If you’ve ever stared at a video call full of blank faces, you know how hard it is to spark real collaboration online. Whiteboards are supposed to help, but half the time people just fumble with the tech or tune out. This guide is for anyone who wants to cut through the confusion and actually use Zoom whiteboards to get ideas flowing and keep meetings productive—without turning it into a circus.
Why bother with whiteboards in Zoom meetings?
Let’s be honest: a lot of meetings are just talking heads. If you want more than passive nodding, you need something people can interact with. Zoom whiteboards are built in, so you don’t have to juggle extra tools or subscriptions. Used right, they keep everyone engaged and help you see ideas, not just talk about them.
But they’re not magic. Zoom whiteboards are decent for group brainstorming, mapping out processes, or riffing on ideas. They’re not as slick as Miro or FigJam, and you’ll hit limits if your team wants deep customization or advanced templates. But for most teams, they’re “good enough”—and the fact that everyone already has access is a huge plus.
What Zoom whiteboards are (and what they’re not)
Before you dive in, let’s set expectations:
What they do well: - Let everyone in a meeting sketch, stick notes, and draw together. - Keep stuff in one place—no switching apps or hunting for links. - Decent basic shapes, sticky notes, connectors, and text tools. - Shareable with folks inside and (sometimes) outside your org.
What they don’t do: - Advanced diagramming, voting, or timers you get in pricier tools. - Real-time stickies explosion—there’s a lag if 30 people jump in at once. - Fancy templates or deep integrations with other apps.
If you need pixel-perfect wireframes or run a lot of big, high-energy workshops, you’ll outgrow Zoom whiteboards fast. But for most teams, especially if you’re just starting with digital collaboration, they cover the basics.
Step-by-step: Running an effective brainstorming session with Zoom whiteboards
You don’t need a PhD in facilitation. Here’s how to actually use Zoom whiteboards without it devolving into chaos.
1. Prep before the meeting (seriously, don’t skip this)
- Decide what you want out of the session. Is it a list of ideas? A quick map of a process? Be clear, or you’ll get a mess.
- Set up your whiteboard in advance. You can create a whiteboard from the Zoom desktop app or web portal (not just mid-meeting). Add starting shapes, a title, or instructions so you don’t waste time explaining.
- If you want to use templates, know they’re basic. Don’t expect miracles—basic mind maps, grids, and Kanban columns are about it.
Pro tip: Share the whiteboard link in your calendar invite or chat before the meeting. People can peek and come prepared.
2. Get everyone on the same whiteboard
- During your Zoom meeting, click “Whiteboards” in the toolbar.
- Launch your prepped board, or start a new one.
- Hit “Share” to let others edit. You can set permissions: everyone, only people in your org, or view-only for guests.
- If people can’t find the board, drop the link in chat.
Reality check: Some folks will have never used it before. Give a 30-second demo: “Here’s how you add a sticky. Here’s how to move stuff. Don’t worry about making things pretty.”
3. Set ground rules (keep it simple)
- “Dump your ideas—don’t debate yet.”
- “Use stickies for each idea.”
- “If you’re done, help group ideas or add comments.”
This avoids endless talking and gets everyone doing, not just watching.
4. Facilitate the brainstorm
- Start a timer—your phone or a browser timer works fine since Zoom doesn’t have one built-in.
- Encourage quiet folks: “Everyone add at least one sticky.” (You’ll be surprised who chimes in.)
- Don’t nitpick formatting. Messy is fine.
What to watch for: - People writing over each other, or stickies piling up in one spot. Nudge folks to spread out. - Someone tries to delete everything “by accident.” There’s no undo for everyone, so download a backup if it’s critical.
5. Organize and discuss
- Group similar ideas. Drag and drop stickies or use different colors for themes.
- Vote by dragging a “dot” shape onto ideas—primitive, but it works.
- Talk through the top items. Don’t overthink—just get rough consensus.
6. Save and share outcomes
- Click “Export” to save as a PDF or PNG for documentation.
- You can share the board link with your team, but make sure permissions are right (Zoom sometimes resets these).
- Add a quick summary in your project tracker or Slack, so action items don’t vanish.
Heads up: Whiteboards made in meetings show up in your Zoom “Whiteboards” tab later, but permissions can be finicky. Double-check guests can still view if needed.
When should you not use Zoom whiteboards?
- If your team is already deep into Miro, FigJam, or Lucidspark, don’t force a switch. Zoom’s tool is best for folks who don’t want extra logins.
- Big, high-stakes workshops with dozens of participants? Zoom whiteboards bog down fast.
- Anything that needs robust facilitation tools (timers, voting, breakout boards)—you’ll get frustrated by Zoom’s limited features.
Honest pros and cons
Pros: - Built into Zoom—no extra cost, no new tool to learn. - Fine for small-to-medium teams (under 20 active participants). - Decent for meeting notes, process mapping, or brainstorming.
Cons: - Clunky with lots of users or large, complex boards. - Limited templates and shapes. - Permissions and sharing can be confusing, especially with guests or external partners.
Ignore the hype: You’ll hear “real-time collaboration” and “seamless teamwork” a lot. In practice, it works best if you keep things simple and don’t try to force fancy workshops into a basic tool.
Pro tips for smoother sessions
- Assign a facilitator. One person to keep things moving and organize chaos.
- Keep it short. 10–20 minutes on the board beats an hour of meandering conversation.
- Download snapshots as you go. There’s no version history, so if you’re iterating, save copies.
- Use color coding. It’s the quickest way to sort ideas without complex voting tools.
- Practice once solo. Click around before your real meeting so you know what’s where.
Alternatives to consider (if you outgrow Zoom whiteboards)
- Miro or FigJam: Far more powerful, but require everyone to make accounts (and cost money for full features).
- Google Jamboard: Free but getting sunsetted soon—don’t invest long-term.
- Lucidspark: Good for bigger orgs, integrates with a lot, but overkill for simple meetings.
If your team already has a favorite, don’t switch just to use what’s built into Zoom. The best tool is the one people actually use.
Wrapping up: keep it simple, iterate as you go
Zoom whiteboards aren’t going to change your meetings overnight. They’re a decent way to get people sketching and sharing ideas—if you don’t expect magic. Prep a bit, keep the tech out of the way, and focus on the conversation. If you need more, you can always graduate to fancier tools later. For most teams, though, using what’s already there is the fastest way to get started and see what works.