Zoom Tools: Whiteboard and Annotation
The whiteboard tool in Zoom is allows you to share a whiteboard that you and other participants can annotate on. This page summarises the steps for effectively using the whiteboard and annotation features during Zoom meetings.
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:
1. Click the Share button in the meeting controls at the bottom of the Zoom window.
2. Click Whiteboard.
3. Click Share.
4. Click the Whiteboard option in the meeting controls to show and hide the annotation tools.
5. Use the page controls in the bottom-right corner to create new pages and switch between pages.
6. Click Stop Share 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 these Annotation Tools:
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.