How to Use Sticky Notes on Zoom Whiteboard

Sticky notes on Zoom Whiteboard let you capture ideas, run brainstorms and group feedback on a shared canvas. This guide shows how to add and manage them, how to confirm others can see your notes, and what to do when the sticky note tool is missing or does not behave as expected.

Before you start

Sticky notes are part of the newer Zoom Whiteboard. The older classic in-meeting whiteboard offers basic drawing and text tools, so if you see only those, you are probably using the classic version and will not find a sticky note option.

• Use a current version of the Zoom desktop app, mobile app or web client. Toolbars and labels change between releases.
• Sign in to your Zoom account. Whiteboards are tied to an account, not to a single device.
• Make sure Whiteboard is enabled for your account. On managed business or school accounts, an administrator controls this.
• If someone else owns the board, you need edit access. View-only access does not let you add or change notes.
• In a meeting, the host's sharing and collaboration settings can limit who is allowed to edit.

The newer Zoom Whiteboard stores boards in Zoom's cloud rather than only on your computer. Anything you type into a sticky note therefore leaves your device. Check your account's data, sharing and retention settings before you add sensitive information. Whiteboard does not use your camera or microphone, so camera permission and your selected camera do not affect sticky notes.

Step-by-step instructions

• 1. Open Zoom Whiteboard. Outside a meeting, use the Whiteboards area of the Zoom app. During a meeting, use the Whiteboards control in the meeting toolbar. Exact labels can vary by version.
• 2. Create a new board or open an existing one.
• 3. Select the sticky note tool in the whiteboard toolbar.
• 4. Click or tap the canvas where you want the note, then type your text.
• 5. Click outside the note to finish. To edit it later, select it again, or double-click it on desktop.
• 6. With a note selected, use the options that appear to change its color, text size or other formatting. Which options you see depends on your app version.
• 7. Drag a note to move it, and drag its corner handles to resize it. Use copy and paste or duplicate to create more notes with the same style.
• 8. To remove a note, select it and press Delete, or use the delete option in its menu. Undo restores a note you removed by mistake.

Color is the simplest way to organize notes. For example, use one color per topic, team or priority so the groups stay readable as the board fills up. If your version offers a lock option, lock finished notes so collaborators cannot drag them out of place by accident.

The layout differs between platforms. Desktop and web show the toolbar beside the canvas, while phones and tablets use a compact toolbar and tap gestures. If a step above does not match what you see, update the app first, then look for the equivalent tool on your platform.

Check the output

To confirm your notes are saved and shared, ask a collaborator whether they can see them. You can also open the same board on another device while signed in to your account. If a collaborator sees the board but cannot change notes, review the board's sharing permission and switch them from view to edit if that is appropriate.

If your version lets you export a board, for example as a PDF or image, the exported file is a static snapshot. The notes in it are no longer editable, and small text can be hard to read. Open the exported file and check that every note is legible before you send it to others.

Common problems and next steps

• No sticky note tool: you are likely in the classic whiteboard or an outdated app. Update Zoom and open the board from the newer Whiteboard. If the tool still does not appear, ask your account administrator whether Whiteboard is enabled.
• Cannot add or edit notes: you probably have view-only access, or the meeting host has restricted collaboration. Ask the board owner or host for edit rights.
• Notes missing later: check that you are signed in to the same account and have a working connection, because boards are saved to the cloud. Then look for the board in your Whiteboards list instead of the meeting where you used it.
• Text does not fit: resize the note, reduce the text size, or split the content across several notes.
• Participants cannot see the board: confirm you shared the whiteboard in the meeting rather than just opening it on your own screen, and ask participants to update their Zoom app.