Zoom, the popular video conferencing platform, has a comprehensive collection of features. One of the most useful ones is the whiteboard feature, which is a must-use for online classes. It allows teachers to demonstrate complex concepts on a virtual whiteboard through annotation.

Here's a guide on how to use the whiteboard feature in your next Zoom meeting.

Availability of Zoom's Whiteboard Feature

Zoom's whiteboard feature is not available on every platform. At the time of writing, you can use the feature on desktop (Windows, macOS, and Linux) and mobile (Android and iPadOS). The iPhone app does not support the whiteboard feature currently.

You don't need to pay to use the whiteboard feature on Zoom. However, the feature is not available via Zoom on the Web. So, download and install Zoom on your laptop, desktop, or mobile device first before proceeding. If you already have Zoom, ensure you're running the latest version of the application.

Related: How to Host a Zoom Meeting on Desktop, Web, and Mobile

How to Use Zoom Whiteboard on PC and Mac

Here's how to launch the whiteboard feature in Zoom on desktop:

  1. Click the Share Screen button from the menu. Alternatively, click Alt+S if you're on Windows (or Command + S on macOS) to launch the share screen window. If you have full-screen mode enabled, hover over any part of your screen to reveal the menu bar.
  2. With the share screen window open, click on Whiteboard.
    How to share Whiteboard in Zoom on desktop
  3. Finally, click Share to start sharing the whiteboard.

With the whiteboard up and running, you can now start annotating.

How to Use Zoom Whiteboard on Android

Follow these steps to use the whiteboard feature on Zoom's Android app:

  1. Tap Share from the meeting controls menu bar. If the meeting controls menu bar is not visible, tap anywhere on your screen to wake the menu.
  2. Scroll down the options and select Share Whiteboard.

Zoom will start sharing the whiteboard with all participants instantly. And if you want to stop sharing the whiteboard, tap Stop Share at the bottom (Android) or top (desktop).

Related: How to Share Your Screen on Zoom Meeting

Practical Tips for Using the Whiteboard Feature on Zoom

To get the most out of the whiteboard feature, you should familiarize yourself with the different functionalities available. Once you start sharing a whiteboard, Zoom will use default styling options.

However, you can tweak different things to suit your taste and use case. For instance, you can change the color of your annotation pen and its line height. Just tap the Format button from the top toolbar to get started.

The Eraser is another handy tool that does what it suggests. However, if you don't want to erase your annotations, you can create a new page by tapping the little square icon with a + at the bottom left.

You can also utilize the Spotlight tool to help attendants instantly recognize what you're referring to on the whiteboard. The Arrow tool is tucked away behind the Spotlight tool, immediately inserts an arrow to any location on your whiteboard.

The Vanishing Pen is handy for side notes, as its annotations fade away after a few seconds. If you find it hard to annotating manually, you can use the Text feature to type digital text. And if you want to select anything on your whiteboard, use the Select tool.

Zoom also offers Undo, Redo, and Clear options on the toolbar, which precisely do as their names suggest. In Zoom, you can save your whiteboard for later use as an image (PNG) or PDF.

Demonstrate Complex Concepts with Zoom's Whiteboard Feature

The whiteboard feature in Zoom is a perfect way to demonstrate complex concepts to your peers. The feature is easy to use and free.

In addition to the whiteboard feature, you should also know how to use the different best features available on Zoom.