps.
- Built-in Stylus & 120Hz Display: Unleash your creativity with the integrated stylus—perfect for editing photos, jotting notes, and navigating with pinpoint precision. View it all on a stunning 6.7” Super HD pOLED display with an ultra-smooth 120Hz refresh rate.
- 50MP OIS Camera System: Capture incredibly sharp, blur-free photos and smooth videos in any light with the advanced 50MP main camera featuring Optical Image Stabilization (OIS). A 13MP Ultrawide/Macro lens and 32MP front camera give you the perfect lens for every moment.
- Wireless Charging & 5000mAh Battery: Power through multiple days on a single charge with the massive 5000mAh battery. Power up in minutes with 68W TurboPower charging and, for the first time in the g-series, enjoy the convenience of 15W wireless charging.
- Elite 5G Performance & Durability: Experience blazing-fast 5G speeds, powered by a Snapdragon 6 Gen 3 processor and 8GB of RAM. Store everything with 128GB of internal memory (expandable to 1TB) and enjoy peace of mind with IP68 underwater protection and MIL-STD-810H durability.
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
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