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Microsoft Whiteboard is built into Teams meetings, so you can brainstorm, sketch workflows, collect ideas, or plan a project without sharing a separate app window. You can start a new board, reopen an existing one, or add a board to a Teams chat or channel for ongoing work.
The steps differ slightly between desktop, web, and mobile Teams. Use the section that matches the device you are using.
Create a Whiteboard in a Teams meeting on desktop or the web
Use these steps in the Teams desktop app or supported web version of Teams:
- Join or start the Teams meeting.
- In the meeting controls, select Share.
- In the Whiteboard section, select Microsoft Whiteboard.
- When the board picker opens, choose an existing board or select the option to create a new board.
- Wait for the board to load. Meeting participants can then work on it live.
Whiteboard sharing is different from screen sharing. Teams displays the collaborative board itself, rather than showing a static view of the presenter’s screen. Participants can add ink, text, sticky notes, shapes, images, and other supported objects without switching to another application.
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Choose a different existing board
If the meeting already has an associated Whiteboard, Teams normally opens and shares that board automatically. To choose another board:
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- Open the Whiteboard board picker from Share > Microsoft Whiteboard.
- Select the Home icon in the upper-left corner of the picker.
- Choose the existing board you want to use.
This is useful when you prepared a project board before the meeting or want to continue work from an earlier workshop. It also avoids creating a separate board every time the group meets.
Use the Whiteboard tools
The available controls can vary slightly by client and rollout stage, but the main Whiteboard controls include:
| Tool | Typical use |
|---|---|
| Ink tools | Freehand writing, drawing, and annotations |
| Text | Adding typed labels, headings, and instructions |
| Sticky notes | Collecting ideas, votes, questions, or tasks |
| Shapes | Creating diagrams, flowcharts, and simple visual layouts |
| Images | Adding visual references to the board |
| Home | Returning to the board area or navigating the canvas |
| Share | Managing or distributing access to the board |
| Settings | Changing available board and participant options |
For a quick meeting exercise, select an ink color and draw directly on the canvas. For structured feedback, use sticky notes and place them into labeled areas such as Keep, Change, and Questions.
Make the meeting board read-only
If you want participants to see the board without changing it, open Settings and turn off Other participants can edit.
This Teams-specific read-only control is available for a board initiated in a Teams meeting or channel. It remains applied to that board after the meeting ends. If the setting is missing, the board may have been created as a standalone Whiteboard rather than started from Teams.
Stop sharing the Whiteboard
On desktop Teams, use the meeting’s Stop sharing control. This stops presenting the board in the meeting; it does not necessarily delete the board or its saved content.
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To stop sharing on a phone or tablet, use the mobile instructions below.
Create a Whiteboard in a Teams meeting on mobile
Teams for phones and tablets provides the core Whiteboard experience:
- Join the Teams meeting.
- Select More options (the three-dot menu).
- Select Share Whiteboard.
- Wait for the board to appear.
- Tap the Pen icon, choose a color, and draw on the canvas.
- Tap Note or Text to add typed content. You can move these objects around the board.
For more advanced Whiteboard features, open the same board in the full Microsoft Whiteboard app on Windows or iOS. Changes made there synchronize back to the board being used in the meeting.
Stop sharing on mobile
Either tap Stop on the Whiteboard banner or select More options > Stop sharing Whiteboard.
Add a Whiteboard to a Teams chat or channel
A meeting board is tied to the meeting experience. If you need a persistent workspace for a project, add Whiteboard as a tab in a chat or channel instead.
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- Select the + button at the top of the conversation.
- Search for Whiteboard.
- Select Whiteboard.
- For a channel, select Save after choosing Whiteboard.
A Whiteboard attached to a team or channel is generally editable by everyone who has access to that team or channel. That can be a much wider audience than the people invited to an individually shared board, so check the location before adding confidential information.
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After a meeting, you can usually reopen its board from the meeting chat’s Whiteboard tab. In the meeting chat, move across the available tabs until you find Whiteboard, then open it.
Share a board directly and change permissions
You can manage access from the Microsoft Whiteboard app:
- Open the board.
- Select Share next to your name in the upper-right corner.
- Under Send link, enter a person’s name or email address.
- Send the invitation, or select Copy link to distribute a link.
To change an invited person’s access, select the Pen icon next to that person’s name and choose Can edit or Can view.
Depending on your organization’s sharing configuration, a copied link may be limited to specific people, people who already have access, or anyone in the organization with the link. Invited editors can normally edit and rename the board, share it, and remove other users. They cannot delete the board or remove its owner.
Can external guests use a Teams Whiteboard?
The answer depends on how the board is being used. Microsoft’s current documentation distinguishes between collaboration inside a Teams meeting and direct sharing of a board.
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External participants can collaborate on a Whiteboard in a Teams meeting when the organization has moved Whiteboard storage to OneDrive for Business and administrators have enabled the required settings. Direct board sharing may still be restricted to people in the same organization.
Therefore, the statement that external users are never supported is too broad. A guest may be able to edit during the Teams meeting while being unable to open a directly shared board link afterward. If an external attendee sees no board or cannot edit, the tenant’s settings and the guest’s permissions need to be checked by an administrator.
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Common problems when creating a Teams Whiteboard
| Problem | Likely cause or fix |
|---|---|
| Whiteboard is not listed under Share | Availability may be controlled by your organization’s Teams or Whiteboard administration settings. Feature rollout can also differ between accounts and clients. |
| The wrong board opens | Teams automatically uses the board associated with the meeting. Open the board picker and select Home to choose another board. |
| A participant cannot edit | Check whether Settings > Other participants can edit is disabled. For directly shared boards, verify that the person has Can edit rather than Can view. |
| Read-only mode is not available | The Teams read-only control applies to boards initiated in a Teams meeting or channel, not ordinary standalone boards. |
| The label or layout looks different | Microsoft releases Microsoft 365 features gradually. The control names and positions may differ by account, platform, or rollout stage. |
| Sharing fails in Teams for the web | Do not confuse screen-sharing limitations with Whiteboard availability. Teams web screen sharing requires Google Chrome or the latest Microsoft Edge; Linux is not currently supported for Teams web screen sharing. |
| Mac screen-sharing permission appears | If you are sharing your screen rather than the Whiteboard, open Apple menu > System Settings > Privacy & Security > Screen & System Audio Recording, then enable Microsoft Teams. Browser-based Teams may also require the browser’s permission. |
Meeting Whiteboard or channel Whiteboard?
Choose the location based on who needs access and how long the work should remain available:
| Use this option | Best for | Access model |
|---|---|---|
| Whiteboard in a meeting | Live brainstorming, workshops, and meeting exercises | People participating in the meeting, subject to organization settings |
| Whiteboard in a chat | Work shared by a small conversation group | People with access to that chat |
| Whiteboard in a channel | Ongoing team planning and project documentation | People with access to the team or channel |
| Direct board sharing | Controlled access to a particular board | Users assigned Can edit or Can view |
For a one-off workshop, start from the meeting’s Share tray. For a board that the team will revisit weekly, add Whiteboard to the relevant channel or share an existing board with carefully selected users.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.FAQ
Can I create a Whiteboard before a Teams meeting?
Yes. Create and prepare a board in Microsoft Whiteboard, then select it from the Teams meeting board picker. If Teams opens a different associated board, select the Home icon in the picker and choose the prepared board.
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Does creating a Whiteboard share my entire screen?
No. Selecting Share > Microsoft Whiteboard shares the collaborative board rather than your desktop or an application window. Participants work on the board itself.
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The board remains available through the meeting’s Whiteboard tab or in Microsoft Whiteboard, subject to your organization’s storage and retention policies. Stopping sharing does not mean the board is deleted.
Why can I see a Whiteboard but not edit it?
The board may be read-only because Other participants can edit is turned off. If it was shared directly, you may have Can view permission instead of Can edit permission.
Can I add Whiteboard to a Teams channel?
Yes. Open the channel, select the plus button at the top, search for Whiteboard, select it, and then select Save.
Can guests edit a Whiteboard in Teams?
External participation in a Teams meeting can be supported when the organization has enabled the required settings and uses the supported OneDrive for Business storage arrangement. Direct board-sharing permissions may be more restrictive.
The Bottom Line
To create a Whiteboard during a Teams meeting, select Share > Microsoft Whiteboard, then choose a new or existing board. Use the meeting controls to present or stop sharing it, and use Settings if the group should only view the board. For ongoing collaboration, add Whiteboard to a Teams chat or channel instead, where access follows the membership of that conversation or workspace.
