Microsoft Whiteboard
Also called whiteboard app, microsoft whiteboard
A shared canvas used from Teams and the Store app. The process is Whiteboard.exe. It is not Paint.
What you need to know
Whiteboard is a synced canvas. Paint is a local bitmap editor.
Whiteboard.exe and Teams share Microsoft Whiteboard boards. Paint is mspaint.exe. A meeting board is not a file in Pictures unless you export it.
- What is it?
- Shared whiteboard
- Still current?
- Yes, see Current status
- Official download?
- Use the vendor link in this article
What is Microsoft Whiteboard?
Microsoft Whiteboard is a cloud canvas. Whiteboard.exe is the Windows app. Paint is the local image editor. Teams can start a Whiteboard without you opening Paint.
If you have never used it
If a Teams meeting opened a shared canvas, this is Microsoft Whiteboard, not Paint. Install or open the Store app, or join the board from Teams. Paint is mspaint.exe and a local bitmap. Whiteboard boards live in a Microsoft account or tenant. They are not a .png you saved from Paint.
What is it used for?
A board inside a Teams meeting. Paint cannot host that live shared surface.
Pen and reactions on a board stored in Microsoft's service. A Paint file is a local bitmap.
Reopen the board from the Whiteboard app. The meeting chat is not mspaint.exe.
Who is it for?
- Teams users who were dropped onto a board
- Teachers using a shared canvas
- Anyone who should not save a meeting board as a Paint doodle and expect sync
Current status
Actively developed. This article is the Windows Whiteboard app and the Teams surface, not Paint.
How old is it?
Microsoft Whiteboard launched around 2018 as a Store and Teams surface. Paint has shipped with Windows since the 1980s. They share ink. They do not share a file.
Versions
Major channels first. Exact build numbers are not all verified here.
System requirements
Values follow the publisher's public guidance. Workload still changes the real need.
Minimum
| Operating system | A current supported Windows 10 or Windows 11 release, per the vendor |
|---|---|
| RAM | Enough for Windows plus this app. Heavy projects want more. |
Resource profile
- CPU demand
- Follows what you open inside the app
- RAM demand
- Follows documents, tabs, or libraries
Installed processes
These executables belong to this product when it is installed.
| Whiteboard.exe | Store / Teams whiteboard |
|---|
Startup components
Whiteboard starts when you open a board or when Teams launches one. It should not start with Windows by default.
File locations
| Typical install | C:\Program Files\WindowsApps\Microsoft.Whiteboard_*\ |
|---|
File formats
Common problems
Board missing after the meeting
Sign into the same work or Microsoft account in the Whiteboard app. Paint will not have it.
Ink lag on a cheap GPU
Update the display driver. That is still Whiteboard, not a Paint brush setting.
Getting unstuck
Open Whiteboard from Start or from the Teams meeting toolbar
mspaint is the wrong tile. The process you want is Whiteboard.exe.
Install from the Microsoft Store if the app is missing
The product page is Microsoft Whiteboard, not Paint 3D.
Check tenant policy if work boards will not create
An admin can disable Whiteboard. That is not a Paint restriction.
Alternatives
Paint, OneNote ink, and a paper board overlap. Paint is the sibling this article is not.
Official help and downloads
Start with the vendor. Random exe sites are not a support channel.
| Download | www.microsoft.com/microsoft-365/microsoft-whiteboard Official installer or vendor page |
|---|---|
| Help | support.microsoft.com/whiteboard Vendor support |
| Official site | www.microsoft.com/microsoft-365/microsoft-whiteboard Start here, not a random exe host |
Related hardware
A pen display helps. A meeting board still wants a network.
Technical details
Technical details
Vendor version numbers change. This article does not pin a build.
Sources and verification
Reviewed by Feex editorial. Last verified August 2026 Status: Feex Reviewed. How we research.
- Microsoft Whiteboard official site · Vendor product page
- Microsoft Whiteboard help · Vendor support
- Microsoft Learn: Whiteboard · Admin and client notes
- Foxhole process map · First-party samples on Windows PCs. Not a lab benchmark.
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