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How to Use Miro

6' read.

Dimitris Kalogeras avatar
Written by Dimitris Kalogeras
Updated over a week ago

Picture a giant whiteboard where your ideas soar, and teamwork feels like playtime. That's MIRO – a digital playground where collaboration meets creativity! MIRO is your virtual canvas where everyone can join in, doodle, and dream up grand plans together. It's like having a magical board that lets you brainstorm, organise thoughts, and create wonders in a snap.


Embracing the Digital Whiteboard:

MIRO is an amazing digital canvas where your team can brainstorm, plan, and work together like never before! It's like having a giant whiteboard online where everyone can share ideas and create together. It's a cool tool that brings teamwork to life, making it easy to turn thoughts into awesome projects

Mastering the Toolset:

MIRO's toolbox holds the keys to creation. Use sticky notes, shapes, connectors, and more to brainstorm, organise thoughts, and illustrate concepts effortlessly.

Ideation and Brainstorming:

MIRO allows multiple contributors to simultaneously express ideas, sketch, and visualise thoughts, creating a colorful tapestry of innovation. The essential buttons and tools in Miro for collaborating and brainstorming are:

  • Cursor (Select Tool): This default tool allows users to select, move, resize, and manipulate objects on the canvas.

  • Pen/Draw Tool: Enables freehand drawing, sketching, and annotation directly on the canvas. Users can choose different colors, sizes, and line styles.

  • Shape Tool: Provides access to a variety of shapes (rectangles, circles, arrows, etc.) that users can add to the canvas. Shapes can be customised in terms of color, size, and style.

  • Text Tool: Allows users to add text boxes for typing, labelling, or adding notes to the canvas. Various font styles, sizes, and formatting options are available.

  • Sticky Notes: These are digital sticky notes used for jotting down ideas, categorising information, or leaving comments. Sticky notes can be color-coded and easily moved around.

  • Commenting/Chat: Buttons to add comments, annotations, and discuss elements on the canvas. Users can collaborate in real-time by leaving comments or using the chat feature.

  • Frames: Tools to create frames or containers to group related content or organise ideas. Frames help in structuring information and maintaining clarity.

  • Zoom In/Out: Controls for zooming in and out of the canvas to focus on specific areas or get an overall view of the board.

  • Board Management: Options to add or delete boards, manage board settings, create templates, and access board history.

  • Collaboration Features: Buttons for inviting team members, starting video calls, sharing boards, and controlling permissions for viewing or editing.

Navigating the Infinite Space:

The canvas is your limitless playground. Zoom in, zoom out, and pan across the vast expanse, allowing your ideas to span across boundaries.

Collaborative Magic:

Connect with teammates worldwide in real-time! MIRO fosters collaboration by enabling seamless sharing, editing, and commenting, ensuring everyone's voices are heard.

Sharing Your Collective Vision:

Once your team has crafted a masterpiece, it's time to share it! Export your board or invite others to view and collaborate, extending the reach of your collaborative creation.

WebWhiteBoard (External Miro drawing application)

Web Whiteboard (https://webwhiteboard.com/) is an online tool that provides a shared digital whiteboard where users can draw, write, and collaborate in real-time. It allows multiple users to join a shared canvas and work together, making it useful for remote collaboration, brainstorming, sketching ideas, or working on group projects. The platform offers various drawing tools and features that enable users to create and share content interactively.


Tips and Tricks for Using MIRO:

  • Shortcut Keys for Efficiency:

Learn MIRO's keyboard shortcuts for swift navigation and action. Shortcut keys for creating shapes, duplicating, and moving objects enhance your productivity.

  • Basic Navigation Shortcuts:

    • Zoom In/Out:

      • Windows: Ctrl + Scroll wheel or Ctrl + Plus/Minus keys

      • Mac: Command (⌘) + Scroll wheel or Command (⌘) + Plus/Minus keys

      • Use the buttons at the bottom of the screen

  • Object Handling Shortcuts:

    • Create Shapes:

      • R: Rectangle tool

      • C: Circle tool

      • V: Sticky note tool

    • Duplicate Objects:

      • Ctrl + D (Windows) / Command (⌘) + D (Mac): Duplicates selected objects

    • Move Objects:

      • Arrow keys: Nudge selected objects by small increments

  • Editing and Interaction Shortcuts:

    • Text Box:

      • T: Create a text box

    • Grouping Objects:

      • Ctrl + G (Windows) / Command (⌘) + G (Mac): Group selected objects

    • Alignment:

      • Ctrl + L (Windows) / Command (⌘) + L (Mac): Align left

      • Ctrl + E (Windows) / Command (⌘) + E (Mac): Align centre

      • Ctrl + R (Windows) / Command (⌘) + R (Mac): Align right

      • Ctrl + T (Windows) / Command (⌘) + T (Mac): Align top

      • Ctrl + M (Windows) / Command (⌘) + M (Mac): Align middle

      • Ctrl + B (Windows) / Command (⌘) + B (Mac): Align bottom

  • Canvas Management Shortcuts:

    • Ctrl + Z (Windows) / Command (⌘) + Z (Mac): Undo action

    • Ctrl + Y (Windows) / Command (⌘) + Y (Mac): Redo action

    • Ctrl + A (Windows) / Command (⌘) + A (Mac): Select all objects

    • Delete or Backspace: Delete selected object(s)

  • Organizing Boards with Frames:

Use Frames to organise content. Group related elements or ideas within Frames, making it easier to structure and manage information on the board.

Grouping Related Content:

  • Click on the "Frame" tool in the toolbar (or use the shortcut key 'F') to create a Frame.

  • Draw a Frame around related elements, ideas, or content on the board that belong together.

Structuring Information:

  • Arrange and group similar concepts, diagrams, or brainstormed ideas within separate Frames.

  • Use Frames to compartmentalise different sections of your board, such as sections for tasks, objectives, timelines, etc.

  • Leveraging Sticky Notes for Collaboration:

Sticky Notes are versatile tools for ideation. Use different colors, shapes, and text to jot down ideas, create categories, or organise thoughts collaboratively.

Capturing Ideas:

  • Click on the Sticky Note tool or press the shortcut key 'V' to create a Sticky Note.

  • Jot down ideas, concepts, or key points on individual Sticky Notes.

Color-Coding and Shapes:

  • Use various colors to differentiate between different types of ideas or categories.

  • Experiment with different shapes to represent priority, themes, or different aspects of the discussion.

  • Mastering Connector Lines:

Use Connector Lines to create flowcharts, diagrams, or mind maps. Customise line styles, add labels, and link ideas together for clear visualisation.

  • Creating Connector Lines:

    • Select the Connector Line tool from the toolbar (often represented as lines with dots at the ends).

    • Click on the starting element, drag, and connect it to the destination element to create a line.

  • Customizing Line Styles:

    • Explore various line styles such as straight lines, curves, or right-angle connectors.

    • Modify line thickness, color, and style to differentiate between different types of connections.

  • Adding Labels or Annotations:

    • Add text labels along the Connector Lines to describe the relationship or flow between connected elements.

    • Include brief descriptions, explanations, or identifiers for clarity.

  • Linking Ideas or Elements:

    • Use Connector Lines to link related concepts, ideas, tasks, or processes.

    • Visualise the flow of information, steps in a process, or relationships between elements.

  • Collaboration with Comments and @Mentions:

Enhance collaboration by leaving comments on specific elements or tagging team members with @mentions for targeted communication and feedback.

  • Leaving Comments:

    • Select an element or object on the board.

    • Right-click or click on the comment icon to leave a comment related to that specific element.

    • Add your comment, suggestion, or feedback to provide context or clarification.

  • Tagging with @mentions:

    • Use the '@' symbol followed by a team member's name or username to mention them in a comment.

    • When mentioned, the team member receives a notification, directing them to the specific comment for their input or response.

  • Incorporating Templates and Frameworks:

Explore MIRO's template library for pre-designed frameworks. Templates like SWOT analysis, Kanban boards, or user journey maps expedite planning and brainstorming.

  • Accessing MIRO's Template Library:

    • Open your MIRO board or dashboard.

    • Look for the "Templates" option in the toolbar or menu. It may be labelled as "Templates" or "Pre-made Templates."

    • Click on it to access the template library.

  • Template Selection:

    • Browse through the categories or search for specific templates like SWOT analysis, Kanban boards, user journey maps, etc.

    • Click on the desired template to preview it.

  • Applying Templates:

    • Once you've found a suitable template, click on the "Use Template" or "Add to Board" option.

    • The selected template will be added to your current board.

  • Customising Templates:

    • After adding the template, customise it according to your team's requirements.

    • Edit, add, or remove elements within the template to suit your specific project or task.

  • Exporting and Sharing Options:

Export boards in various formats (PDF, image, etc.) or share boards with specific permissions. Customise sharing settings to control who can view, edit, or comment on the board.

  • Exporting Formats:

    • Click on the board you wish to export.

    • Go to the board menu or settings.

    • Look for the "Export" or "Download" option.

    • Choose the desired format for export (PDF, image formats like PNG or JPEG, etc.).

  • Export Process:

    • Follow the prompts to export the board in the selected format.

    • The exported file will be saved to your device.

  • Sharing Permissions:

    • Click on the board you want to share.

    • Navigate to the sharing settings or options.

    • Look for "Share" or "Invite" to share the board with others.

  • Customising Sharing Settings:

    • Set specific permissions for collaborators—choose who can view, edit, or comment on the board.

    • Adjust settings to control access by selecting "Can edit," "Can view," or "Can comment" options.

  • Sharing Link or Email Invitations:

    • Generate a shareable link to the board or invite collaborators via email.

    • Copy the link or send invitations to specific email addresses to grant access to the board.

  • Collaborative Environment:

    • Collaborators can access the board via the shared link or email invitation.

    • Ensure that they have the necessary permissions to contribute or view based on the settings applied.

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