How to Save and Export a Zoom Whiteboard

Zoom has two whiteboard features, and each saves your work differently. The classic whiteboard, opened through screen sharing in older client versions, saves a snapshot to your computer. The newer Zoom Whiteboard stores boards in your Zoom account and lets you export them as files. Work out which one you are using first, then follow the matching steps below.

Before you start

• Find out which whiteboard you have. If you opened it from the Share Screen window and drew with the annotation toolbar, it is the classic whiteboard. If it opened from a Whiteboard button or the Whiteboards tab and has its own canvas and toolbar, it is Zoom Whiteboard.
• Know where the file goes. A classic whiteboard save writes an image or PDF to a local folder on your computer. Zoom Whiteboard keeps the board in your Zoom account, so saving there depends on Zoom's service, and exporting produces a local file.
• Check your permissions. Account admins and meeting hosts can turn off saving or exporting for participants. If you are not the host, ask whether saving is allowed before the meeting ends.
• Update the Zoom desktop or mobile app if you can. Menu labels and export options differ between versions, so the names you see may not match this guide exactly.
• Review your organisation's data rules. Whiteboard content may include sensitive notes, so confirm where your account stores boards and who can access them rather than assuming they are private.

Step-by-step instructions

Save a classic whiteboard during a meeting

• 1. While the whiteboard is shared, open the annotation toolbar if it is hidden.
• 2. Select Save. Each click captures the current page; if the board has several pages, save each one you need.
• 3. Wait for the confirmation that the file was saved, then select Show in Folder if it appears.
• 4. If you prefer PDF over image files, look for a save-format option on the Save button's menu or in the client settings, depending on your version.

Save before you stop sharing. Once the classic whiteboard is closed, its content is not kept, so anything you did not save is lost.

Export a board from Zoom Whiteboard

• 1. Open the board, either inside the meeting or later from the Whiteboards tab in the Zoom app or web portal.
• 2. Find the board's menu or share options; the export command is usually there, though its position varies between versions.
• 3. Choose Export and pick a format. PDF and image formats such as PNG are commonly offered; the exact list depends on your app version and account settings.
• 4. Choose whether to export the whole board or the current selection, if that choice is offered.
• 5. Save the file to a folder you can find again, or let your browser place it in its downloads folder.

Zoom Whiteboard keeps edits in the board itself, so you do not need a separate save step to continue working on it later. Export only when you need a file to share, archive or print. Exporting does not change or delete the original board.

Check the output

• Open the saved file in an image viewer or PDF reader and confirm every page or area you needed is included.
• Zoom in on small text and fine lines. Image exports have a fixed resolution, so tiny handwriting may be harder to read than it was on screen; PDF is usually the better choice for printing or text-heavy boards.
• Check that colours, sticky notes and shapes appear as expected, since some elements may render differently in an exported file.
• For Zoom Whiteboard, reopen the board from the Whiteboards tab to confirm it is stored in your account and that the people you expect have access.
• Rename the file with the meeting name and date so it is easy to find later.

Common problems and next steps

I can't find where my Zoom whiteboard was saved

Classic whiteboard saves go to the same local folder Zoom uses for local recordings, typically a Zoom folder inside your Documents folder. To confirm the exact location, open the Zoom client settings and look at the local recording location. Exported Zoom Whiteboard files go wherever you chose in the save dialog, or to your browser's downloads folder if you exported from the web.

The Save or Export option is missing or greyed out

This usually means the host or account admin has disabled saving or exporting for participants. Ask the host to allow it, or to export the board and send you the file. If you manage the account, look for whiteboard and annotation settings in the web portal. An outdated client can also hide newer export options, so updating Zoom is worth trying.

Only one page was saved

The classic whiteboard saves the page currently on screen. Switch to each page and save it separately. In Zoom Whiteboard, check whether the export was limited to a selection or the visible area and export the whole board instead.

The meeting ended before I saved

Content on a classic whiteboard cannot be recovered after sharing stops unless someone saved it or the meeting was recorded. Zoom Whiteboard boards remain in the owner's account, so ask the board owner to share it or export a copy for you.