You can leave comments or draw directly on an asset to clearly communicate your feedback.
There are two ways to review an asset in StreamWork:
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You receive a link inviting you to review an asset
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You already have access to an asset within a project and want to leave feedback
In both cases, you can leave comments and annotations directly on the creative asset. All feedback stays tied to that specific version and is visible to anyone with access to the asset in StreamWork.
For example, if you’re invited to review a version of a video as part of approval routing, any comments you leave will be visible to you, the internal team, and any other reviewers who’ve been granted access—keeping feedback clear, collaborative, and centralized.
Note: If you share an asset that’s in active approval routing via a share link, any comments left through that link will not be visible to reviewers in the approval workflow. Only users accessing the asset via the share link will see those comments, along with the internal team in StreamWork.
Similarly, comments made by reviewers in the approval workflow are only visible to other reviewers within that same workflow. However, the internal team will have full visibility into all comments—whether they’re left via approval routing or a share link.
Tip: If you’d like reviewers to see a clean version of an asset—without any previous internal comments—simply upload and stack a new version before sharing via a share link or approval workflow. Alternatively, you can click the asset, open the three-dot menu in the lower-right corner of the Media Viewer, and create a clean copy in seconds to share. Learn how to create a clean copy in this Help Center article.
Leaving feedback on an asset is simple and straightforward. Follow these steps:
1. Open the asset by clicking the share or approval link you received via email, or select the asset thumbnail directly within StreamWork to launch it in the Media Viewer.
2. If you have a StreamWork account, the asset will open in the Media Viewer—your workspace for viewing and collaborating on assets. No account? No problem. You can still view and comment on the asset right from your browser.
3. To leave a comment, simply type into the comment box on the right side of the screen. If you’re reviewing a video or audio file, StreamWork will automatically pause at the exact timecode where your comment is added. For static assets—like images, PDFs, or slide decks—your comment will be anchored to the specific page, keeping feedback clear and contextual.
Tip: For video comments, you can adjust the timecode or even create a timecode range that corresponds with your comment. A timecode range is helpful if the feedback you are providing on a video applies to multiple frames or a sequence of a video.
4. In addition to leaving a comment, you also have the option to annotate—or draw—directly on the asset to make sure your feedback is clear. To do so, click on the pencil icon in the top right corner of the creative asset to open the annotation toolbar.
5. To annotate, select from a variety of tools in the floating toolbar. Annotation options include:
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Marker: Draw freehand directly on the asset to visually call out feedback.
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Arrow: Point to a specific area on the asset with a directional arrow.
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Shape: Outline areas using circles, rectangles, or boxes to highlight key sections.
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Pin (for static assets like images, documents, slides, and PDFs): Drop a pin to leave pixel-precise feedback on a specific spot.
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Text Highlight (documents & PDFs only): Highlight text, copy it into the comment box, and edit or paste suggested changes. Learn more about Text Highlight in this Help Center article.
6. Once you’re done typing a comment and/or adding an annotation, click the send icon to submit it. Comments and annotations are linked—so an annotation won’t be saved unless it’s submitted with a comment.
Your comment will appear in the panel on the right side of the screen. Click any comment to view its corresponding annotation and related details. From the Media Viewer, you can also reply to comments, "heart" them, delete, or @mention others in comments.
7. Have a reference file that you'd like to attach to a comment? You can attach files directly to a comment by clicking the paperclip Icon. This will allow you to provide additional context and make your feedback even clearer.
Watch: How to leave feedback and annotate
This short video tutorial walks you through how to comment and annotate on creative assets in StreamWork. It’s a great resource to share with reviewers who want a quick and easy guide to getting started!