Zoom: Zoom Whiteboards

Introduction

Looking for a way Zoom participants can collaborate in a shared space at the same time? Zoom has a whiteboard feature that supports participants in visualizing ideas together! Blank whiteboards can be created during a meeting, or users are able to pre-create whiteboards to open and share later. There are also 18 optional and modifiable templates ranging from designs supporting icebreakers, mapping, graphs, brainstorming, games, and planning. 

3 Ways to Access and Share

1. During a live Zoom session, select “Whiteboards” in the bottom-right corner. 
   1. Then, select a “new whiteboard”. All used and pre-created whiteboards will also be listed and available to be searched, selected, and opened.
2. In your Zoom desktop application, select “whiteboards” in the top-right corner. 
   1. Then, select “New” in the top-right corner. All shared, used, or pre-created whiteboards are listed in the dashboard.
3. Login to Zoom at https://nyu.zoom.us/ and select “Whiteboards” in the left menu. 
   1. Then, select “New” in the top-right corner. All shared, used, or pre-created whiteboards are listed in the dashboard.

Guides

• Getting started guide with Zoom whiteboards.
• Tutorial video breaking down the 3 ways to access and create whiteboards.

2 Ways to Share

1. During a live Zoom session. The “Whiteboards” option is in the bottom right Zoom toolbar. The whiteboard will open and be shared on participants’ and your screens. Also, all previously used and pre-created whiteboards are saved and easily available to share again. By default participants have editing permission; however, participants can be changed to only viewers. The permissions change option is directly next to the “open and collaborate” button that shares the whiteboard in Zoom.
2. There is a “share” button in the top right corner of a currently open whiteboard. This option will not automatically share the whiteboard on your Zoom screen. Instead, the share button allows copying a link or sending a direct link to participants. The received link will open the collaborative whiteboard in the individual participants’ browsers. You also have the option of granting specific viewer, commenter, or editor whiteboard permissions. 

For example, participants can…

• View, revisit, or share out whiteboards without content being editable.
• Comment perspectives or feedback without editing the content.
• Edit any content in the collaborative space before, during, and after a Zoom session.

Participation Features

The image below contains a description of participation features:

From top to bottom: select, draw, shapes, line, text, post-it, eraser, color change, undo, redo, and whiteboard pages.