When counting parts, seeds, products, equipment, or other objects in a photo, writing down only the total makes it easy to lose track of which items have already been counted. Dense scenes and repeated-looking objects are especially prone to missed items and double-counting.
Keeping a visible mark on each counted object makes the work easier to verify. Image Counter does this manually rather than using AI detection: each point you place or rectangle you draw becomes one count. This guide explains when to use points or rectangles, how to flag uncertain items, how to work through several images, and how to save results for later review.
Record where you counted, not just the final total
A small number of objects may be easy to track mentally, but as the count grows it becomes harder to remember which parts of the image are already complete. Placing a marker for every counted object creates a visible progress record. Point markers are especially fast when the objects are similarly sized and can be counted by tapping their centers.
Because the marker positions remain visible, empty areas can reveal likely omissions and overlapping markers can reveal possible double-counting. Existing points can be moved or removed when correcting the work, and Undo/Redo can reverse recent edits.
Use rectangles when a point does not preserve enough context
Rectangles are useful when objects are small, crowded, or need a visible boundary for later verification. Dragging around an object records one count, and the rectangle can later be moved or resized from its corners. This preserves more context than a point when another person needs to understand what was treated as one object.
If several object types are being counted in the same photo, switch count categories so their markers remain distinct. On desktop, keys 1 through 9 can switch categories. Numbering is maintained per category, making it easier to review different object types within the same image.
Flag uncertain items for review instead of forcing a decision
Some objects cannot be judged immediately because they overlap, are cut off at an edge, or are hard to see in shadows. Removing such an item outright means finding it again later. Image Counter can attach a review flag to a normal marker, keeping it in the count while marking its location for a later decision.
An image cannot be marked complete while review items remain. Check the review count per image and return only to those markers at the end. This separates straightforward counting from judgment calls. If visibility is the problem, brightness, contrast, grayscale, and 90-degree rotation can be adjusted without overwriting the original image.
Track completion across images and save results in a reviewable form
When several photos belong to the same job, finish one image and move to the next unfinished one. Per-image comments can preserve context such as “partly hidden” or “second capture” that a numeric total cannot. Supported browsers automatically store project state in IndexedDB, so a longer counting session can be stopped and resumed later.
Choose the export format based on what happens next. Use markers.csv and summary.csv for analysis or aggregation, marked JPEGs when the counted positions should remain visible, and the self-contained read-only HTML viewer when the result should be reviewable in a browser. That viewer HTML can also be loaded back into Image Counter later to resume editing.
Step by step
- Open Image Counter and add JPG/JPEG, PNG, or WebP images. On supported devices you can also capture images with the camera.
- Choose point mode for faster counting or rectangle mode when the visible extent of each object should be preserved, then select count categories if needed.
- Place a point on each object or draw a rectangle around it. Correct mistakes by moving, resizing, reclassifying, or deleting markers.
- Flag uncertain objects for review and continue counting instead of stopping the whole workflow. Use non-destructive display adjustments if visibility is poor.
- After clearing all review items, mark the image complete and move to the next unfinished image. Add per-image comments when context matters.
- Export a viewer HTML or a ZIP containing markers.csv, summary.csv, and JPEGs with the markers drawn.
Image Counter
Manually count objects in photos with point or rectangle markers while preserving counted locations, review flags, and multi-image progress for export.
Tips and limitations
- For dense photos, use a consistent visual path such as top-left to bottom-right so both your eye movement and marker layout show progress.
- Choose a default marker style based on the object type instead of constantly switching between points and rectangles; this makes review more consistent.
- A review flag is attached to a normal count rather than being a separate category, so it works well for temporarily isolating uncertain decisions.
- Projects are currently limited to 30 images, 35 MB per image, and 220 MB of original image data in total, so split very large jobs into several projects.
Frequently asked questions
Does it automatically count objects with AI?
No. Image Counter is a manual tool where the user places points or draws rectangles. Its priority is preserving where each count was made so a person can verify the work.
Should I use points or rectangles?
Points are faster for straightforward counting. Rectangles are easier to review when objects are small, crowded, or need their visible boundaries preserved.
Can I resume after closing the page?
Supported browsers auto-save project state in IndexedDB. You can also export the viewer HTML and load it back into Image Counter later to resume editing.
Are the images or counting results sent to a server?
No. Image loading, marker editing, draft storage, display adjustments, and export run in the browser. The hosted version only needs network access to load the page itself.
What formats can I save the results in?
You can save a self-contained read-only HTML viewer or a ZIP containing markers.csv, summary.csv, and marked JPEGs. The viewer supports image navigation and marker visibility controls and can be loaded back into the app later.