For teachers and tutors
Jamboard alternatives for teachers, and how to get your old Jams back
Google Jamboard shut down on December 31, 2024. Your Jams weren't deleted: Google turned them into PDFs in your Google Drive. Here is how to find them, how to keep teaching with them, and which Jamboard alternatives work best in a classroom.
Opens in your browser. Anyone can view; a free sign-in lets you edit.
Updated
The short answer
- Your old Jams are PDFs in Google Drive. Search Drive for type:Jam to find them.
- Need students to post without any account? Whiteboard.fi and Jotboard are built for that.
- Want one board for drawing, sticky-note style cards and lists, with your PDFs on it? Instaboard (us) is free to start, and students sign in for free to write.
- On a Chromebook, open the board in the Chrome browser; students sign in free to write.
One board, the whole class writing on it
Write a question on the board and share its link with your class. Students open the same board and write their answers in their own colour, and you mark them as they come in. Students sign in to write; without signing in they can only view.
Teaching one to one, or helping students with notes?
Two more ready boards for teachers and tutors. They open in any browser, including Chromebooks, and are yours to edit once you sign in for free.
A lesson on a pasted worksheet
The worksheet pasted on the board, the tutor's worked example in ink and the student's answers in blue, with a call checklist. Paste your own worksheet and start the call.
Study notes from your own material
A photo of a handwritten page next to the same notes as cards, the mix-ups to avoid and an exam checklist. Paste in your own pages and sort them the same way.
Where your Jams went
Google first announced that Jam files would be deleted. In the end they were kept: Google's help page now says Jams were converted to PDFs in 2025 and are in Google Drive.
- Open Google Drive and search for type:Jam.
- Open a Jam to see it as a PDF, or export it from Drive as a PDF or PNG. A PNG holds only one frame, so use the PDF for multi-page Jams.
- Import the PDF into your new whiteboard to keep teaching with it.
In Instaboard, choose Import PDF and the file opens as a board with its pages, so you and your students can write and draw on them again.
The old migration tools are mostly gone
Lucid says an editable Jam import is no longer possible, and FigJam imports Jamboard PDFs as images. Miro's help page still describes importing the original Jam files; it doesn't say whether converted PDFs work.
How to bring a Jam PDF into each tool
Whichever tool you choose, the old Jam arrives as a picture of each page, not as editable sticky notes. These are the steps each vendor documents (read November 3, 2026).
| Tool | Steps | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| FigJam | In the file browser choose Import, then Import from computer, and select your Jamboard PDF files (hold Shift to pick several). Anyone with can-edit access in a team can import. | Frames arrive as images on a new FigJam file; a multi-page Jam becomes separate sections in one file. |
| Lucidspark | One page: open a Lucid document, open the More menu, choose Image. Several pages: More menu, choose PDF, click the embedded link tile, then the Extract Thumbnails icon. | Lucid says an editable import is no longer possible; you view the PDF as images. |
| Miro | Miro's help page describes Create new, Import, Import from Jamboard, then Google sign-in and up to 10 Jams at a time. It needs a Collaborate or Full (legacy) licence. | That page describes importing the original Jam files; it doesn't say whether converted PDFs work. Check Miro's page for your case. |
| Instaboard | Choose Import PDF and pick the Jam PDF file. | A new page-mode board whose pages you write and draw on. Each Jam frame comes in as a flat picture, with no editable sticky notes. It uses 1 of your 5 free boards. |
Swipe the table sideways to see every column.
FigJam and Lucid from their own help pages, Miro from its Import Jamboards help page, fetched November 3, 2026.
What teachers miss most about Jamboard
From teacher threads on r/Teachers, r/gsuite and r/edtech, the same things keep coming up:
- No student accounts. "We can't expect a 6 year old to log into another account."
- Simple. Most replacements are business tools with too many buttons.
- Free, with no three-board trap.
- Frames like slides. Students click through pages, and the teacher sees who is where.
- Sticky notes on a shared board for questions and exit tickets.
- Chromebooks and Google Classroom. Drawing on a touchscreen or interactive board.
No single app matches every point, so choose by the one that matters most in your room.
Share one board with your whole class
Instead of one file per student, make one board for the class and give everyone the link.
- Open the ready class board above, or start a blank one. Write the question at the top with the pen and add cards or lists for the answers.
- Share it. In Share, set link access to Anyone with the link can edit, then copy the link, show the QR code, or read out the 4-digit join code (it expires after 2 hours of inactivity, so make a new one for each lesson).
- Students 13 and older sign in free to write, with Google, Apple or email. Without signing in they can only view.
- Post the link where your class already looks. In Google Classroom, Google's help page for creating an assignment lists "Link: Attach a link to your assignment" among the attachment options (Classroom Help, read November 5, 2026). You can also post the link on your class website, such as a Google Sites page. We haven't tested embedding a board inside a Sites page, so link to it. Full steps for both: whiteboard for Google Classroom.
On the free plan, you get 5 boards and 150 items across your account; pen strokes, sections and arrows don't count toward the 150. A board a student opens from your link counts as 1 of that student's own 5 free boards, not yours: each student uses 1 of their own 5.
What Instaboard doesn't have for classes
No class mode (you can't lock the board or make students follow you, though a student can tap your face to follow your view), no rosters, no grading, no Google Classroom integration, and no way for students to write without signing in. Instaboard is meant for students 13 and older. If your students must join without accounts, Jotboard and Whiteboard.fi are closer to what Jamboard was.
Jamboard alternatives compared
| App | Free for teachers | Students need accounts? | Good for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Instaboard | 5 boards, unlimited collaborators; pen strokes don't count toward the 150-item limit | To view, no. To write, a free sign-in (Google, Apple or email) | Drawing, cards and lists on one board; your PDFs as pages; video calls |
| Jotboard | Unlimited boards, up to 5 collaborators at once | No, guests join without an account | Its pricing page lists "All Jamboard drawing tools" |
| Whiteboard.fi | Free without an account: 10 students per session; free account: 20 | Students join by URL, pin code or QR and enter a name | Classroom sessions run by the teacher |
| FigJam | Free forever, unlimited collaborators, 3 editable files; Figma for Education is free for verified educators | Not checked | Teams and classes that already use Figma |
| Miro | Educator plan: free, 100 team members, unlimited boards, by application | Unlimited external visitors | Big projects and templates |
| Lucidspark | Free Lucid for Education plan for K-12 and higher-ed teachers and students | They sign up with a school email; under-13s as directed by their schools | Schools already on Lucid |
| Canva Whiteboards | Canva Education is free for verified teachers and students | Invited with their school email | Classes already using Canva |
| Explain Everything | Free: up to 3 projects, 1 slide per project, collaboration with 1 person for up to 15 minutes | Not checked | Recorded explainers |
Swipe the table sideways to see every column.
Plan details from each app's official pages, fetched November 3, 2026. "Not checked" means we did not read that on the vendor's page today.
Which one fits your situation
| If you need… | Look at | Where others do better than Instaboard |
|---|---|---|
| Students who never create an account | Jotboard (guests join without an account) or Whiteboard.fi (students enter a name) | On Instaboard students can view without an account but sign in free to write. |
| Your Jam files inside a whiteboard your school already uses | FigJam, Lucidspark or Miro | They offer school plans and admin tools; Instaboard has no class mode (students can follow your view by tapping your face, but you can't lock the board), school admin or moderation. |
| More than 5 boards for free | Jotboard (unlimited boards on its free plan) or Miro Educator (unlimited boards, by application) | Instaboard's free plan is 5 boards. |
| Drawing, cards, lists and your Jam PDFs on one board, plus a video call | Instaboard | Imported pages are flat pictures, and the PDF uses 1 of the 5 free boards. |
| Recorded explainer lessons | Explain Everything | Instaboard doesn't record lessons. |
Swipe the table sideways to see every column.
From the vendor pages in the table above and the plan lines on this page, fetched November 3, 2026.
The three whiteboards Google pointed to, and what happens to your old Jams
When Google closed Jamboard it named three partner whiteboards: FigJam, Lucidspark and Miro. Because your Jams are now PDFs, what matters is what each tool does with a PDF and what a teacher pays.
| Tool | Your Jam PDF becomes | Free for teachers |
|---|---|---|
| FigJam | Images on a new FigJam file, one section per page (any plan can import) | Free Education plan for verified educators |
| Lucidspark | An image or an embedded PDF you can extract page thumbnails from; Lucid says an editable Jam import is no longer possible | Free for K-12 and higher ed through Lucid for Education |
| Miro | A PDF you add to a board as a file or image; its Drive importer was built for the old editable Jams | Educator plan: free, 100 team members, by application |
| Instaboard | A board of the PDF pages that you and your students can write and draw on | 5 free boards, students sign in free to write |
Swipe the table sideways to see every column.
FigJam and Lucid rows from their own Jamboard migration help pages, Miro from its education page, all fetched November 2, 2026. In every tool the old Jam arrives as a picture, not as editable stickies.
So the choice is mostly about the classroom, not the import: pick the tool your school already pays for or your students can sign in to, then bring the PDFs over. If you teach over a Meet call, does Google Meet have a whiteboard? covers what to open next to it.
Two FigJam details matter if you teach privately. Figma's free plan is "free forever with unlimited collaborators in 3 editable files", with paid seats from $3 per user per month. And Figma's Education plan is for a current student or educator in a classroom applying with a school email; its help page lists "Independent tutoring: 1:1 or small group tutoring that is not part of a formalized program" among the bootcamp cases that may not qualify. Check Figma's page for your own case before you rely on the free Education plan. More on FigJam on iPad and for tutors: FigJam alternatives for tutors.
Which one should you pick?
If students must never sign in: Jotboard or Whiteboard.fi
Jotboard's pricing page says guests join without an account and lists all the Jamboard drawing tools. On Whiteboard.fi, students join a session by URL, pin code or QR and enter a name; free sessions hold 10 students without a teacher account and 20 with one.
If you want one board that does more: Instaboard (that's us)
Instaboard puts handwriting, sticky-note style cards, lists and checklists on one infinite board. Write the question with your pen, have students add their answers as cards, then drag the answers into groups. Import a PDF worksheet as pages, use the laser pointer, and have students follow your view. It runs in the browser on Chromebooks and has apps for iPad and Android.
Be aware: students can view a shared board without an account, but they need a free sign-in to write on it. The free plan has 5 boards; for many classes, Pro is $5 a month billed yearly ($59.99 a year).
If your school already pays for something: use it
FigJam, Lucid and Canva are free for verified educators and fit well if your school already uses them.
Start from the ready board
It opens in your browser in a few seconds, with nothing to install. Sign in for free when you want to save it and share it.
Questions
When did Google Jamboard shut down?
Jams became view-only on October 1, 2024, and the Jamboard app shut down on December 31, 2024.
Were my Jams deleted?
No. Google's help page says Jams were converted to PDFs in 2025 and are in Google Drive. Search Drive for type:Jam to find them.
Can I keep editing my old Jams?
Not as Jams, but you can import the PDF into another whiteboard. In Instaboard, Import PDF opens it as a board with its pages, and you can write and draw on them.
What is the best free Jamboard alternative for students without accounts?
Jotboard and Whiteboard.fi let students join without accounts. In Instaboard, students can view a shared board without an account but need a free sign-in to write.
Can students write on Instaboard without an account?
No. Anyone with the link can view a shared board, but writing needs a free sign-in with Google, Apple or email, and Instaboard is meant for students 13 and older. If your students must write without accounts, Jotboard and Whiteboard.fi are built for that.
How do I share a board with my class in Google Classroom?
Copy your board's link, then in a Classroom assignment choose Link under Attach and paste it. Google's Classroom Help lists "Link: Attach a link to your assignment" (read November 5, 2026). Students open it and sign in free to write, and each board they open from a link counts as 1 of their own 5 free boards. There is no Classroom integration, so no roster sync or grading.
Can I still use Jamboard?
No. Google's help page says that since October 1, 2024 you can no longer create or modify Jams, and that Jams were converted to PDFs in 2025 and are available in Google Drive. Google's September 2023 announcement set view-only mode from October 1 to December 31, 2024, when the app was wound down.
How do I import a Jam PDF into FigJam?
In Figma's file browser, choose Import, then Import from computer, and select the Jamboard PDF files. Figma says the frames arrive as images on a new FigJam file, and a multi-page Jam becomes separate sections.
Can I import my Jams into Miro or Lucidspark?
Lucid says an editable Jam import is no longer possible; you can insert the PDF and view it as images, and extract page thumbnails from a multi-page PDF. Miro's help page describes importing the original Jam files through Google sign-in; it doesn't say whether converted PDFs work, so check Miro's page for your case.
What happens to my Jam when I import the PDF into Instaboard?
Import PDF makes a new page-mode board whose pages you write and draw on. Each Jam frame comes in as a flat picture, not as editable sticky notes, and the board uses 1 of your 5 free boards.
Does Instaboard work on Chromebooks?
Yes, Instaboard runs in Chrome, so it works on Chromebooks, including touchscreen ones. There are also apps for iPad, iPhone and Android.
What are the best alternatives to Jamboard?
Google's own suggestions were FigJam, Lucidspark and Miro, all with free education plans for verified teachers. If students must join without accounts, Jotboard and Whiteboard.fi are closer to Jamboard. If you want drawing, cards and your old Jam PDFs on one board, Instaboard is free to start.
Does Google have a whiteboard now?
Not its own. When Google closed Jamboard, it pointed Workspace users to partner whiteboards: FigJam, Lucidspark and Miro. Meet has no built-in whiteboard now, so teachers open a board in another tab and share the link in the Meet chat.
Sources
- Google Classroom Help: Create an assignment (read November 5, 2026)
- Google Workspace Updates: The next phase of digital whiteboarding (Sept 28, 2023)
- Google Jamboard Help: Jamboard device end of life information (Jams converted to PDFs, export from Drive)
- Lucid: Transition from Jamboard to Lucidspark
- Figma Help: Migrate Google Jamboards to FigJam
- Miro Help: Import Jamboards to Miro (describes the original Jam files)
- Jotboard pricing
- Whiteboard.fi support: Is there a limit on how many students can join?
- Whiteboard.fi support: How do students join my class?
- Figma for Education
- Figma Help: Who qualifies for Figma for Education
- FigJam online whiteboard (free plan)
- Miro for Education
- Lucid for Education
- Canva for Teachers
- Explain Everything pricing
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