Jitsi Meet Whiteboard Feature — How It Works and How to Enable It

The Jitsi Meet whiteboard feature offers an easy way to make your video meetings more interactive. Whether you’re managing a business or setting up your first self-hosted conferencing system, knowing how the whiteboard works and how to activate it can boost collaboration within your team.

This article explains what the Jitsi whiteboard is, the different ways to use it, how to enable it, and practical examples of when it works best. You’ll also find some notes on its limitations and how it stacks up against tools like Zoom and Microsoft Teams. If you want to make the most of Jitsi’s collaboration options, this guide will help.

What the Jitsi Meet Whiteboard Feature Actually Is

The Jitsi Meet whiteboard feature is a real-time drawing and annotation tool built right into your video calls. It lets all participants sketch, highlight, and brainstorm together on a shared canvas. This is great for brainstorming, visually explaining ideas, or making quick sketches during design talks.

Unlike chat or screen sharing, the whiteboard lets you draw directly inside the meeting window. Everyone sees the updates immediately, making collaboration fast and smooth without needing extra software.

Real-World Experience

In a recent self-hosted Jitsi setup for a marketing agency, the team used the whiteboard to run creative workshops remotely. Instead of jumping between multiple apps, they sketched ideas together in real time while discussing, which made their sessions more productive and engaging.

This feature removes the hassle of switching tools and helps teams communicate visually during calls. If you’re managing a Jitsi Meet deployment, knowing this can help you create better remote collaboration setups.

The Two Whiteboard Approaches - Built-in vs Etherpad Integration

Jitsi Meet offers two main ways to use whiteboard and collaborative editing tools:

1. Built-in Whiteboard (Jitsi Meet Drawing Feature)
2. Etherpad Integration for Collaborative Documents and Whiteboard

Built-in Whiteboard

The built-in whiteboard is a simple, lightweight tool focused on drawing and annotations during meetings. It includes basic pens and shapes for freehand drawing.

This option is part of Jitsi Meet’s native tools. It’s easy to enable and use but only supports drawing. The interface stays inside the meeting window to keep things simple.

Etherpad Integration

Etherpad is an open-source web editor often paired with Jitsi Meet. It mainly supports live text collaboration, but some setups add whiteboard plugins to offer both document editing and drawing.

This combo works well when you want to collaborate on text—like notes or plans—and add sketches. But it takes more effort to set up compared to the native whiteboard.

Use Case Preference

• Choose the built-in whiteboard for quick drawing and visual brainstorming during calls.
• Use Etherpad integration if you need both text editing and some sketching in your meetings.

Knowing these options helps you pick the right setup based on what kind of collaboration your team needs and how much you want to customize.

How to Enable the Whiteboard in Your Jitsi Meet Deployment

Turning on the whiteboard depends on whether you use the public Jitsi Meet service or run your own server.

For Public Jitsi Meet (meet.jit.si)

You can enable the whiteboard during any meeting by opening the “More actions” menu (three dots) and choosing “Whiteboard,” if it’s available. On the hosted service, it’s usually enabled by default.

For Self-Hosted Deployments

Make sure your version of Jitsi Meet supports the whiteboard feature. This typically means running a build from 2021 or later. To enable it on your own server:

1. Update Jitsi Meet to the latest stable version that includes whiteboard support.
2. Add the Whiteboard Button: Modify your config.js file to include “whiteboard” in the toolbarButtons array.
3. Install Etherpad (optional) if you want collaborative document editing along with the whiteboard, and link it using the etherpad_base option in the configuration.

Example Toolbar Configuration Snippet

toolbarButtons: [
  'microphone', 'camera', 'closedcaptions', 'desktop', 'embedmeeting',
  'fullscreen', 'fodeviceselection', 'hangup', 'profile', 'chat', 'recording',
  'livestreaming', 'etherpad', 'whiteboard', 'raisehand', 'videoquality',
  'filmstrip', 'invite', 'feedback', 'stats', 'shortcuts', 'tileview', 'download', 'help', 'mute-everyone'
],

Adding “whiteboard” here ensures the button appears during meetings.

Security Note

Running your own Jitsi Meet and Etherpad servers lets you keep control over your data. All whiteboard content passes through your servers, reducing exposure to third parties. This is an advantage for businesses handling confidential information.

Step-by-Step - Using the Whiteboard During a Live Meeting

Once enabled, using the Jitsi Meet drawing feature is straightforward. Follow these steps:

1. Start or Join a Meeting: Open your Jitsi Meet room.
2. Find the Whiteboard Button: Click the “More actions” icon (three dots), then choose “Whiteboard.” Or click the “Whiteboard” button if it’s already visible in the toolbar.
3. Draw or Annotate: Use the tools provided—pen, eraser, colors—and everyone can draw or erase at the same time.
4. Collaborate Live: See other participants’ drawings instantly.
5. Clear or Save the Board: You can clear the canvas to start fresh. Some setups also let you save the whiteboard as an image.
6. Close the Whiteboard: Exit by closing the whiteboard panel.

Pro Tip for Effective Use

Assign someone to manage the whiteboard during the meeting to avoid confusion. This helps keep the drawings organized when many people want to contribute.

Whiteboard Use Cases - Education, Brainstorming, Design Reviews

The Jitsi Meet whiteboard feature works well in various collaborative scenarios. Here are some examples:

Education

Teachers use the whiteboard to draw diagrams, write equations, or illustrate ideas during online classes. It acts like a digital chalkboard, letting students watch problems or concepts being drawn live.

For example, an online language school improved engagement by having tutors use the whiteboard for interactive exercises and vocabulary maps.

Brainstorming

Marketing teams run remote brainstorming sessions using the whiteboard to capture ideas quickly. It encourages spontaneous creativity by letting attendees draw mind maps or outlines.

A design agency used Jitsi Meet for client meetings, finding it helpful for sketching workflows and discussing concepts in real time.

Design Reviews

Product managers and developers annotate UI layouts, point out bugs, or sketch system designs during project calls. This speeds up decisions by cutting down on follow-up explanations.

Known Limitations - When the Whiteboard Does Not Behave as Expected

The Jitsi whiteboard has some limits to keep in mind:

• Basic Tools Only: It doesn’t include advanced features like layers, complex shapes, or color blending that dedicated drawing apps offer.
• Sync Delays: On slow networks or busy self-hosted servers, updates may lag.
• No Automatic Saving: Whiteboard content usually isn’t saved after meetings unless you export it manually.
• No Offline Use: You can only use the whiteboard during live meetings.
• Mobile Limitations: Drawing precisely is harder on mobile browsers compared to desktops.

Knowing these downsides helps you set realistic expectations and use other tools if you need more advanced features.

Etherpad Setup for Collaborative Document Editing Alongside Whiteboard

Integrating Jitsi Etherpad whiteboard improves teamwork by adding real-time document editing to your video calls.

Steps to Set Up Etherpad

1. Install Etherpad on your server following official instructions.
2. Configure Jitsi Meet by setting:

etherpad_base: 'https://your-etherpad-domain.com/p/',

3. Enable the Etherpad Button in your toolbar as before.
4. Secure Both Servers by using HTTPS and setting up authentication to protect your data.

Why Use Etherpad with Jitsi?

While the Jitsi whiteboard focuses on drawing, Etherpad excels at collaborative note-taking and managing documents. Using both lets your team brainstorm visually and capture ideas in writing—all during the same meeting.

Many organizations using both tools report better workflows and fewer follow-up emails.

Whiteboard Comparison - Jitsi vs Zoom vs Teams

Jitsi Meet’s whiteboard is a solid free and open-source option. Here’s how it compares to Zoom and Microsoft Teams:

Feature	Jitsi Meet Whiteboard	Zoom Whiteboard	Microsoft Teams Whiteboard
Cost	Free, open source	Paid plans for full features	Included with Microsoft 365
Ease of Setup	Simple for hosted / moderate for self-hosted	Built-in, easy to use	Integrated in Teams channels
Drawing Tools	Basic pen, erase, colors	More shapes, sticky notes, templates	Advanced drawing tools, exporting
Collaboration	Real-time drawing	Multi-user whiteboard, annotation	Collaborative canvas and integration
Integration	Mainly video calls + Etherpad	Zoom Meeting + Zoom Rooms	Microsoft 365 suite
Data Privacy	Fully controlled (self-hosted)	Cloud-based, Zoom controls	Enterprise-grade compliance

Summary

Choose Jitsi if you want an open-source, privacy-focused tool with simple drawing features. Zoom and Teams serve enterprises that need advanced tools, templates, and deeper integration. For small businesses and IT managers looking for low-cost collaboration, Jitsi is a reliable choice.

Conclusion

The Jitsi Meet whiteboard feature adds visual collaboration to your video meetings in a straightforward way. Whether you use the built-in whiteboard or integrate Etherpad for document editing, it makes remote sessions more engaging and productive.

Business owners and IT managers running self-hosted systems can improve teamwork without extra license fees. While it has some limitations, its simplicity and open-source nature make it a valuable part of your remote collaboration tools.

To get started, check your Jitsi Meet configuration to enable the whiteboard and consider adding Etherpad for note-taking. Try it out with brainstorming, education, or design review sessions to see the benefits for your team.

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Ready to bring your meetings to life? Enable the Jitsi Meet whiteboard feature today and see how visual collaboration can boost your remote work. If you need help with setup or custom configurations, reach out to experts who specialize in Jitsi deployments.

Unlock effective teamwork—start drawing with your team during your next Jitsi Meet call.