The global pandemic brought about a significant shift in the way we work. Where people went from face-to-face meetings and phone calls on their favorite smartphones, to many turning to video conferencing services like Google Meet as a replacement for physical office meetings. While you might have used Google Meet for virtual meetings, you might not be aware of all of its capabilities. One powerful yet highly underrated feature of Google Meet is the ability to share a whiteboard with your colleagues during a video call. This allows you to brainstorm ideas and collaborate on documents, diagrams, or other materials in real time. To take advantage of this feature in your next meeting, check out our step-by-step guide below.

How to use a whiteboard in Google Meet

  1. First, join a video meeting on Google Meet from a PC browser. Note that the whiteboarding feature is not available on mobile devices.
  2. Once you're in the meeting, click on the "Activities" button at the bottom of the screen. This will open a menu of options.
  3. From the options, select "Whiteboarding." This will open a new tab with the whiteboarding.
  4. To create a new whiteboard, click on "Start a new whiteboard." Or, if you want to open an existing whiteboard, select "Choose from Drive." This will let you open a whiteboard that you've previously saved in Google Drive.
  5. A link to the whiteboard will be sent to everyone in the meeting. You can also find the link in the chat section of the meeting.
  6. Once the whiteboard is open, you can access the toolbar on the left to draw, write, or doodle on the empty canvas.
  7. You can also share the whiteboard with other people who aren't in the meeting. To do this, click on the "Share" button in the upper right.
  8. Here, you can enter the email address of the person you want to share the whiteboard with, and set their permission level to either "Editor" or "Viewer."

How to collaborate using Miro on Google Meet

Google Meet's own whiteboard tool is fairly limited in terms of features and scope. If you want something advanced, you can use Miro, a third-party whiteboarding add-on integrated into Google Meet. It has a plethora of tools, including charts, built-in frameworks and templates, an infinitive canvas, sticky notes, mind mapping, and more.

  1. Join a Google Meet meeting on a laptop or desktop device using Chrome or Edge browser.
  2. At the bottom right of the Meet screen, click Activities.
  3. Under "Add-ons," click Miro.
  4. If it's your first time using Miro, click Get Started.
  5. Select an option:
    • To create a new Miro board without registering, click Create board without registration.
    • To access an existing Miro board, sign in to your Miro account and select a board.
  6. A new Miro tab will automatically open, and the Miro app will ask to access your Google account. Click Allow.
  7. At the bottom of the Meet panel, click Start collaboration.
  8. Now, you and other participants in the Meet can collaborate on the Miro whiteboard in real time.

Using the whiteboard feature in Google Meet, you can easily share your ideas, drawings, and diagrams with your team. Google's own whiteboard is perfect for normal brainstorming sessions and presentations. But if you want to work with tables, cards, and other advanced tools, Miro is a better option.

If you're not pleased with the built-in video camera of your laptop, don't worry, there's a solution. Check out our guide on how to use your Android phone as a webcam for your PC or laptop.