How to Use a Digital Whiteboard | Start Collaborating

Digital whiteboards have replaced the dusty marker board in countless meeting rooms, and for good reason: everyone with a link can join in from anywhere. Microsoft Whiteboard is the most common option since it ships with Microsoft 365 and plugs directly into Teams. Whether you’re mapping out a garden redesign with a client or sketching a shed layout with a contractor, the setup takes about two minutes.

Opening Your First Whiteboard

You can reach Microsoft Whiteboard three ways: in a web browser, inside Microsoft Teams, or through the standalone app. All of them work with the same Microsoft account you already use for email and Office.

In a browser, go to the Whiteboard web page and sign in when prompted. In Teams, look for the Whiteboard option in the Share tray during a meeting, or add it to a chat or channel using the + menu and searching for “Whiteboard.” The standalone app works best on a touchscreen device like a Surface or iPad.

Once you’re in, the board picker shows any boards you’ve worked on before. If you’re starting fresh, choose Create new Whiteboard and you’ll land on an empty canvas ready for whatever you want to add.

What Can You Actually Do On The Canvas?

Whiteboard gives you a free-form space with no grid and no rules, so you can arrange content however it makes sense. The toolbar at the bottom or side holds the main tools: a pen for drawing, a highlighter for emphasis, an eraser, and a lasso tool for selecting and moving things you’ve already placed.

Beyond basic drawing, you can add sticky notes for quick ideas, insert text boxes for longer notes, and drop in images to reference a photo or diagram. A ruler tool helps draw straight lines, and the reaction feature lets meeting participants add emoji feedback without talking over each other. All of this updates live for everyone viewing the board, so you’re always seeing the current version.

Sharing and Collaborating With Others

Sharing works differently depending on where you started. In the standalone app, use the Share button at the top right to generate a link you can send to anyone. In a Teams meeting, sharing from the Share tray puts the board on screen for everyone in the call automatically. For chats and channels, add Whiteboard through the + menu so it becomes part of the conversation thread rather than just a static image.

A common mistake is thinking Whiteboard only works during live meetings. In reality, you can share the board link in advance, let people add ideas on their own time, and then review everything together later. This asynchronous approach works well for gathering input from a team that spans different time zones. Microsoft’s documentation emphasizes both real-time meeting use and link-based collaboration.

If you’re still deciding whether a digital whiteboard fits your workflow, our tested comparison of top digital whiteboards covers the hardware options available.

Presenting Your Board in Teams Meetings

When you want to show your whiteboard during a live call, have the board open before the meeting starts. This avoids fumbling with menus while colleagues watch. During the meeting, click the Share icon in the meeting controls and select the whiteboard from the options. Participants can then see it, and if you’ve enabled collaboration, they can also draw on it directly.

One practical tip: if you use Whiteboard on a tablet, you can share the board while using the pen for a natural handwriting experience. For participants joining by phone, the board appears on their screen as long as they have the meeting app open, though they’ll have a harder time contributing if they’re not on a device with a touchscreen or mouse.

The current version of Whiteboard is free with a Microsoft account and included with Microsoft 365 subscriptions, so there’s no separate cost to start using it. Check the official Microsoft Whiteboard support page for the latest platform requirements before relying on it with older devices.