Whiteboard – digital whiteboard used as a collaboration platform and to support Teams meetings

Microsoft Whiteboard is a digital whiteboard app available in the O365 app launcher. It is an easy to use tool for creating a digital whiteboard to support participation during a Teams meeting or provide a platform for collaboration.

What do I need?

Whiteboard is available in the O365 app launcher and the Teams meeting room. You can also install a desktop version to your computer to access a broader range of features.

What do I need to do?

Using Whiteboard on a browser:

Go to portal.office.com and select Whiteboard from the app launcher on the top left. The screen that opens up on screen shows you all the existing Whiteboards. To create a new one, select Create new Whiteboard.

create new whiteboard

The online version includes the following tools: different pen colours and thicknesses, text boxes, notes, shapes, and lines that connect objects. You can edit all the objects and texts you add to your Whiteboard.

edit texts

Click Share to share your Whiteboard with others. You will get a link that you can share, so others can edit your Whiteboard.

 

You can add images to your Whiteboard. You can also lock an image to the background to illustrate a specific theme or set the tone for your content. Click + in the toolbar to find more background options.

edit texts

There are also ready-made Templates that support brainstorming, problem-solving and meetings.

Examples of templates:

canban

brainstorming

Using the desktop version:

If you do not have Whiteboard installed, go to the Software center to install it. As with the majority of O365 tools (Word, OneNote, etc.), you can go to the Whiteboard desktop version to access a Whiteboard that you created using the online version. Click Open in app in the top corner to access your Whiteboard. You can either go to the online version and open your Whiteboard in the desktop version or go directly to the Whiteboard app installed on your computer. (Write the name of the app in the search field of your computer.)

open in app

Using Whiteboard to support Teams meetings:

Whiteboard is one of the tools available in Teams meetings. Once you have joined a Teams meeting, click Share on the sharing toolbar. Select Microsoft Whiteboard. All the meeting participants can edit the shared Whiteboard during and after the meeting. The link to the Whiteboard will be stored in the meeting chat.

What should I take into account?

  • Participants shoud have TUNI account in order to participate. If whiteboard is used only during Teams meeting, the participants also without TUNI account can participate.
  • The same Whiteboard can be edited by using both the online and desktop versions.

Read more:

Microsoft’s instructions for using Whiteboard