Connection issues and limitations

Connection status

The current connection state is shown at the right end of the toolbar at the top of the session screen.

Status	Meaning
`Connecting…`	Connecting to the session for the first time.
`Connected`	Connected normally.
`Reconnecting… (n/8)`	The connection dropped and is reconnecting automatically. The numbers are the attempts so far and the maximum number of attempts.
`Reconnecting…`	Trying again after you clicked Reconnect.
`Disconnected`	Automatic reconnection has stopped.

When the connection drops, the board tries to reconnect automatically for about 2 minutes, waiting a little longer between attempts each time. If your browser notices the network is back, it tries again right away.
If automatic reconnection doesn’t succeed, Disconnected appears with a Reconnect button and the message Connection lost. Press Reconnect to try again. Clicking Reconnect starts over.
If the server closed the connection, it isn’t retried automatically and you’ll see The server closed the connection. Press Reconnect to try again. Click Reconnect.
If you can no longer open this session (for example, you were removed from the workspace or the session was deleted), you’ll see an error such as This session cannot be opened. and no Reconnect button.

What you draw or change on the board while disconnected is kept in your browser and sent to the other participants once you reconnect.
Changes other participants made while you were away appear on your board when you reconnect.
If the host ended the session while you were disconnected, the app notices when it reconnects and takes you to the report screen.

Symptom	Cause	What to do
Opening the link shows an error saying the session can’t be found	Another workspace is selected, or the session belongs to a workspace you’re not a member of.	Select the session’s workspace from your avatar at the bottom of the navigation rail (the account menu), then click Try again. If you aren’t a member of that workspace, you can’t join.
An error says the whiteboard is for workspace members only	You’re a guest in this workspace.	The whiteboard is available to members and above. See Roles.
`This session has already ended.`	You opened the link of a session that has ended.	Select the session in Recent sessions to see its report.
`Could not join the session.`	Joining failed for a temporary reason.	Click Try again.
`Could not open the session.`	A session from Recent sessions couldn’t be opened.	Reload the page and open it again.

The whiteboard currently has these limitations:

Desktop browsers only: it’s built for desktop browsers, and there is no separate mobile or tablet layout.
Board toolbar: the board’s own toolbar is in English whatever the app language, and it doesn’t follow dark mode.
No automatic end: sessions never end on their own. A session stays open until the host clicks End & report.
Board size: a board syncs up to about 20,000 elements. Elements added beyond that aren’t sent to other participants, though existing elements can still be edited.
No presence: other participants’ cursors and presence aren’t shown. See Drawing and math.
Image sharing: images added with the board’s own tools may not appear for other participants. Formulas added with Insert math are the reliable way to share.
What’s recorded: only the host’s microphone is recorded. See Recording.
Time order: board actions and recordings are timed by each participant’s device clock. If a device clock is far off, the order on the review screen and in the report can be wrong, so keep automatic time setting turned on.
Very long sessions: in a very long session, the report may not fully cover the later part of the session.

If these steps don’t solve it, contact us through Help & feedback at the bottom-right of the app.