Note: This article contains links and information specific to Whiting School of Engineering faculty and staff. JHU students can access licensed Zoom accounts through the Zoom for Students page. Other JH affiliates are encouraged to use the appropriate Zoom login for their unit, information about which can be found on the Faculty and Staff Zoom Support page.
Zoom Whiteboard Overview
Zoom Whiteboard is a tool for brainstorming and collaboration, integrated into the Zoom meetings platform. You can use Whiteboards to sketch out ideas, process maps, and more, using your web browser, tablet, or touchscreen room display. Whiteboards include the ability to layer images, text, sticky notes, and drawings, with contributions identified by the users who added them.
Prerequisites for using Zoom Whiteboards
Zoom Whiteboards can be used in your web browser (outside a meeting only) or Zoom app. If using it with the app, update your client to at least the following versions:
- Zoom desktop client for Windows, macOS and Linux: Global minimum version or higher
- Zoom mobile app for Android or iOS: Global minimum version or higher
*Note: Zoom Whiteboards can only be viewed and edited when using the Zoom mobile app on a tablet or iPad. - Zoom Rooms
- Whiteboards can be used in Zoom Rooms with a variety of connected touchscreen devices. If you have questions about using Whiteboard in your Whiting School of Engineering managed Zoom Room, please reach out to our team at cmtshelp@jhu.edu and include the room number with your question.
Using Zoom Whiteboards
Zoom Whiteboards can be used both in and outside of meetings, allowing for synchronous and asynchronous collaboration on the same board. Zoom Whiteboards can be accessed from a variety of places, for more information about joining from mobile apps or Zoom Rooms, please see the Official Zoom Documentation for Whiteboards.
Accessing Whiteboards outside a meeting from the Zoom website or Zoom app
Log in to the WSE Zoom website with your JHED credentials, and navigate to the Whiteboards page. You can also log into your Zoom app and click on the Whiteboards tab. Both views are the same when you access the Whiteboard dashboard from the web portal and the app.
From the Whiteboards page you can:
- Create a new Whiteboard with the + button or click New whiteboard.
- Manage an existing Whiteboard with the three dot menu next to the whiteboard in the list.
- Browse Whiteboards you have access to using All Whiteboards, My Whiteboards. (Whiteboards you have created), Shared with Me (Whiteboards you have been added to), Starred (Whiteboards you have marked as important to find later) and Trash (Whiteboards you have discarded) options.
Accessing Whiteboards from within a Zoom meeting using the desktop app
- Make sure that you are signed in to your Zoom account. Instructions for WSE Zoom users can be found in our Zoom Quick Start Guide article.
- Start your meeting.
Note: if you do not want anyone other than the host to be able to share a Whiteboard, open the Security menu and uncheck "Whiteboards." If this is left checked, anyone in the meeting will be able to open a new Whiteboard, which will automatically be shared with all participants. - You can also access this settings from the Advanced Whiteboard Sharing options. Locate the Whiteboards button in the control bar and click on the up arrow ^ to set the participant options per your preferences.
- The one additional setting is Allow commenters and viewers to facilitate in the meeting.
- When you click directly on Whiteboards you can either create a New whiteboard or access Existing whiteboards.
- By default all participants can edit a new whiteboard that you share in a meeting. You can change this while the meeting is in progress by clicking the Share button in the Whiteboard. Change to Viewer if you don't want participants to have editing access to a whiteboard.
- When you select Existing whiteboard it asks you How you want to open the board.
- To stop the Whiteboard sharing session, click the red X button at the top right of the Zoom window.
Official Zoom Documentation for Whiteboards
Information on accessing and using Whiteboards on other devices, and more information about using Whiteboards, can be found on the following Zoom web pages:
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Getting Started with Zoom Whiteboard
- This article includes basic instructions for accessing, creating, and sharing Whiteboards to get you using Whiteboard as quickly as possible. This article is recommended for those looking to check out the tool and experiment with it on their own.
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Zoom Whiteboard User Guide
- This article provides an in-depth overview of Zoom Whiteboard, including detailed instructions for creating, editing, and sharing Whiteboards, as well as explanations of the features, controls, and management of Whiteboards. This article is recommended for those looking to use Whiteboards for productivity and who wish to have a deep understanding of the tool.