How to Use Zoom Whiteboard on a Phone or iPhone

Zoom Whiteboard is a shared digital canvas inside the Zoom mobile app. On an iPhone you can usually open existing boards, draw on them and take part when someone shares a whiteboard in a meeting. The exact options depend on your app version, your Zoom plan and any limits your organization's admin has set. Labels and menu positions also change between releases, so treat the steps below as a guide to where features usually are, not a fixed menu map.

Before you start

• Install or update the Zoom app from the App Store. Recent versions may appear under the name Zoom Workplace, and whiteboard features vary between releases.
• Sign in with a Zoom account. Joining a meeting as a guest without signing in may limit what you can do with whiteboards.
• Make sure you have a stable internet connection. Zoom Whiteboard is a cloud service: boards are stored and synced through Zoom's servers, not saved as local files on your phone.
• Check that whiteboards are enabled for your account. On work or school accounts, an admin may turn the feature off or restrict sharing. Free plans can have limits on boards, so confirm your current plan details in your account settings instead of assuming.
• Review who can access your content. Sharing settings control who can view or edit a board, and your organization may have its own rules for storing meeting material in the cloud.
• You do not need a camera for whiteboarding. Camera permission, the selected camera, resolution, frame rate and lighting affect your video feed, not the whiteboard.

Step-by-step instructions

Open a whiteboard outside a meeting

• 1. Open the Zoom app and sign in.
• 2. Look for Whiteboards. Depending on your version, it may be a tab at the bottom of the screen or an item under a More tab.
• 3. Tap an existing board to open it, or use the create option if your version and plan let you start a new board on mobile.
• 4. Choose a tool from the toolbar, such as pen, shapes, text, sticky notes or eraser. The available tools differ between versions.
• 5. Use one finger to draw with the selected tool. Pinch to zoom, and drag with two fingers to move around the canvas.
• 6. To work with others, use the board's share option to invite people and choose view or edit access.

Use a whiteboard during a meeting

• 1. Join the meeting from the app while signed in.
• 2. When the host or another participant shares a whiteboard, it appears on your screen. Turning the phone to landscape gives you more room.
• 3. If you have edit access, open the whiteboard toolbar and draw or add notes. Your changes appear for everyone viewing the board.
• 4. To share your own board, check the Share or More menu in the meeting controls. If no whiteboard option appears, your app version, account or the host's sharing settings may not allow it from a phone.

Keep your edits easy to reverse. Use the undo control right after a mistake instead of erasing large areas, and work on a copy of an important board if your version offers duplication. Avoid deleting boards from the phone unless you are sure, because recovery options depend on your account.

Check the output

• Confirm that edits synced by opening the same board on another device, such as a computer, and checking that your changes are there.
• In a meeting, ask a participant whether they can see your strokes and notes as you add them.
• If you need a file, look for an export or download option in the board's menu. If your phone version does not offer one, export from the desktop app instead.
• Expect some limits on a small screen. Fine handwriting drawn with a finger can look rough, so zoom in before writing small text, or use the text tool for anything others need to read clearly.

Common problems and next steps

• No Whiteboards option: update the app, confirm you are signed in rather than joined as a guest, and ask your admin whether whiteboards are enabled for your account.
• You can view but not edit: the board is set to view-only for you. Ask the owner for edit access, or ask the meeting host whether participant annotation is restricted.
• You cannot share a whiteboard in a meeting: the host may limit sharing to the host only. Ask them to change the setting, or share from a tablet or computer if your phone version does not support starting a whiteboard share.
• Edits do not appear for others: check your connection, then close and reopen the board so it syncs again.
• Drawing when you meant to scroll: switch from the pen to a selection or hand tool, or use two fingers to pan.
• Using Zoom whiteboard on an Android phone: the process is similar, but labels and menu positions can differ from the iPhone app.

For longer sessions, consider preparing the board on a computer and using your iPhone for reviewing, adding quick notes or joining in during a meeting. That plays to the phone's strengths and avoids detailed drawing on a small screen.