Microsoft today announced several new Whiteboard improvements. Some of them are available now and some of them coming next month (April, 2022).
Whiteboard app now allows you to react to content posted by others during brainstorms. Previously, you need to place sticker-like emojis on the board. The new reaction tags are more convenient since they are easier to see, and they are aggregated into buckets.
You can now take a picture of a physical whiteboard using your phone and quickly add it to your digital Whiteboard. And, Whiteboard mobile users can share content directly from the photo gallery or camera to a Whiteboard in Teams.
With new copy & paste controls, users can drag & drop images from their computer directly into a Whiteboard. They can also annotate on content pasted into Whiteboard.
With the new zoom controls, you can now navigate the Whiteboard with more precision. You can use the magnifying glasses to zoom in and out or use the preset zoom levels. The “fit to screen” button allows you to zoom out and see everything on the board.
Microsoft has added new EDU-specific whiteboarding templates that will help you quickly create a lesson plan, a brainstorming session, and more.
Using Bing image search, educators and students can now insert license-free and safe images to their Whiteboards. This feature will be available in April.
The new Ruler will allows you to project straight lines, understand relative distances, draw angles, and act as a guide for reading. The new Ruler feature is coming in April.
From April, Whiteboards will be stored in OneDrive. So, you can use the same permission logic, version history, file copy tools as other Office files.
In April, Whiteboard will have new laser pointer and collaborative cursors to make collaboration easier. With new external access, guests and anonymous Teams meeting participants will also be able to access the Whiteboard. This capability is coming in April.
