Microsoft Whiteboard Alternatives
Microsoft is retiring the standalone Whiteboard apps and cutting off personal accounts. As of September 25, 2026, a personal Microsoft account can no longer create or edit whiteboards, and on October 16, 2026 the remaining legacy boards are permanently deleted. Work and school accounts keep OneDrive-backed boards inside Teams; everyone else needs somewhere to go.
Below are six free replacements, from no-account canvases to shared walls, each checked against its own pricing page in September 2026. For the full comparison of ten free board tools, see our top 10 free Padlet alternatives - the same research covers this move.
The dates that matter
- September 25, 2026: Personal Microsoft accounts can no longer create or edit whiteboards. The migration tool for legacy enterprise boards is retired the same day.
- October 16, 2026: Remaining legacy (Azure-based) whiteboards are permanently deleted and cannot be recovered. Microsoft's retirement notice also retires the standalone Windows, iOS, and Android apps.
- Work and school accounts: OneDrive-backed whiteboards keep working inside Teams and on the web. They are not deleted; only the standalone apps and personal-account access go away.
Before October 16: open any board you still can and export or screenshot what you want to keep. Deleted legacy boards cannot be recovered, and the migration tool is already gone.
Six free places to move
Ordered by how little friction the switch costs. Each links to a full review.
1. Excalidraw
Free, open source, no accountBest if: you mostly used Whiteboard for quick sketches in meetings
The closest free swap for ad-hoc whiteboarding: open excalidraw.com and draw. Sticky notes, shapes, and text with a hand-drawn look, live collaboration through one shared link (end-to-end encrypted), and free PNG or SVG export. There is no account system at all.
2. tldraw
Free, no sign-upBest if: you want the smoothest instant canvas to replace quick shared boards
A fast, polished infinite canvas with sticky notes and drawing tools that runs entirely in the browser and needs no sign-up. Share the URL and others are on your board in seconds.
3. Canva Whiteboard
Free plan, cloud libraryBest if: you want boards saved in a library instead of loose links
Canva's free plan includes whiteboards with sticky notes, images, timers, and templates, and keeps them in a cloud library the way OneDrive kept your boards. Everyone editing signs in with a free Canva account; PDF and image export are free.
4. FigJam
3 free boards + open sessionsBest if: you run workshops, or you can verify education status
Figma's sticky-note whiteboard: three free team boards, unlimited drafts, and 24-hour open sessions for guests. Verified teachers and students get the education plan free, which removes the board caps entirely.
5. Stormboard
Free for 5 per boardBest if: a small team that meets regularly and leaves with actions
Structured sticky-note meetings with templates for retros, SWOTs, and planning. The Personal plan is free with no credit card, for up to five people per board with 20 MB of storage each.
6. StickyArchive boards
Unlimited, kept foreverBest if: you used Whiteboard as a simple shared wall, not a drawing canvas
Full disclosure: StickyArchive is this site. A board here is a permanent public wall of sticky notes - anyone with the link posts without an account, notes appear instantly, and nothing expires. Text notes only, and shared boards are public.
Questions people actually ask
Is Microsoft Whiteboard shutting down completely?
No. OneDrive-backed whiteboards continue for work and school accounts inside Teams and on the web. What ends: editing for personal Microsoft accounts (September 25, 2026), the standalone Windows, iOS, and Android apps, and legacy Azure-based boards, which are deleted on October 16, 2026.
Will my whiteboards be deleted?
OneDrive-backed boards on work and school accounts are kept. Legacy Azure-based boards that were never migrated are permanently deleted on October 16, 2026 and cannot be recovered - export anything you care about as images while you can still open it.
What is the closest free replacement for a personal account?
Excalidraw or tldraw: both run in the browser, need no account, collaborate live through a shared link, and export for free. If you want boards kept in a cloud library the way OneDrive kept them, Canva Whiteboard's free plan does that with a free account.
Can I switch to Google Jamboard instead?
No - Jamboard shut down on December 31, 2024, two years before Microsoft Whiteboard's retirement. Every tool recommended above was checked as alive and free in September 2026.