Welcome to Annotator! Private groups are special, secure spaces where a specific set of people (like a class, a book club, or a research team) can share their notes and highlights, called “annotations,” on any web page or document. Only people who are invited and join the group can see these shared annotations, making it a perfect tool for collaborative, private discussion.
To join a private group, you must be invited by someone who is already a member or the creator of that group. The process is simple and only takes a few clear steps.
Before You Start
To successfully join any private group, you must first have an Annotator account. If you do not have one yet, please create a free account first, as you will need to be logged in during the joining process.
Step 1: Receive the Private Invitation Link
A creator or current member of the private group must send you a unique invitation link. This link is the key to joining their exclusive space. It will look something like this, but with unique letters and numbers:
https://annotator.visual-paradigm.com/join/private-group-code/group-name
Important: Do not share this link with anyone who is not supposed to be in the group, as it is your private entry key.
Step 2: Click the Link and Log In
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Click on the private group invitation link that was sent to you (in an email, a message, or a document).
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The link will immediately open in your web browser.
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If you are already logged in to your Annotator account, you can skip to the next step.
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If you are not logged in, the page will first prompt you to sign in with your username and password. Please enter your details and log in now.
Step 3: Confirm and Join the Group
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Once you are logged in, you will see a confirmation screen for the group invitation.
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On this screen, look for a prominent button that clearly says “Join Group” or “Accept Invitation.”
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Click this button.
What Happens Next? (Understanding Your New Group Access)
Success! You are now an official member of the private group.
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You will be immediately taken to the group’s “Activity Page.” This page shows a list of all the documents and web pages that the group has annotated so far.
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From now on, when you open the Annotator tool (the sidebar) on any document, you will be able to:
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View all the shared annotations (notes and highlights) made by the other group members.
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Create your own new annotations and highlights that only the people in your private group can see.
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Switch between viewing your group’s annotations and your personal annotations using the group name menu inside the Annotator sidebar.
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How to Find This Help Again
If you forget these steps and need a reminder, you can always easily find this and other helpful guides:
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Go to the main Annotator website.
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Look for a link or section typically titled “Help,” “Support,” or “Knowledge Base” (these links are often found at the very bottom of the website).
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Use the search bar on the help page and type in a query like: “join private group” or “group invitation.”
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For the fastest access, you can also keep a bookmark of this page in your web browser!