Using advanced shapes for technical diagrams in Zoom Whiteboard

Zoom Whiteboard offers advanced shapes for creating professional technical diagrams including cloud architecture, Kubernetes topologies, service maps, and network flows. You can access specialized shape libraries for AWS, Azure, Google Cloud, and Kubernetes to build detailed diagrams for planning and documenting complex systems.

Requirements for adding advanced shapes

• Zoom desktop app for Windows, macOS, or Linux: Global minimum version or higher
• Zoom Web App
• Zoom Whiteboard enabled for your account by an administrator
• Zoom Whiteboard Plus license (advanced shape libraries)

Note: If you don’t see the advanced shape libraries, they may be hidden in your Shapes panel or unavailable for your plan.

Available shape libraries

Advanced shape libraries include icons and stencils for:

• Amazon Web Services (AWS)
• Microsoft Azure
• Kubernetes (K8S)
• Google Cloud (GCP)

These provider icon sets live in the Shapes panel and are available to Whiteboard Plus users.

How to add advanced shapes to the canvas

1. Create or open an existing whiteboard.
2. In the toolbar on the left side of the screen, click the Shape icon , then click All shapes.
   The Shapes panel will appear.
3. In the Shapes panel, click Manage and add and choose AWS, Azure, K8S, or GCP in the left column.
4. Scroll or use the panel Search to find an icon.
5. Click a shape to place it or drag it onto the canvas.
6. Use standard controls to move, resize, rotate, and style.
7. Add connectors (lines/arrows) between components to show relationships and data flow.

How to manage shape libraries

If you don’t see the cloud or Kubernetes sets in the Shapes panel:

1. In the Manage shapes view, check the box next to the libraries you want to appear in the Shapes menu.
2. Close the dialog.
   The selected libraries will now be visible.

Tips for creating technical diagrams

• Start with a frame: Use frames to group your entire diagram, and containers to define system boundaries (e.g., VPC, cluster, subscription) and keep layouts tidy. You can search for containers in the shape panel.
• Use layers and groups: Group related services; send background elements backward to reduce clutter.
• Standardize connectors: Use consistent arrowheads and labels for request/response, pub/sub, or control paths.
• Leverage color sparingly: Color-code tiers (ingress, services, data) to make scans easier without overwhelming the viewer.
• Document assumptions: Add text callouts for versions, regions, SLAs, or throughput.
• Export or share: Share the board or export as image/PDF for runbooks and design docs.

Frequently asked questions

• Can I search for a specific cloud icon (e.g., S3, AKS, GKE)?
  • Yes. Use the Search field in the Shapes panel to filter the library and place the exact service icon you need.

• Are these official provider icons?
  • The libraries include recognizable icons for AWS, Azure, Google Cloud, and Kubernetes commonly used in architecture diagrams.

• Who can use advanced shapes?
  • They’re available to Whiteboard Plus users. If you don’t see them after enabling via Manage shapes, contact your Zoom admin about access.

Troubleshooting

• Cloud/Kubernetes libraries not visible: Open Shapes then Manage shapes and ensure the libraries are checked.
• Shapes still missing after enabling: Verify that your account has Whiteboard Plus. If you’re in a managed account, your admin may need to enable access.