How to annotate while sharing in Microsoft Team Meeting?

Question

How can I annotate on documents while sharing and how can I set up a collaborative whiteboard?

Answer 1

Good day Rotondaro,

Thank you for sharing your concern.  

Just to gently clarify before we go any further, this is a user‑to‑user support forum. I don’t have the ability to access or investigate individual accounts because this is a user-to-user support forum. Moderators and contributors, including external Microsoft employees, do not have access to internal systems or the ability to directly take action on Microsoft product features. However, I truly hope I can help review your situation, offer some guidance, and support you in finding the right next steps as best as possible.   

Annotation in Teams uses Microsoft Whiteboard as an overlay on the shared screen, allowing participants to draw, add notes, and collaborate in real time while keeping the original document unchanged. 

Here are some workarounds you may consider: 

Option 1: Annotate while sharing your screen 

If you would like to draw, highlight, or add notes on top of content that is being presented during a meeting, you can use the Teams annotation feature. 

• Join or start a Teams meeting. 
• Select Share from the meeting controls. 
• Share the screen or application window containing the document you would like to present. 

• Move your cursor to the top of the shared content to display the presenter toolbar. 
• Select Annotate. 

• Use the available Whiteboard tools to draw, highlight, add notes, or point out specific areas on the shared content. 

To manage who can annotate: 

• Open the annotation toolbar settings. 
• Select Everyone can annotate if you would like participants to collaborate. 
• Select Only I can annotate if you want annotation access limited to yourself. 
• When you are finished, select Annotate again to end the annotation session. 

Note: Annotations are displayed as a layer on top of the shared screen and don't modify the original document or file. 

Option 2: Save the annotations for later 

If you would like to keep a copy of the annotations created during the meeting: 

• While annotation is active, select Save a snapshot from the annotation toolbar. 
• The snapshot will be saved to Microsoft Whiteboard. 
• After the meeting, open the Whiteboard app in Teams. 
• Locate the saved annotation snapshot under your Whiteboard content. 

This allows you to revisit the annotations after the meeting has ended. 

Option 3: Set up a collaborative Whiteboard in the Teams meeting 

If your goal is to brainstorm, sketch ideas, or collaborate interactively with participants, using Microsoft Whiteboard is typically the best option. 

• Join or start a Teams meeting > Select Share. 
• Select Microsoft Whiteboard. 

• Participants can contribute using pen tools, sticky notes, text, reactions, and shapes. 

You can also enable collaborative cursors so participants can easily see who is editing specific areas of the board. 

Option 4: Mark up a document inside Whiteboard 

Open Microsoft Whiteboard > Select Create > Select Documents > Select My Files. 

Choose the PDF or PowerPoint file you want to add. 

Select the pages you want to upload. 

The pages will be inserted into the Whiteboard canvas, where participants can draw, comment, and collaborate on top of them. 

Notes: 

• Documents protected by certain restrictive sensitivity labels may not be supported. 
• Optional Connected Experiences must be enabled in Microsoft 365 Apps for document insertion to work properly. You can verify this setting in Word, Excel or PowerPoint: Go to Account > Select Manage Settings under Account Privacy > Ensure Optional Connected Experiences is enabled. 

Additional information is available in the following resources: 
Use annotation while sharing your screen in Microsoft Teams | Microsoft Support 

Present content in Microsoft Teams meetings | Microsoft Support 

Share a whiteboard in Microsoft Teams | Microsoft Support 

Insert pictures and documents in Whiteboard | Microsoft Support 

I hope this information is helpful. If you have any questions or need further support, please don’t hesitate to reach out at any time. 

Thank you for your patience and understanding. 

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