Tips and Tricks for Microsoft Whiteboard

Don’t start from scratch

Not sure how to start a new board? Get inspired with our pre-made, customizable templates for common scenarios like brainstorming, lesson plans, compare and contrast, two truths and a lie, and many more!

Visit the Whiteboard templates page for more details.

Whiteboard templates selections

Make boards read-only when needed

If you started your whiteboard in a Microsoft Teams meeting or channel, you can choose to put it in read-only mode whenever you want your co-workers or students to stop collaborating on it. This is a useful way to finalize your boards (for example, after a deadline has been reached).

Note: Read-only mode is only available if you initiate the whiteboard in the Teams meeting or channel.

You can enable read-only mode for the board you have open by turning off the Other participants can edit option in the Settings menu. Your preference remains in effect for the current board, even after the meeting has ended.

Check out the Settings menu page to learn more.

Whiteboard's read-only mode switch

Drive engagement with reactions

Use reactions to interact with others and vote on ideas and items on shared boards.

Whiteboard reactions menu

Use ink tools for better visuals

Quickly create perfect shapes with ink shape recognition. Draw familiar shapes and watch Whiteboard clean them up!

Animation of Whiteboard's ink shape recognition

Need to visualize workflows or processes? Use the arrow pen to draw arrows in your favorite colors.

Animation of Whiteboard's arrow pen tool

Hold the Shift key while inking to draw perfectly straight lines with ease.

Animation of Whiteboard's straight lines drawing function

Save time with keyboard shortcuts

Speed up your interactions with Whiteboard by using these handy keyboard shortcuts.

Switch to Draw mode	Alt + W  / Alt + W + 1
Pen 2	Alt + W + 2
Pen 3	Alt + W + 3
Highlighter	Alt + H
Erase	Alt + X
Arrow mode	Alt + A
Double arrow	Alt + Shift + A
Beautify	Alt + B