Freeform

Learn how to unleash your imagination and creativity with Apple's Freeform app.

Freeform is a great place to bring your ideas to life and collaborate with your team. The latest addition to your iPad, iPhone and Mac allows you to add text, images, videos, doodles, links and files to an infinite blank canvas. Find out everything you need to know about this app and how to get the most out of it for teaching and learning.

What is Freeform?

Freeform is an official Apple app that comes free with the latest software update for macOS, iPadOS and iOS. You don't even have to download it - if you have the latest software update, it's already installed.

In short, Freeform lets you create boards with an endless white canvas that stretches in all directions.

Freeform is great for capturing, expressing and sharing ideas as it supports text, doodles, web links, shapes, sticky notes, map locations, media and documents. It is also ideal for team collaboration as you can share your boards in real time with up to 100 people.

Let your creativity flow with Freeform.

With Freeform, you can let your imagination and creativity run wild whenever you feel like it. When you open the app, you're greeted by a massive canvas of white space and tools just waiting for your ideas.

The tools included in Freeform are: Drawing tools, text, sticky notes, shapes and media that allow you to add photos, videos, files and links. The app is very intuitive and versatile as each element can be moved, resized, rotated and deleted, making it a great resource to express your ideas. Freeform also works seamlessly with other Apple apps. For example, you can simply drag a file from the Finder on a Mac and double-click it for a quick preview. Or add a video that plays directly in the app without having to switch screens or wait for it to load.

Freeform is especially powerful if you have an iPad and an Apple Pencil, because it lets you doodle, draw and colour, or write by hand using the Apple Pencil. In fact, one of our favourite features is the ability to convert your handwritten notes into text.

Collaborate in real-time.

One of the great things about Freeform is that you can invite up to 99 people to work on a board at the same time. This means that collaborators have access to the same features and tools and can see new content appear in real time. A great feature for teachers to create boards with their students and for students to brainstorm in groups. And don't worry, you can make changes to who has access to your boards at any time, or lock some elements of your boards so they can't be changed.

Another great collaboration feature is that you can call your team members from the app using FaceTime to discuss the board as you work, making it easier to work wherever you are.

Freeform tips for teaching and learning.

With Freeform, your creativity is (almost) unlimited for your class!

Here are some concrete examples:

• Icebreaker activity: Who has never launched an activity at the beginning of the school year for the class group to support itself? Here, it is very easy to collaborate together on the same freeform by activating collaboration, respect, listening to the other, creativity... You can send a link to give access to a board. Anyone with the link can make changes to the board, unless you change the board settings so that it is only visible. As a teacher, you may want some items to be locked so that students cannot delete them. In this case, select the item(s) to bring up the editing menu, then tap the plus icon that looks like a circle with three dots inside. You will then see the extended menu appear, which includes the option to lock an item in place.

• Note-taking: the application allows you to take notes in all its forms (drawing, writing, lists…)

• Brainstorming: at the beginning of the sequence, Freeform allows you to gather all the ideas whether in a group or individually.

• Mind map: whether to be created together or individually, Freeform allows you to create mind maps without having to install a third-party application.

• Video scenario creation: Before embarking on video editing, it is advisable to create a frame to know the speeches, the shots, the order, the important ideas... Freeform is the ideal app to do!

• Even in a group of teachers, the application is used to collaborate on a project to lead to several classes.

• And finally, Freeform is a fun and creative application that can be used to draw.

There are endless ways to use Freeform, whether you're planning a project with your students, sharing ideas with colleagues or simply doodling for inspiration. The space for creativity is limitless with Freeform.