diff --git a/public/app/features/alerting/unified/RuleEditorExisting.test.tsx b/public/app/features/alerting/unified/RuleEditorExisting.test.tsx
index 44e96fd3dd0..e2e98488f1f 100644
--- a/public/app/features/alerting/unified/RuleEditorExisting.test.tsx
+++ b/public/app/features/alerting/unified/RuleEditorExisting.test.tsx
@@ -4,8 +4,6 @@ import React from 'react';
 import { Route } from 'react-router-dom';
 import { TestProvider } from 'test/helpers/TestProvider';
 import { ui } from 'test/helpers/alertingRuleEditor';
-import { clickSelectOptionMatch } from 'test/helpers/selectOptionInTest';
-import { byRole } from 'testing-library-selector';
 
 import { locationService, setDataSourceSrv } from '@grafana/runtime';
 import { ADD_NEW_FOLER_OPTION } from 'app/core/components/Select/FolderPicker';
@@ -153,8 +151,8 @@ describe('RuleEditor grafana managed rules', () => {
     expect(nameInput).toHaveValue('my great new rule');
     //check that folder is in the list
     expect(ui.inputs.folder.get()).toHaveTextContent(new RegExp(folder.title));
-    expect(ui.inputs.annotationValue(0).get()).toHaveValue('some description');
-    expect(ui.inputs.annotationValue(1).get()).toHaveValue('some summary');
+    expect(ui.inputs.annotationValue(0).get()).toHaveValue('some summary');
+    expect(ui.inputs.annotationValue(1).get()).toHaveValue('some description');
 
     //check that slashed folders are not in the list
     expect(ui.inputs.folder.get()).toHaveTextContent(new RegExp(folder.title));
@@ -170,9 +168,9 @@ describe('RuleEditor grafana managed rules', () => {
     // expect(within(folderInput).queryByText("Folders with '/' character are not allowed.")).not.toBeInTheDocument();
 
     // add an annotation
-    await clickSelectOptionMatch(ui.inputs.annotationKey(2).get(), /Add new/);
-    await userEvent.type(byRole('textbox').get(ui.inputs.annotationKey(2).get()), 'custom');
-    await userEvent.type(ui.inputs.annotationValue(2).get(), 'value');
+    await userEvent.click(screen.getByText('Add custom annotation'));
+    await userEvent.type(screen.getByPlaceholderText('Enter custom annotation name...'), 'custom');
+    await userEvent.type(screen.getByPlaceholderText('Enter custom annotation content...'), 'value');
 
     //add a label
     await userEvent.type(getLabelInput(ui.inputs.labelKey(2).get()), 'custom{enter}');
diff --git a/public/app/features/alerting/unified/components/contact-points/ContactPoints.v1.test.tsx b/public/app/features/alerting/unified/components/contact-points/ContactPoints.v1.test.tsx
index be44912898a..0e41790c7c6 100644
--- a/public/app/features/alerting/unified/components/contact-points/ContactPoints.v1.test.tsx
+++ b/public/app/features/alerting/unified/components/contact-points/ContactPoints.v1.test.tsx
@@ -257,11 +257,9 @@ describe('Receivers', () => {
 
     await waitFor(() => expect(ui.testContactPointModal.get()).toBeInTheDocument(), { timeout: 1000 });
     await userEvent.click(ui.customContactPointOption.get());
-    await waitFor(() => expect(ui.contactPointAnnotationSelect(0).get()).toBeInTheDocument());
 
     // enter custom annotations and labels
-    await clickSelectOption(ui.contactPointAnnotationSelect(0).get(), 'Description');
-    await userEvent.type(ui.contactPointAnnotationValue(0).get(), 'Test contact point');
+    await userEvent.type(screen.getByPlaceholderText('Enter a description...'), 'Test contact point');
     await userEvent.type(ui.contactPointLabelKey(0).get(), 'foo');
     await userEvent.type(ui.contactPointLabelValue(0).get(), 'bar');
     await userEvent.click(ui.testContactPoint.get());
diff --git a/public/app/features/alerting/unified/components/receivers/form/TestContactPointModal.tsx b/public/app/features/alerting/unified/components/receivers/form/TestContactPointModal.tsx
index a552329b90e..eaad2d40ce2 100644
--- a/public/app/features/alerting/unified/components/receivers/form/TestContactPointModal.tsx
+++ b/public/app/features/alerting/unified/components/receivers/form/TestContactPointModal.tsx
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import { Modal, Button, Label, useStyles2, RadioButtonGroup } from '@grafana/ui'
 import { TestReceiversAlert } from 'app/plugins/datasource/alertmanager/types';
 import { Annotations, Labels } from 'app/types/unified-alerting-dto';
 
+import { defaultAnnotations } from '../../../utils/constants';
 import AnnotationsField from '../../rule-editor/AnnotationsField';
 import LabelsField from '../../rule-editor/LabelsField';
 
@@ -34,7 +35,7 @@ enum NotificationType {
 const notificationOptions = Object.values(NotificationType).map((value) => ({ label: value, value: value }));
 
 const defaultValues: FormFields = {
-  annotations: [{ key: '', value: '' }],
+  annotations: [...defaultAnnotations],
   labels: [{ key: '', value: '' }],
 };
 
diff --git a/public/app/features/alerting/unified/components/rule-editor/AnnotationHeaderField.tsx b/public/app/features/alerting/unified/components/rule-editor/AnnotationHeaderField.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..99d7b2fd71a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/public/app/features/alerting/unified/components/rule-editor/AnnotationHeaderField.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,78 @@
+import { css } from '@emotion/css';
+import React from 'react';
+import { FieldArrayWithId, useFormContext } from 'react-hook-form';
+
+import { GrafanaTheme2 } from '@grafana/data';
+import { InputControl, useStyles2 } from '@grafana/ui';
+
+import { RuleFormValues } from '../../types/rule-form';
+import { Annotation, annotationDescriptions, annotationLabels } from '../../utils/constants';
+
+import CustomAnnotationHeaderField from './CustomAnnotationHeaderField';
+
+const AnnotationHeaderField = ({
+  annotationField,
+  annotations,
+  annotation,
+  index,
+}: {
+  annotationField: FieldArrayWithId<RuleFormValues, 'annotations', 'id'>;
+  annotations: Array<{ key: string; value: string }>;
+  annotation: Annotation;
+  index: number;
+}) => {
+  const styles = useStyles2(getStyles);
+  const { control } = useFormContext<RuleFormValues>();
+  return (
+    <div>
+      <label className={styles.annotationContainer}>
+        {
+          <InputControl
+            name={`annotations.${index}.key`}
+            defaultValue={annotationField.key}
+            render={({ field: { ref, ...field } }) => {
+              switch (annotationField.key) {
+                case Annotation.dashboardUID:
+                  return <div>Dashboard and panel</div>;
+                case Annotation.panelID:
+                  return <span></span>;
+                default:
+                  return (
+                    <div>
+                      {annotationLabels[annotation] && (
+                        <span className={styles.annotationTitle} data-testid={`annotation-key-${index}`}>
+                          {annotationLabels[annotation]}
+                          {' (optional)'}
+                        </span>
+                      )}
+                      {!annotationLabels[annotation] && <CustomAnnotationHeaderField field={field} />}
+                    </div>
+                  );
+              }
+            }}
+            control={control}
+            rules={{ required: { value: !!annotations[index]?.value, message: 'Required.' } }}
+          />
+        }
+      </label>
+      <div className={styles.annotationDescription}>{annotationDescriptions[annotation]}</div>
+    </div>
+  );
+};
+
+const getStyles = (theme: GrafanaTheme2) => ({
+  annotationTitle: css`
+    color: ${theme.colors.text.primary};
+    margin-bottom: 3px;
+  `,
+
+  annotationContainer: css`
+    margin-top: 5px;
+  `,
+
+  annotationDescription: css`
+    color: ${theme.colors.text.secondary};
+  `,
+});
+
+export default AnnotationHeaderField;
diff --git a/public/app/features/alerting/unified/components/rule-editor/AnnotationsField.test.tsx b/public/app/features/alerting/unified/components/rule-editor/AnnotationsField.test.tsx
index cc5040ed5c9..2412a2aa2a7 100644
--- a/public/app/features/alerting/unified/components/rule-editor/AnnotationsField.test.tsx
+++ b/public/app/features/alerting/unified/components/rule-editor/AnnotationsField.test.tsx
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ jest.mock(
 );
 
 const ui = {
-  setDashboardButton: byRole('button', { name: 'Set dashboard and panel' }),
+  setDashboardButton: byRole('button', { name: 'Link dashboard and panel' }),
   annotationKeys: byTestId('annotation-key-', { exact: false }),
   annotationValues: byTestId('annotation-value-', { exact: false }),
   dashboardPicker: {
@@ -154,18 +154,12 @@ describe('AnnotationsField', function () {
 
       await user.click(ui.dashboardPicker.confirmButton.get());
 
-      const annotationKeyElements = ui.annotationKeys.getAll();
       const annotationValueElements = ui.annotationValues.getAll();
 
       expect(ui.dashboardPicker.dialog.query()).not.toBeInTheDocument();
 
-      expect(annotationKeyElements).toHaveLength(2);
       expect(annotationValueElements).toHaveLength(2);
-
-      expect(annotationKeyElements[0]).toHaveTextContent('Dashboard UID');
       expect(annotationValueElements[0]).toHaveTextContent('dash-test-uid');
-
-      expect(annotationKeyElements[1]).toHaveTextContent('Panel ID');
       expect(annotationValueElements[1]).toHaveTextContent('2');
     });
 
diff --git a/public/app/features/alerting/unified/components/rule-editor/AnnotationsField.tsx b/public/app/features/alerting/unified/components/rule-editor/AnnotationsField.tsx
index 58df2ededd9..18529115b2e 100644
--- a/public/app/features/alerting/unified/components/rule-editor/AnnotationsField.tsx
+++ b/public/app/features/alerting/unified/components/rule-editor/AnnotationsField.tsx
@@ -1,18 +1,21 @@
 import { css, cx } from '@emotion/css';
 import produce from 'immer';
-import React, { useCallback } from 'react';
+import React, { useEffect, useState } from 'react';
 import { useFieldArray, useFormContext } from 'react-hook-form';
 import { useToggle } from 'react-use';
 
 import { GrafanaTheme2 } from '@grafana/data';
 import { Stack } from '@grafana/experimental';
-import { Button, Field, Input, InputControl, Label, TextArea, useStyles2 } from '@grafana/ui';
+import { Button, Field, Input, TextArea, useStyles2 } from '@grafana/ui';
+import { DashboardDataDTO } from 'app/types';
 
+import { dashboardApi } from '../../api/dashboardApi';
 import { RuleFormValues } from '../../types/rule-form';
-import { Annotation } from '../../utils/constants';
+import { Annotation, annotationLabels } from '../../utils/constants';
 
-import { AnnotationKeyInput } from './AnnotationKeyInput';
-import { DashboardPicker } from './DashboardPicker';
+import AnnotationHeaderField from './AnnotationHeaderField';
+import DashboardAnnotationField from './DashboardAnnotationField';
+import { DashboardPicker, PanelDTO } from './DashboardPicker';
 
 const AnnotationsField = () => {
   const styles = useStyles2(getStyles);
@@ -27,16 +30,31 @@ const AnnotationsField = () => {
   } = useFormContext<RuleFormValues>();
   const annotations = watch('annotations');
 
-  const existingKeys = useCallback(
-    (index: number): string[] => annotations.filter((_, idx: number) => idx !== index).map(({ key }) => key),
-    [annotations]
-  );
-
   const { fields, append, remove } = useFieldArray({ control, name: 'annotations' });
 
   const selectedDashboardUid = annotations.find((annotation) => annotation.key === Annotation.dashboardUID)?.value;
   const selectedPanelId = annotations.find((annotation) => annotation.key === Annotation.panelID)?.value;
 
+  const [selectedDashboard, setSelectedDashboard] = useState<DashboardDataDTO | undefined>(undefined);
+  const [selectedPanel, setSelectedPanel] = useState<PanelDTO | undefined>(undefined);
+
+  const { useDashboardQuery } = dashboardApi;
+
+  const { currentData: dashboardResult, isFetching: isDashboardFetching } = useDashboardQuery(
+    { uid: selectedDashboardUid ?? '' },
+    { skip: !selectedDashboardUid }
+  );
+
+  useEffect(() => {
+    if (isDashboardFetching) {
+      return;
+    }
+
+    setSelectedDashboard(dashboardResult?.dashboard);
+    const currentPanel = dashboardResult?.dashboard?.panels?.find((panel) => panel.id.toString() === selectedPanelId);
+    setSelectedPanel(currentPanel);
+  }, [selectedPanelId, dashboardResult, isDashboardFetching]);
+
   const setSelectedDashboardAndPanelId = (dashboardUid: string, panelId: string) => {
     const updatedAnnotations = produce(annotations, (draft) => {
       const dashboardAnnotation = draft.find((a) => a.key === Annotation.dashboardUID);
@@ -59,76 +77,104 @@ const AnnotationsField = () => {
     setShowPanelSelector(false);
   };
 
+  const handleDeleteDashboardAnnotation = () => {
+    const updatedAnnotations = annotations.filter(
+      (a) => a.key !== Annotation.dashboardUID && a.key !== Annotation.panelID
+    );
+    setValue('annotations', updatedAnnotations);
+    setSelectedDashboard(undefined);
+    setSelectedPanel(undefined);
+  };
+
+  const handleEditDashboardAnnotation = () => {
+    setShowPanelSelector(true);
+  };
+
   return (
     <>
-      <Label>Summary and annotations</Label>
       <div className={styles.flexColumn}>
-        {fields.map((annotationField, index) => {
+        {fields.map((annotationField, index: number) => {
           const isUrl = annotations[index]?.key?.toLocaleLowerCase().endsWith('url');
           const ValueInputComponent = isUrl ? Input : TextArea;
-
+          // eslint-disable-next-line
+          const annotation = annotationField.key as Annotation;
           return (
             <div key={annotationField.id} className={styles.flexRow}>
-              <Field
-                className={styles.field}
-                invalid={!!errors.annotations?.[index]?.key?.message}
-                error={errors.annotations?.[index]?.key?.message}
-                data-testid={`annotation-key-${index}`}
-              >
-                <InputControl
-                  name={`annotations.${index}.key`}
-                  defaultValue={annotationField.key}
-                  render={({ field: { ref, ...field } }) => (
-                    <AnnotationKeyInput
-                      {...field}
-                      aria-label={`Annotation detail ${index + 1}`}
-                      existingKeys={existingKeys(index)}
-                      width={18}
-                    />
-                  )}
-                  control={control}
-                  rules={{ required: { value: !!annotations[index]?.value, message: 'Required.' } }}
+              <div>
+                <AnnotationHeaderField
+                  annotationField={annotationField}
+                  annotations={annotations}
+                  annotation={annotation}
+                  index={index}
                 />
-              </Field>
-              <Field
-                className={cx(styles.flexRowItemMargin, styles.field)}
-                invalid={!!errors.annotations?.[index]?.value?.message}
-                error={errors.annotations?.[index]?.value?.message}
-              >
-                <ValueInputComponent
-                  data-testid={`annotation-value-${index}`}
-                  className={cx(styles.annotationValueInput, { [styles.textarea]: !isUrl })}
-                  {...register(`annotations.${index}.value`)}
-                  placeholder={isUrl ? 'https://' : `Text`}
-                  defaultValue={annotationField.value}
-                />
-              </Field>
-              <Button
-                type="button"
-                className={styles.flexRowItemMargin}
-                aria-label="delete annotation"
-                icon="trash-alt"
-                variant="secondary"
-                onClick={() => remove(index)}
-              />
+                {selectedDashboardUid && selectedPanelId && annotationField.key === Annotation.dashboardUID && (
+                  <DashboardAnnotationField
+                    dashboard={selectedDashboard}
+                    panel={selectedPanel}
+                    dashboardUid={selectedDashboardUid.toString()}
+                    panelId={selectedPanelId.toString()}
+                    onEditClick={handleEditDashboardAnnotation}
+                    onDeleteClick={handleDeleteDashboardAnnotation}
+                  />
+                )}
+
+                {
+                  <div className={styles.annotationValueContainer}>
+                    <Field
+                      hidden={
+                        annotationField.key === Annotation.dashboardUID || annotationField.key === Annotation.panelID
+                      }
+                      className={cx(styles.flexRowItemMargin, styles.field)}
+                      invalid={!!errors.annotations?.[index]?.value?.message}
+                      error={errors.annotations?.[index]?.value?.message}
+                    >
+                      <ValueInputComponent
+                        data-testid={`annotation-value-${index}`}
+                        className={cx(styles.annotationValueInput, { [styles.textarea]: !isUrl })}
+                        {...register(`annotations.${index}.value`)}
+                        placeholder={
+                          isUrl
+                            ? 'https://'
+                            : (annotationField.key && `Enter a ${annotationField.key}...`) ||
+                              'Enter custom annotation content...'
+                        }
+                        defaultValue={annotationField.value}
+                      />
+                    </Field>
+                    {!annotationLabels[annotation] && (
+                      <Button
+                        type="button"
+                        className={styles.deleteAnnotationButton}
+                        aria-label="delete annotation"
+                        icon="trash-alt"
+                        variant="secondary"
+                        onClick={() => remove(index)}
+                      />
+                    )}
+                  </div>
+                }
+              </div>
             </div>
           );
         })}
         <Stack direction="row" gap={1}>
-          <Button
-            className={styles.addAnnotationsButton}
-            icon="plus-circle"
-            type="button"
-            variant="secondary"
-            onClick={() => {
-              append({ key: '', value: '' });
-            }}
-          >
-            Add annotation
-          </Button>
-          <Button type="button" variant="secondary" icon="dashboard" onClick={() => setShowPanelSelector(true)}>
-            Set dashboard and panel
-          </Button>
+          <div className={styles.addAnnotationsButtonContainer}>
+            <Button
+              icon="plus"
+              type="button"
+              variant="secondary"
+              onClick={() => {
+                append({ key: '', value: '' });
+              }}
+            >
+              Add custom annotation
+            </Button>
+            {!selectedDashboard && (
+              <Button type="button" variant="secondary" icon="dashboard" onClick={() => setShowPanelSelector(true)}>
+                Link dashboard and panel
+              </Button>
+            )}
+          </div>
         </Stack>
         {showPanelSelector && (
           <DashboardPicker
@@ -151,10 +197,10 @@ const getStyles = (theme: GrafanaTheme2) => ({
   textarea: css`
     height: 76px;
   `,
-  addAnnotationsButton: css`
-    flex-grow: 0;
-    align-self: flex-start;
-    margin-left: 148px;
+  addAnnotationsButtonContainer: css`
+    margin-top: ${theme.spacing(1)};
+    gap: ${theme.spacing(1)};
+    display: flex;
   `,
   flexColumn: css`
     display: flex;
@@ -169,7 +215,29 @@ const getStyles = (theme: GrafanaTheme2) => ({
     justify-content: flex-start;
   `,
   flexRowItemMargin: css`
-    margin-left: ${theme.spacing(0.5)};
+    margin-top: ${theme.spacing(1)};
+  `,
+  deleteAnnotationButton: css`
+    display: inline-block;
+    margin-top: 10px;
+    margin-left: 10px;
+  `,
+
+  annotationTitle: css`
+    color: ${theme.colors.text.primary};
+    margin-bottom: 3px;
+  `,
+
+  annotationContainer: css`
+    margin-top: 5px;
+  `,
+
+  annotationDescription: css`
+    color: ${theme.colors.text.secondary};
+  `,
+
+  annotationValueContainer: css`
+    display: flex;
   `,
 });
 
diff --git a/public/app/features/alerting/unified/components/rule-editor/CustomAnnotationHeaderField.tsx b/public/app/features/alerting/unified/components/rule-editor/CustomAnnotationHeaderField.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..41d2a9f2087
--- /dev/null
+++ b/public/app/features/alerting/unified/components/rule-editor/CustomAnnotationHeaderField.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,39 @@
+import { css } from '@emotion/css';
+import React from 'react';
+
+import { GrafanaTheme2 } from '@grafana/data';
+import { Input, useStyles2 } from '@grafana/ui';
+
+interface CustomAnnotationHeaderFieldProps {
+  field: { onChange: () => void; onBlur: () => void; value: string; name: string };
+}
+
+const CustomAnnotationHeaderField = ({ field }: CustomAnnotationHeaderFieldProps) => {
+  const styles = useStyles2(getStyles);
+
+  return (
+    <div>
+      <span className={styles.annotationTitle}>Custom annotation name and content</span>
+      <Input
+        placeholder="Enter custom annotation name..."
+        width={18}
+        {...field}
+        className={styles.customAnnotationInput}
+      />
+    </div>
+  );
+};
+
+const getStyles = (theme: GrafanaTheme2) => ({
+  annotationTitle: css`
+    color: ${theme.colors.text.primary};
+    margin-bottom: 3px;
+  `,
+
+  customAnnotationInput: css`
+    margin-top: 5px;
+    width: 100%;
+  `,
+});
+
+export default CustomAnnotationHeaderField;
diff --git a/public/app/features/alerting/unified/components/rule-editor/DashboardAnnotationField.tsx b/public/app/features/alerting/unified/components/rule-editor/DashboardAnnotationField.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..7b935a67f86
--- /dev/null
+++ b/public/app/features/alerting/unified/components/rule-editor/DashboardAnnotationField.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,84 @@
+import { css } from '@emotion/css';
+import React from 'react';
+
+import { GrafanaTheme2 } from '@grafana/data';
+import { Icon, useStyles2 } from '@grafana/ui';
+import { DashboardDataDTO } from 'app/types';
+
+import { makeDashboardLink, makePanelLink } from '../../utils/misc';
+
+import { PanelDTO } from './DashboardPicker';
+
+const DashboardAnnotationField = ({
+  dashboard,
+  panel,
+  dashboardUid,
+  panelId,
+  onEditClick,
+  onDeleteClick,
+}: {
+  dashboard?: DashboardDataDTO;
+  panel?: PanelDTO;
+  dashboardUid: string; //fallback
+  panelId: string; //fallback
+  onEditClick: () => void;
+  onDeleteClick: () => void;
+}) => {
+  const styles = useStyles2(getStyles);
+
+  const dashboardLink = makeDashboardLink(dashboard?.uid || dashboardUid);
+  const panelLink = makePanelLink(dashboard?.uid || dashboardUid, panel?.id.toString() || panelId);
+  return (
+    <div className={styles.container}>
+      {dashboard && (
+        <a
+          href={dashboardLink}
+          className={styles.link}
+          target="_blank"
+          rel="noreferrer"
+          data-testid="dashboard-annotation"
+        >
+          {dashboard.title} <Icon name={'external-link-alt'} />
+        </a>
+      )}
+
+      {!dashboard && <span className={styles.noLink}>Dashboard {dashboardUid} </span>}
+
+      {panel && (
+        <a href={panelLink} className={styles.link} target="_blank" rel="noreferrer" data-testid="panel-annotation">
+          {panel.title || '<No title>'} <Icon name={'external-link-alt'} />
+        </a>
+      )}
+
+      {!panel && <span className={styles.noLink}> - Panel {panelId}</span>}
+
+      {(dashboard || panel) && (
+        <>
+          <Icon name={'pen'} onClick={onEditClick} className={styles.icon} />
+          <Icon name={'trash-alt'} onClick={onDeleteClick} className={styles.icon} />
+        </>
+      )}
+    </div>
+  );
+};
+
+const getStyles = (theme: GrafanaTheme2) => ({
+  container: css`
+    margin-top: 5px;
+  `,
+
+  noLink: css`
+    color: ${theme.colors.text.secondary};
+  `,
+  link: css`
+    color: ${theme.colors.text.link};
+    margin-right: ${theme.spacing(1.5)};
+  `,
+
+  icon: css`
+    margin-right: ${theme.spacing(1)};
+    cursor: pointer;
+  `,
+});
+
+export default DashboardAnnotationField;
diff --git a/public/app/features/alerting/unified/components/rule-editor/DetailsStep.tsx b/public/app/features/alerting/unified/components/rule-editor/DetailsStep.tsx
index a33071e7a05..43af268c8d0 100644
--- a/public/app/features/alerting/unified/components/rule-editor/DetailsStep.tsx
+++ b/public/app/features/alerting/unified/components/rule-editor/DetailsStep.tsx
@@ -1,40 +1,62 @@
+import { css } from '@emotion/css';
 import React from 'react';
 import { useFormContext } from 'react-hook-form';
 
+import { GrafanaTheme2 } from '@grafana/data';
+import { Icon, useStyles2 } from '@grafana/ui';
+
 import { RuleFormType, RuleFormValues } from '../../types/rule-form';
+import { HoverCard } from '../HoverCard';
 
 import AnnotationsField from './AnnotationsField';
 import { GroupAndNamespaceFields } from './GroupAndNamespaceFields';
 import { RuleEditorSection } from './RuleEditorSection';
 
-function getDescription(ruleType: RuleFormType | undefined) {
+function getDescription(ruleType: RuleFormType | undefined, styles: { [key: string]: string }) {
+  const annotationsText = 'Add annotations to provide more context in your alert notifications.';
+
   if (ruleType === RuleFormType.cloudRecording) {
     return 'Select the Namespace and Group for your recording rule.';
   }
   const docsLink =
     'https://grafana.com/docs/grafana/latest/alerting/fundamentals/annotation-label/variables-label-annotation';
+
+  const HelpContent = () => (
+    <div className={styles.needHelpTooltip}>
+      <div className={styles.tooltipHeader}>
+        <Icon name="question-circle" /> Annotations
+      </div>
+      <div>
+        Annotations add metadata to provide more information on the alert in your alert notifications. For example, add
+        a Summary annotation to tell you which value caused the alert to fire or which server it happened on.
+      </div>
+      <div>Annotations can contain a combination of text and template code.</div>
+      <div>
+        <a href={docsLink} target="_blank" rel="noreferrer" className={styles.tooltipLink}>
+          Read about annotations <Icon name="external-link-alt" size="sm" tabIndex={0} />
+        </a>
+      </div>
+    </div>
+  );
   const LinkToDocs = () => (
-    <span>
-      Click{' '}
-      <a href={docsLink} target="_blank" rel="noreferrer">
-        here{' '}
-      </a>
-      for documentation on how to template annotations and labels.
-    </span>
+    <HoverCard content={<HelpContent />} placement={'bottom-start'}>
+      <span className={styles.needHelpText}>
+        <Icon name="info-circle" size="sm" tabIndex={0} /> <span className={styles.underline}>Need help?</span>
+      </span>
+    </HoverCard>
   );
   if (ruleType === RuleFormType.grafana) {
     return (
       <span>
-        {' '}
-        Write a summary to help you better manage your alerts. <LinkToDocs />
+        {` ${annotationsText} `}
+        <LinkToDocs />
       </span>
     );
   }
   if (ruleType === RuleFormType.cloudAlerting) {
     return (
       <span>
-        {' '}
-        Select the Namespace and evaluation group for your alert. Write a summary to help you better manage your alerts.{' '}
+        {`Select the Namespace and evaluation group for your alert. ${annotationsText} `} <LinkToDocs />
       </span>
     );
   }
@@ -44,6 +66,8 @@ function getDescription(ruleType: RuleFormType | undefined) {
 export function DetailsStep() {
   const { watch } = useFormContext<RuleFormValues & { location?: string }>();
 
+  const styles = useStyles2(getStyles);
+
   const ruleFormType = watch('type');
   const dataSourceName = watch('dataSourceName');
   const type = watch('type');
@@ -51,8 +75,8 @@ export function DetailsStep() {
   return (
     <RuleEditorSection
       stepNo={type === RuleFormType.cloudRecording ? 3 : 4}
-      title={type === RuleFormType.cloudRecording ? 'Folder and group' : 'Add details for your alert rule'}
-      description={getDescription(type)}
+      title={type === RuleFormType.cloudRecording ? 'Folder and group' : 'Add annotations'}
+      description={getDescription(type, styles)}
     >
       {(ruleFormType === RuleFormType.cloudRecording || ruleFormType === RuleFormType.cloudAlerting) &&
         dataSourceName && <GroupAndNamespaceFields rulesSourceName={dataSourceName} />}
@@ -61,3 +85,42 @@ export function DetailsStep() {
     </RuleEditorSection>
   );
 }
+
+const getStyles = (theme: GrafanaTheme2) => ({
+  needHelpText: css`
+    color: ${theme.colors.text.primary};
+    font-size: ${theme.typography.size.sm};
+    margin-bottom: ${theme.spacing(0.5)};
+    cursor: pointer;
+    text-underline-position: under;
+  `,
+
+  needHelpTooltip: css`
+    max-width: 300px;
+    font-size: ${theme.typography.size.sm};
+    margin-left: 5px;
+
+    div {
+      margin-top: 5px;
+      margin-bottom: 5px;
+    }
+  `,
+
+  tooltipHeader: css`
+    color: ${theme.colors.text.primary};
+    font-weight: bold;
+  `,
+
+  tooltipLink: css`
+    color: ${theme.colors.text.link};
+    cursor: pointer;
+
+    &:hover {
+      text-decoration: underline;
+    }
+  `,
+
+  underline: css`
+    text-decoration: underline;
+  `,
+});
diff --git a/public/app/features/alerting/unified/components/rule-editor/RuleEditorSection.tsx b/public/app/features/alerting/unified/components/rule-editor/RuleEditorSection.tsx
index 46fcd00641d..3ff637806c3 100644
--- a/public/app/features/alerting/unified/components/rule-editor/RuleEditorSection.tsx
+++ b/public/app/features/alerting/unified/components/rule-editor/RuleEditorSection.tsx
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ export const RuleEditorSection = ({
       </div>
       <div className={styles.content}>
         <FieldSet label={title} className={styles.fieldset}>
-          {description && <p className={styles.description}>{description}</p>}
+          {description && <div className={styles.description}>{description}</div>}
           {children}
         </FieldSet>
       </div>
diff --git a/public/app/features/alerting/unified/utils/constants.ts b/public/app/features/alerting/unified/utils/constants.ts
index 1ccc1643407..0e4160965f9 100644
--- a/public/app/features/alerting/unified/utils/constants.ts
+++ b/public/app/features/alerting/unified/utils/constants.ts
@@ -29,3 +29,18 @@ export const annotationLabels: Record<Annotation, string> = {
   [Annotation.panelID]: 'Panel ID',
   [Annotation.alertId]: 'Alert ID',
 };
+
+export const annotationDescriptions: Record<Annotation, string> = {
+  [Annotation.description]: 'Description of what the alert rule does',
+  [Annotation.summary]: 'Short summary of what happened and why',
+  [Annotation.runbookURL]: 'Webpage where you keep your runbook for the alert',
+  [Annotation.dashboardUID]: '',
+  [Annotation.panelID]: '',
+  [Annotation.alertId]: '',
+};
+
+export const defaultAnnotations = [
+  { key: Annotation.summary, value: '' },
+  { key: Annotation.description, value: '' },
+  { key: Annotation.runbookURL, value: '' },
+];
diff --git a/public/app/features/alerting/unified/utils/rule-form.ts b/public/app/features/alerting/unified/utils/rule-form.ts
index fd3bdfffe01..47dc2df3d74 100644
--- a/public/app/features/alerting/unified/utils/rule-form.ts
+++ b/public/app/features/alerting/unified/utils/rule-form.ts
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ import { EvalFunction } from '../../state/alertDef';
 import { RuleFormType, RuleFormValues } from '../types/rule-form';
 
 import { getRulesAccess } from './access-control';
-import { Annotation } from './constants';
+import { Annotation, defaultAnnotations } from './constants';
 import { getDefaultOrFirstCompatibleDataSource, isGrafanaRulesSource } from './datasource';
 import { arrayToRecord, recordToArray } from './misc';
 import { isAlertingRulerRule, isGrafanaRulerRule, isRecordingRulerRule } from './rules';
@@ -51,11 +51,7 @@ export const getDefaultFormValues = (): RuleFormValues => {
     name: '',
     uid: '',
     labels: [{ key: '', value: '' }],
-    annotations: [
-      { key: Annotation.summary, value: '' },
-      { key: Annotation.description, value: '' },
-      { key: Annotation.runbookURL, value: '' },
-    ],
+    annotations: defaultAnnotations,
     dataSourceName: null,
     type: canCreateGrafanaRules ? RuleFormType.grafana : canCreateCloudRules ? RuleFormType.cloudAlerting : undefined, // viewers can't create prom alerts
     group: '',
@@ -98,8 +94,35 @@ export function formValuesToRulerRuleDTO(values: RuleFormValues): RulerRuleDTO {
   throw new Error(`unexpected rule type: ${type}`);
 }
 
-function listifyLabelsOrAnnotations(item: Labels | Annotations | undefined): Array<{ key: string; value: string }> {
-  return [...recordToArray(item || {}), { key: '', value: '' }];
+function listifyLabelsOrAnnotations(
+  item: Labels | Annotations | undefined,
+  addEmpty: boolean
+): Array<{ key: string; value: string }> {
+  const list = [...recordToArray(item || {})];
+  if (addEmpty) {
+    list.push({ key: '', value: '' });
+  }
+  return list;
+}
+
+//make sure default annotations are always shown in order even if empty
+function normalizeDefaultAnnotations(annotations: Array<{ key: string; value: string }>) {
+  const orderedAnnotations = [...annotations];
+  const defaultAnnotationKeys = defaultAnnotations.map((annotation) => annotation.key);
+
+  defaultAnnotationKeys.forEach((defaultAnnotationKey, index) => {
+    const fieldIndex = orderedAnnotations.findIndex((field) => field.key === defaultAnnotationKey);
+
+    if (fieldIndex === -1) {
+      //add the default annotation if abstent
+      const emptyValue = { key: defaultAnnotationKey, value: '' };
+      orderedAnnotations.splice(index, 0, emptyValue);
+    } else if (fieldIndex !== index) {
+      //move it to the correct position if present
+      orderedAnnotations.splice(index, 0, orderedAnnotations.splice(fieldIndex, 1)[0]);
+    }
+  });
+  return orderedAnnotations;
 }
 
 export function formValuesToRulerGrafanaRuleDTO(values: RuleFormValues): PostableRuleGrafanaRuleDTO {
@@ -143,8 +166,8 @@ export function rulerRuleToFormValues(ruleWithLocation: RuleWithLocation): RuleF
         execErrState: ga.exec_err_state,
         queries: ga.data,
         condition: ga.condition,
-        annotations: listifyLabelsOrAnnotations(rule.annotations),
-        labels: listifyLabelsOrAnnotations(rule.labels),
+        annotations: normalizeDefaultAnnotations(listifyLabelsOrAnnotations(rule.annotations, false)),
+        labels: listifyLabelsOrAnnotations(rule.labels, true),
         folder: { title: namespace, uid: ga.namespace_uid },
         isPaused: ga.is_paused,
       };
@@ -194,8 +217,8 @@ export function alertingRulerRuleToRuleForm(
     expression: rule.expr,
     forTime,
     forTimeUnit,
-    annotations: listifyLabelsOrAnnotations(rule.annotations),
-    labels: listifyLabelsOrAnnotations(rule.labels),
+    annotations: listifyLabelsOrAnnotations(rule.annotations, false),
+    labels: listifyLabelsOrAnnotations(rule.labels, true),
   };
 }
 
@@ -205,7 +228,7 @@ export function recordingRulerRuleToRuleForm(
   return {
     name: rule.record,
     expression: rule.expr,
-    labels: listifyLabelsOrAnnotations(rule.labels),
+    labels: listifyLabelsOrAnnotations(rule.labels, true),
   };
 }