Advance notice of Companion Whiteboard (CWB) is merging into Companion Zoom Rooms (CZR)
From Zoom Rooms 7.2.0 release, anticipated for September 2026, Zoom plans to consolidate its two companion-device products, Companion Whiteboard (CWB) and Companion Zoom Rooms, into one unified platform: Companion Zoom Rooms (CZR). All whiteboard capabilities that used to live in CWB (open, save, sync) are anticipated to be built directly into CZR. Zoom is making this change to enhance the user experience, with whiteboarding, content sharing, and AV control unified into a single, consistent companion experience. It also will remove the previous 3-device room limit, scaling capacity up to 6 companions, and is expected to let users mix touch and non-touch devices to match hardware to how each screen is used.
With this platform simplification, switching between in-meeting shared content and a local whiteboard on the same screen will no longer be supported; however, existing whiteboard functionality is expected to carry forward into the CZR experience. No action, and no new purchase, is required for the underlying migration itself, or for rooms using 1 to 2 CZR companions. If you want to scale a room to 3 or more CZR companions, then you'll need the Enhanced Media Package add-on subscription, which is expected to be available in September 2026. Please talk to your account team to plan that upgrade and any associated subscription purchase.
What's changing with the merger of CWB to CZR
These are the corresponding areas and the expected changes.
| Area | Change | Details |
|---|
|
Whiteboard in CZR
|
New
| All CWB whiteboard functions (open, save, sync) will be native to CZR. A touch-enabled device running CZR would provide a full whiteboard experience. |
|
Companions per room
|
New
|
Room capacity expands from 3 to 6 CZR companion devices. Expected to start September 2026, connecting 3 or more CZR companions in a room will require the Enhanced Media Package add-on subscription. |
|
Touch + non-touch mixing
|
New
|
You can mix interactive touch panels with display-only (non-touch) screens as companions in the same room. Only Mac and Windows OS support non-touch CZR.
|
|
Zoom Rooms for Touch (ZRT) and CZR sync
|
New
|
Content opened on a device with Zoom Rooms for Touch (ZRT) syncs one-way to a paired CZR companion. (Sync is one direction only and content on CZR does not sync back to ZRT.)
|
|
Content sharing
|
New
|
Companion device can join meetings and share cloud whiteboard, but can't share other content sources such as HDMI, camera, direct share, etc.
|
|
Full AV control
|
New
|
Camera, audio management, and content sharing are expected to work across companions.
|
|
Whiteboard permissions
|
Migrating
|
View-only, follow, and role-based permissions are being carried over and redefined across the whiteboard and CZR experience.
|
|
In-meeting content / local whiteboard switching
|
Removed
|
The new CZR will not support switching between actively shared meeting content and a local whiteboard on the same screen.
|
Compatibility and what you'll see from the upgrade
Because rooms may have a mix of old and new devices during the transition, here's what to expect:
| Device combination | What happens |
|---|
| New CZR + new Zoom Rooms | Full support, no interruption |
| New CZR + an older Zoom Rooms-enabled device | An upgrade prompt is shown for the Zoom Rooms-enabled device |
| Older CZR/CWB + new Zoom Rooms |
An upgrade prompt is shown for the companion device
|
| ZRT + new CZR |
One-way sync is supported
|
| Mixed touch + non-touch CZR | Full support |
You may see three types of in-product messaging as you upgrade:
- Upgrade reminder: An in-product notification when a companion or main Zoom Rooms-enabled device is below the required version. Shown both in the Zoom Device Management (ZDM) portal and on the device itself.
- Blocking prompt: If a device in the room is too old for the merged feature set, new features are locked until all devices in the room are upgraded.
- Feature fallback: If devices are on slightly mismatched versions, the room falls back to a supported subset of features, and you'll see which features are temporarily unavailable.
Timeline and what you need to prepare for migration to CZR
- Review your current CWB deployment. Work with your account team to inventory existing CWB devices and map out a migration timeline.
- Plan your CZR configuration. Decide whether you need touch, non-touch, or a mix of both, and how many companions (up to 6) each room needs.
- Upgrade before end of support (expected September 2026). Migrating to CZR before the transition date keeps you on the latest Zoom Rooms version with continued updates and support.
- Contact your account team for custom migration planning, hardware recommendations, and any technical questions.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to do anything for the core migration?
No action is required for rooms with up to 2 CZR companions. The merge happens automatically at no extra cost. Scaling a room to 3 or more CZR companions is optional and requires an additional subscription purchase.
Will I lose any whiteboard functionality?
All CWB whiteboard functions carry over into CZR except for these changes: CZR no longer supports switching between shared meeting content and a local whiteboard on the same screen, by design. The control for sharing of the Classic Whiteboard on ZRC (stop/pin) will be removed from CZR. Also, Windows CZR will no longer support Classic Whiteboard.
What happens if my room has a mix of old and new devices?
You may see an upgrade reminder or a blocking prompt until all devices are updated. See the compatibility table above.
Do I need a special subscription to use more than 2 companions?
Yes, 3 or more CZR companions in a room require the Enhanced Media Package add-on subscription.
What if I don't upgrade to Zoom Rooms 7.2.0 in September 2026 right away?
You can keep your existing CWB setup as-is on your current Zoom Rooms version until that version reaches end of support. After that, you'll need to upgrade to Zoom Rooms 7.2.0 or later to continue receiving CZR updates and support.
What steps should I take for the Companion Zoom Rooms (CZR) migration?
- Review your CWB deployment with your account team and set a migration timeline.
- Plan your CZR configuration: touch, non-touch, or a mix, and how many companions (up to 6) each room needs.
- Upgrade to Zoom Rooms version 7.2.0 once available to stay up-to-date on the latest version with continued support.
- Contact your account team for migration planning, hardware suggestions, and technical questions.