Zoom: Whiteboard and Annotation Tools
Whiteboard
Zoom has a feature which allows the host and participants to annotate on a virtual whiteboard. To start using this feature, follow the steps below:
- Click the Share button in the meeting controls at the bottom of the Zoom window.
- Click Whiteboard.
- Click Share.
- Click the Whiteboard option in the meeting controls to show and hide the annotation tools.
- Use the page controls in the bottom-right corner to create new pages and switch between pages.
- Click the red Stop Share button (just below the floating meeting controls) when you are done.
To learn more about Zoom's whiteboard feature, visit the Sharing a Classic Whiteboard page at Zoom Support.
Annotation
You can annotate in Zoom on both a shared screen and a whiteboard. Annotation tools should display automatically, but if you don’t see them, click Annotate (if you are sharing your screen) or Whiteboard (if you are sharing a whiteboard). The image below shows what will appear if you are sharing a whiteboard.
Participants who want to annotate should click View Options > Annotate at the top of the Zoom window.
You will see Annotation Tools in a toolbar:
Select, Spotlight, and Save are only available if you are the person who started the screen share or whiteboard. The available annotation tools are as follows:
- Select: Select, move, or resize your annotations
- Text: Insert text
- Draw: Insert lines, arrows, and shapes
- Stamp: Insert predefined icons, like a check mark or a star
- Spotlight: Turn your cursor into a spotlight
- Eraser: Click and drag to erase parts of your annotation
- Format: Change the formatting options of annotation tools like color, line width, and font
- Undo
- Redo
- Clear
- Save: If you started the shared screen/whiteboard, you can save all annotations on the screen as a screenshot. This is saved to the local recording location.
Annotation Settings
If you’re sharing your screen or a whiteboard, click More in the controls for these settings. These settings include:
- Enable/Disable Attendee Annotation: Allow or prevent the participants from annotating on your shared screen
- Show/Hide Names of Annotators: Show or hide the participants’ name when they are annotating
Annotation Shortcuts
Windows:
- Undo: Ctrl + Z
- Redo: Ctrl + Y
- Mouse Mode: right-click anywhere
Mac:
- Undo: Command + Z
- Redo: Command + Shift + Z
- Mouse Mode: right-click anywhere
For more information on using Zoom annotation tools, visit the Using annotation tools for collaboration page at Zoom Support.