What is Microsoft Whiteboard? How to use it in M365 E3/E5 and overview of the October 2026 standalone app retirement

About This Article
This article is created using an automated generation workflow powered by generative AI. It reviews official Microsoft Whiteboard standalone app retirement announcements and focuses on the differences with the Web and Teams versions that will continue after October 16, 2026.

Verification Status: 📘 Official Information Confirmed / Actual Device Not Tested

Microsoft Whiteboard is a digital whiteboard that allows multiple people to organize ideas by placing sticky notes, text, shapes, and images on the same canvas. It can be used for organizing discussions in Teams meetings, brainstorming, simple architecture diagrams, and retrospectives.

For Whiteboard in 2026, it is more important to understandthe change in access pointsthan the features themselves.

What is ending on October 16, 2026?

Microsoft has announced that it will retire thestandalone Whiteboard appsfor Windows, iOS, and Android on October 16, 2026.

On the other hand, the Whiteboard service itself for work/school accounts will not end. According to official Microsoft guidance, the following access points will remain available after retirement.

• Whiteboard on the web

• Whiteboard app within Microsoft Teams

• Whiteboard in Teams meetings

• Whiteboard tab in Teams chats

• Whiteboard files saved in OneDrive

Key points for M365 E3/E5 users

When using Whiteboard for business, verify whether the access points and storage infrastructure you use, such as Teams and OneDrive, are enabled in your organization, in addition to Microsoft 365 licenses. For SKUs or separate contract configurations that do not include Teams, the procedure using Teams as an access point may not be directly applicable to everyone.

Try This First: A 3-Column Board for Meetings

Create a test Whiteboard and prepare only the following three areas.

できていること | 困っていること | 次にやること

Place one sticky note in each area. Limit the sharing recipient to a single test user and confirm that co-authoring works.

Check These Points

• The other person's edits are reflected on your screen as well

• You can reopen the board even after closing the browser

• You can verify Whiteboard files on OneDrive

• The sharing scope is as expected

Try Changing One Thing

Move a sticky note from "Things we are struggling with" to "Next steps". Re-categorizing information during a meeting is a fundamental operation in Whiteboard.

Prompt to Create Pre-Meeting Frameworks Using Generative AI

次の会議テーマについて、Microsoft Whiteboardで参加者が付箋を書き込める領域を4つ提案してください。
各領域名は15文字以内にし、誘導的な結論は入れないでください。
個人を評価する領域は作らないでください。

会議テーマ: [ここに入力]

Instead of having AI generate meeting conclusions, it is more effective to use it to prepare "boxes" for participants to think within.

Best Practices for Business Use

• Move decision items to a formal record after the meeting ends

• Do not write personal data or confidential information indefinitely on sticky notes

• Check in advance whether sharing with external participants is allowed

• Do not rely on Whiteboard as the sole meeting minutes

• Verify management policies for OneDrive and other services if long-term storage and retention are required

What Administrators Should Check by October 2026

Microsoft recommends organizations using standalone apps to identify users, guide them to the Web/Teams experience, update managed app catalogs and device images, and update internal documentation, training, and helpdesk procedures.

In particular, if the Whiteboard Windows app is included in your software deployment list, you must switch to the Web/Teams access point before October 16, 2026.

What Happens When You Open the Installed App After Retirement?

According to Microsoft guidance, standalone apps after the retirement date will display a retirement experience instead of opening the Whiteboard gallery or contents. Since they will not simply "stop receiving updates," it is safer to switch user guidance in advance.

Official Information and Primary Sources

• Retirement of the standalone Microsoft Whiteboard apps: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/whiteboard/retirement-standalone-microsoft-whiteboard-apps

• Microsoft Whiteboard help: https://support.microsoft.com/whiteboard

As of September 17, 2026, there is approximately one month until the retirement date. Please distinguish that this is the retirement of the Windows, iOS, and Android standalone apps, not the Whiteboard service as a whole.