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Using annotation tools on a shared screen or whiteboard Follow

Overview

Meeting participants can annotate on a shared screen as a viewer or the one that started sharing your screen. You can also use annotation tools when sharing or viewing a whiteboard.

Prerequisites

  • Annotation enabled
  • Zoom Desktop Client
  • Zoom Mobile App
  • Joined or started a meeting with screen sharing

Note: The meeting host can disable attendee annotation. If you do not have the annotation option, confirm that the host has not disabled annotation.

Enabling annotation for meetings

Before using annotation, make sure it's enabled in the Zoom web portal.

For your account

  1. Sign in to the Zoom web portal 
  2. In the navigation panel, click Account Management then Account Settings.
  3. Click the Meeting tab.
  4. Under Meeting (Basic), verify that Annotation is enabled.
  5. If the setting is disabled, click the toggle to enable it. If a verification dialog displays, click Turn On to verify the change.

For a group

  1. Sign in to the Zoom web portal.
  2. In the navigation panel, click User Management then Group Management.
  3. Click the applicable group name from the list, then click the Settings tab.
  4. Click the Meeting tab.
  5. Under Meeting (Basic), verify that Annotation is enabled.
  6. If the setting is disabled, click the toggle to enable it. If a verification dialog displays, click Turn On to verify the change.

For your own use

  1. Sign in to the Zoom web portal.
  2. In the navigation panel, click Settings.
  3. Click the Meeting tab.
  4. Under Meeting (Basic), verify that Annotation is enabled.
  5. If the setting is disabled, click the toggle to enable it. If a verification dialog displays, click Turn On to verify the change.
    Note: If the option is grayed out, it has been locked at either the group or account level. You need to contact your Zoom admin.

Using annotation tools

Windows | Mac

Accessing annotation tools if you started screen sharing

After sharing your screen or whiteboard, annotation controls will display. If you don't see the annotation tools, click Annotate (if you are sharing your screen) or Whiteboard (if you are sharing a whiteboard).

Accessing annotation tools if you are viewing a shared screen

While viewing a shared screen or shared whiteboard, click View Options > Annotate at the top.

Annotation tools

You will see these annotation tools:

Note: The Select, Spotlight, and Save options are only available if you started the shared screen or whiteboard.

  • Mouse: Deactivate annotation tools and switch to your mouse pointer. This button is blue if annotation tools are deactivated.
  • Select (only available if you started the shared screen or whiteboard): Select, move, or resize your annotations. To select several annotations at once, click and drag your mouse to display a selection area.
  • Text: Insert text.
  • Draw: Insert lines, arrows, and shapes.
    Note: To highlight an area of the shared screen or whiteboard, select following square or circle icon to insert a semi-transparent square or circle.
  • Stamp: Insert predefined icons like a check mark or star.
  • Spotlight / Arrow: Turn your cursor into a spotlight or arrow.
    • Spotlight (only available if you started the shared screen or whiteboard): Displays your mouse pointer to all participants when your mouse is within the area being shared. Use this to point out parts of the screen to other participants.
    • Arrow: Displays a small arrow instead of your mouse pointer. Click to insert an arrow that displays your name. Each subsequent click will remove the previous arrow placed. You can use this feature to point out your annotations to other participants.
  • Eraser: Click and drag to erase parts of your annotation.
  • Format: Change the formatting options of annotations tools like color, line width, and font.
  • Undo: Undo your latest annotation.
  • Redo: Redo your latest annotation that you undid.
  • Clear: Delete all annotations.
  • Save (only available if you started the shared screen or whiteboard): Save all annotations on the screen as a screenshot. The screenshot is saved to the local recording location.

Annotation settings

If you started the shared screen or whiteboard, click More in the screen share controls for these annotation settings:

  • Allow/Disable participants annotation: Allow or prevent the participants from annotating on your shared screen.
  • Show/Hide Names of Annotators: Show or hide the participants' name when they are annotating. If set to show, the participant's name will briefly display beside their annotation.

Annotation Shortcuts

Windows:

  • Undo: Ctrl + Z
  • Redo: Ctrl + Y
  • Mouse Mode: mouse right click anywhere

Mac:

  • Undo: Command + Z
  • Redo: Command + Shift + Z
  • Mouse Mode: mouse right click anywhere

Linux

Accessing annotation tools if you started screen sharing

After sharing your screen or whiteboard, annotation controls will display. If you don't see the annotation tools, click Annotate (if you are sharing your screen) or Whiteboard (if you are sharing a whiteboard).

Accessing annotation tools if you are viewing a shared screen

While viewing a shared screen or shared whiteboard, click View Options > Annotate at the top.

Annotation tools

You will see these annotation tools:

Note: The Select, Spotlight, and Save options are only available if you started the shared screen or whiteboard.

  • Mouse: Deactivate annotation tools and switch to your mouse pointer. This button is blue if annotation tools are deactivated.
  • Select (only available if you started the shared screen or whiteboard): Select, move, or resize your annotations. To select several annotations at once, click and drag your mouse to display a selection area.
  • Text: Insert text.
  • Draw: Insert lines, arrows, and shapes.
  • Stamp: Insert predefined icons like a check mark or star.
  • Spotlight / Arrow: Turn your cursor into a spotlight or arrow.
    • Spotlight (only available if you started the shared screen or whiteboard): Displays your mouse pointer to all participants when your mouse is within the area being shared. Use this to point out parts of the screen to other participants.
    • Arrow: Displays a small arrow instead of your mouse pointer. Click to insert an arrow that displays your name. Each subsequent click will remove the previous arrow placed. You can use this feature to point out your annotations to other participants.
  • Eraser: Click and drag to erase parts of your annotation.
  • Format: Change the formatting options of annotations tools like color, line width, and font.
  • Undo: Undo your latest annotation.
  • Redo: Redo your latest annotation that you undid.
  • Clear: Display options to clear annotations. 
  • Save (only available if you started the shared screen or whiteboard): Save all annotations on the screen as a screenshot. The screenshot is saved to the local recording location.

Annotation settings

If you started the shared screen or whiteboard, click More in the screen share controls for these annotation settings:

  • Allow/Disable participants annotation: Allow or prevent the participants from annotating on your shared screen.
  • Show/Hide Names of Annotators: Show or hide the participants' name when they are annotating. If set to show, the participant's name will briefly display beside their annotation.

Android

Annotating on a shared screen

  1. Start sharing your screen.
  2. Tap the pen icon on your screen.

    This will open the annotation tools.
  3. Tap the pen icon again to close the annotation tools.

Annotation tools

The annotation tools available depend on whether you using a phone or tablet and if you are sharing your screen or sharing a document or web page.

If you're sharing a document or photo, or viewing a shared screen:

Tablet

Phone

If you started sharing your screen:

Tablet

Phone

  • Pencil icon: Show or hide annotation tools.
  • Spotlight: Display a red dot on the shared screen at all times. Use this point out parts of the screen to other participants.
  • Pen: Draw with a pen.
  • Highlighter: Tap and drag to highlight parts of the screen.
  • Line (only available on tablet): Tap and drag to draw a line.
  • Arrow (only available on tablet when sharing a document or phone, or when viewing a shared screen): Tap and drag to draw an arrow.
  • Rectangle (only available on tablet): Tap and drag to draw a rectangle.
  • Oval (only available on tablet): Tap and drag to draw an oval.
  • Text (only available on tablet when sharing a document or phone, or when viewing a shared screen): Type text on the shared screen.
  • Color: Change the color and line width of your annotations.
  • Eraser (only available on tablet when sharing a document or phone, or when viewing a shared screen): Tap on your annotations to remove them.
  • Undo (only available on tablet): Remove your last changes.
  • Redo (only available on tablet): Add the annotations you previously removed.
  • Clear: Clear your own annotations.
  • To save the shared screen or whiteboard with annotations:
    1. Press on the screen using the select or eraser tool until the Save to Photos Album option appears.
    2. Tap Save to Photos Album.

Tap the pencil icon to hide annotation tools, then tap More in the screen share controls for these annotation settings:

  • Allow/Disable participants annotation: Allow or prevent the participants from annotating on your shared screen.
  • Show/Hide Names of Annotators: Show or hide the participants' name when they are annotating on a screen share. If set to show, the participant's name will briefly display beside their annotation.

Annotation tools

  • Close icon: Hide the annotation tools. Tap the blue pencil icon to display annotation tools again.
  • Undo icon: Remove your last changes.
  • Redo icon: Add the annotations you previously removed.
  • Pen icon: Draw with a pen.
  • Eraser icon: Tap on your annotations to remove them.
  • Color icon: Change the color and line width of your annotations.
  • Spotlight icon (tap the arrow to display this tool on tablet): Display a red dot on the shared screen at all times. Use this point out parts of the screen to other participants.
  • Trash bin icon: Display options to clear annotations.
  • More icon (...): Display the following options.
    • Smart Recognition: Tap the toggle to enable or disable smart recognition drawing. If enabled, Zoom will smooth out your lines and auto-convert drawings to shapes immediately after you draw.
    • Save to Album: Download an image of your whiteboard to your device.
    • New Whiteboard (displays on the main toolbar if using a tablet in landscape mode): Add a new whiteboard page. After adding a page, tap View all Whiteboards or the pages icon to see view and delete pages.

Annotation tools (whiteboard)

If you started sharing a whiteboard, you will see the following annotation tools:

Tablet

Phone

iOS

Annotating on a shared screen

Note: You cannot annotate when sharing your entire screen into the meeting via iOS device. If you need to annotate when sharing an entire iOS screen, see sharing iOS Applications.

  1. Start sharing your screen.
  2. Tap the pen icon on your screen.

    This will open the annotation tools.
  3. Tap the pen icon again to close the annotation tools.

Annotation tools

The annotation tools available are dependent on whether you are on an iPad or iPhone.

iPad

iPhone

  • Pencil icon: Show or hide annotation tools.
  • Spotlight: Display a red dot on the shared screen at all times. Use this point out parts of the screen to other participants.
  • Pen: Draw with a pen.
  • Highlighter: Tap and drag to highlight parts of the screen.
  • Line (iPad only): Tap and drag to draw a line.
  • Arrow (iPad only): Tap and drag to draw an arrow.
  • Rectangle (iPad only): Tap and drag to draw a rectangle.
  • Oval (iPad only): Tap and drag to draw an oval.
  • Text (iPad only): Type text on the shared screen.
  • Color: Change the color and line width of your annotations.
  • Eraser: Tap on your annotations to remove them.
  • Undo (iPad only): Remove your last changes.
  • Redo (iPad only): Add the annotations you previously removed.
  • Clear: Clear your own annotations.

Tap the pencil icon to hide annotation tools, then tap More in the screen share controls for these annotation settings:

  • Allow/Disable participants annotation: Allow or prevent the participants from annotating on your shared screen.
  • Show/Hide Names of Annotators: Show or hide the participants' name when they are annotating on a screen share. If set to show, the participant's name will briefly display beside their annotation.

Annotation tools (whiteboard)

If you started sharing a whiteboard, you will see the following annotation tools:

Tablet

Phone

  • Close icon: Hide the annotation tools. Tap the blue pencil icon to display annotation tools again.
  • Undo icon: Remove your last changes.
  • Redo icon: Add the annotations you previously removed.
  • Pen icon: Draw with a pen.
  • Eraser icon: Tap on your annotations to remove them.
  • Color icon: Change the color and line width of your annotations.
  • Spotlight icon (tap the arrow to display this tool on tablet): Display a red dot on the shared screen at all times. Use this point out parts of the screen to other participants.
  • Trash bin icon: Display options to clear annotations.
  • More icon (...): Display the following options.
    • Smart Recognition: Tap the toggle to enable or disable smart recognition drawing. If enabled, Zoom will smooth out your lines and auto-convert drawings to shapes immediately after you draw.
    • Save to Album: Download an image of your whiteboard to your device.
    • New Whiteboard (displays on the main toolbar if using a tablet in landscape mode): Add a new whiteboard page. After adding a page, tap View all Whiteboards or the pages icon to see view and delete pages.
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