You may already be aware of the free Microsoft Whiteboard app, which has been around for a while now. If you’ve not looked at it for a while then it’s worth going back as it’s just had some big updates, with more coming soon. The Web, Teams and Android versions have already had the updates. Windows and iOS will update later this month.
The whiteboard has had a fresh new look with an updated user interface. On desktops, laptops, and tablets, inking tools and content creation menus are separated to reduce clutter. There’s an app bar at the top of the canvas which gives access to collaboration features.
On mobile apps, the creation panel & board controls are hidden to optimize real estate for viewing and collaboration. The Icons have been made larger, and more colourful icons to make it easy to use for mouse, touch, and pen users to click on.
So What’s New?
New Templates: There are now over 40 new customizable templates to help you get started faster. This includes templates for things like brainstorming, KWL Grids, exit tickets, group projects and more.
Sticky Notes and Note Grids: Sticky notes now appear in lots more colourful shades. Use different colours to create a colour code system and get more organized by sorting by different colour categories. Alternatively, on a shared board you could assign one colour per person or group to make it easier to see who contributed different ideas.
Note grids help you create and build structure and form in your whiteboard session. Note grids present sticky notes in a clear and organized format. Customize each sticky note by colour order and click to easily add extra sticky notes. You can also organize note grids by adding a title to them
Reactions: Whiteboard Users can now provide simple feedback with a set of fun reaction icons. There’s 8 icons to choose from, from ticks and crosses to smiley faces and thumbs up. Give feedback, or peer review each other’s suggestions.
Images: Images can be added quickly to the whiteboard canvas.
Shapes: A wide variety of shapes can now be added quickly. Once added it’s quick to recolour, resize and rotate to build up diagrams and flow charts.
New Inking Tools: Whiteboard now has 15 new pen and highlighter colour options and a range of thicknesses. In addition to the traditional pens, you’ll also find Rainbow and Galaxy ink!
Ink Arrows: Using the Ink Arrow Pen you can add a single or double arrowhead to the end of your ink stroke automatically.
Ink Straight Lines: By holding down the Shift key and drawing, you’ll automatically create a straight line between the starting point of your stroke and your cursor. You can continue to move your cursor, finger, or pen to adjust the length and angle of your line. Your line will automatically snap to 0, 45, and 90 degrees and to the nearest stroke end. Works for arrows too!
Ink to Shape: Draw shapes with the pen or mouse and whiteboard will automatically convert them into actual shapes with neat lines. Draw a line, circle, triangle, square, rectangle, rhombus, pentagon, or hexagon using a single ink stroke.
Format Background: Backgrounds for your whiteboard can now be coloured or patterned. This will give access to lined paper and graph paper too!
Object Alignment and Snapping: As objects are dragged around, alignment guides will help snap them in line with other objects nearby.
Windows and iOS Whiteboard Apps Updating Soon
The updates above are for the online/Teams version of Whiteboard. The iOS and WIndows app versions will be updating later in October, according to the Microsoft site.
This is all really exciting, and makes Microsoft Whiteboard a serious option as a replacement for more traditional whiteboard software like Smart Notebook and ActivInspire. The sharing options puts in alongside Google Jamboard in terms of useability during online learning sessions and meetings, particularly with the Teams Intergration. It feels like Microsoft is finally getting it!
You can read more about the updates to Whiteboard here, and read about their future plans.
