Apple’s New Freeform App Takes Collaboration to the Next Level

Apple has made it easier than ever to collaborate with anyone who owns an Apple product. Freeform is a new app available today on iPhone, Mac and iPad that allows users to do much more than take notes.

With a focus on visual collaboration, Freeform is a digital whiteboard that can expand infinitely, allowing users to invite up to 100 other collaborators, add files, draw and type, all while being on a FaceTime call within the app.

So what can you do in your new infinite collaboration space?

Use it as a whiteboard

Freeform begins as a blank canvas where users can invite other collaborators to work on it in real time. iPhone and iPad users can use a finger or an Apple Pencil to draw and handwrite in the space. Perfect for students and teachers in a learning environment or for brainstorming creative projects. It even comes with a stack of inbuilt brushes, colours and diagrams, allowing for maximum creative flow.

Use it to make a mood board

Make your newest aesthetic collage to post on Tumblr with Apple Freeform. The app supports various file types, including photos, videos, audio, PDFs and even maps! Files can be dragged and dropped into Freeform directly from other apps. In addition, the built-in alignment guides make it easy to keep your current project tidy and organised.

Have a meeting

Did I mention you can use FaceTime in the app? Freeform has video call support within the app, meaning that you don’t need two devices to brainstorm in that online meeting. If you’d rather text than take a phone call, Freeform works with the Apple Messages app. Just drag the Freeform board into your Messages thread, and everyone involved can start working together immediately.

Sync your work

Freeform has real-time syncing to allow users to see edits as they’re happening and iCloud integration. You can work on one board from your iPhone, pick up where you left off on your iPad, and finish up your work on a Mac — technology! If you need to move the board elsewhere, you can take screenshots or export it as a PDF to send to others.

Freeform is changing how we think about collaborative tools with its potential for expanding creativity — from the classroom to the office and every space in between.

Freeform is available now on the latest versions of iOS, iPadOS and macOS.