Overview
Miro is an online collaborative whiteboard platform that provides an infinite canvas for teams to brainstorm, plan projects, design workflows, run workshops, and visualize ideas together in real time. It supports sticky notes, shapes, connectors, diagrams, mind maps, flowcharts, wireframes, and embedded content from hundreds of integrations.
Miro is widely used for agile ceremonies (sprint planning, retrospectives), product design, user story mapping, technical architecture diagrams, and remote workshops. It offers templates for common workflows, a presentation mode, voting and timer features, and an extensive app marketplace. Teams can work synchronously or asynchronously on the same board.
Installation
Access Methods
# Web app (no install needed)
https://miro.com — works in any modern browser
# Desktop app
macOS: brew install --cask miro
Windows: Download from https://miro.com/apps/
Linux: Available as Snap or AppImage
# Mobile
iOS: App Store
Android: Google Play
Tablet: Optimized for iPad and Android tablets
Core Features
Keyboard Shortcuts
| Shortcut | Action |
|---|
V | Select tool |
H | Hand/pan tool |
T | Text |
S | Sticky note |
L | Line/connector |
R | Rectangle |
O | Circle/ellipse |
P | Pen / freeform drawing |
N | Add note/comment |
F | Frame |
Ctrl+D / Cmd+D | Duplicate |
Ctrl+G / Cmd+G | Group |
Ctrl+Shift+G / Cmd+Shift+G | Ungroup |
Ctrl+L / Cmd+L | Lock/unlock |
Ctrl+] / Cmd+] | Bring forward |
Ctrl+[ / Cmd+[ | Send backward |
Ctrl+0 / Cmd+0 | Zoom to fit |
Ctrl++ / Cmd++ | Zoom in |
Ctrl+- / Cmd+- | Zoom out |
Space + drag | Pan canvas |
Ctrl+Z / Cmd+Z | Undo |
Ctrl+Shift+Z / Cmd+Shift+Z | Redo |
| Tool | Description |
|---|
| Sticky Notes | Color-coded notes for ideas and brainstorming |
| Shapes | Rectangles, circles, triangles, stars, and custom shapes |
| Connectors | Lines and arrows to connect elements |
| Text | Rich text boxes with formatting |
| Frames | Group and organize content areas |
| Pen | Freehand drawing and sketching |
| Comments | Threaded comments on any element |
| Cards | Structured cards with fields |
| Tables | Grid-based tables |
| Mind Map | Auto-layout mind mapping |
| Flowchart | Smart shapes with auto-connect |
| Kanban | Drag-and-drop kanban board |
| Timeline | Visual timeline/roadmap |
Sticky Notes
# Quick creation:
1. Press 'S' or click Sticky Note tool
2. Click on canvas to place
3. Type content
4. Press Esc to deselect
# Colors: Yellow, Green, Blue, Pink, Orange, Purple, Gray
# Sizes: Small, Medium, Large (drag corners to resize)
# Tags: Add tags for filtering and grouping
# Voting: Enable dot voting on sticky notes
Frames
# Frames organize content and enable presentations:
1. Press 'F' or select Frame tool
2. Draw a frame on canvas
3. Name the frame
4. Use frames as presentation slides
# Frame features:
- Auto-resize to fit content
- Numbered for presentation order
- Navigation via frame sidebar
- Export individual frames
Templates
Built-in Templates
| Category | Templates |
|---|
| Brainstorming | Brainwriting, Mind Map, Crazy 8s |
| Agile | Sprint Planning, Retrospective, Daily Standup |
| Strategy | SWOT Analysis, Business Model Canvas, Lean Canvas |
| Mapping | User Story Map, Customer Journey, Empathy Map |
| Diagrams | Flowchart, Org Chart, Sequence Diagram |
| Design | Wireframe, Sitemap, UI Design |
| Planning | Gantt Chart, Roadmap, Project Timeline |
| Research | Affinity Diagram, Research Plan, Persona |
Using Templates
1. Click "Templates" in the left toolbar
2. Browse or search for a template
3. Preview the template
4. Click "Use" to add to your board
5. Customize content as needed
Configuration
Board Settings
# Access: Board menu (top-left) > Board Settings
Sharing:
- Anyone with the link can view/comment/edit
- Team members only
- Password protected
- Specific email addresses
Permissions:
- Can view: Read-only access
- Can comment: View and add comments
- Can edit: Full editing access
- Owner: Full control including settings
Board preferences:
- Grid and snap settings
- Default sticky note color
- Canvas background (dots, lines, blank)
- Auto-save interval
Team Administration
# Team settings (admin):
- Member management (invite, remove, roles)
- SSO/SAML configuration
- Data governance and retention
- Default board permissions
- Allowed integrations
- Custom templates library
- Branding and custom domains
Advanced Usage
Presentation Mode
1. Create frames for each "slide"
2. Number frames in desired order (drag in sidebar)
3. Click "Present" button or press Ctrl+Shift+P
4. Navigate: Arrow keys or click
5. Features:
- Zoom into specific areas
- Laser pointer for highlighting
- Timer for time-boxed presentations
- Audience can follow presenter
Integrations
| Integration | Capability |
|---|
| Jira | Import/sync issues, create from sticky notes |
| Slack | Share boards, receive notifications |
| Confluence | Embed boards in pages |
| Asana | Sync tasks with cards |
| Google Drive | Embed docs, sheets, slides |
| Figma | Embed and preview designs |
| GitHub | Link issues and PRs |
| Teams | Embed boards in channels |
| Zoom | Present boards in meetings |
| Notion | Embed boards in pages |
Miro REST API
# List boards
curl "https://api.miro.com/v2/boards" \
-H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_ACCESS_TOKEN"
# Get a specific board
curl "https://api.miro.com/v2/boards/{board_id}" \
-H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_ACCESS_TOKEN"
# Create a sticky note
curl -X POST "https://api.miro.com/v2/boards/{board_id}/sticky_notes" \
-H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_ACCESS_TOKEN" \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-d '{
"data": { "content": "New idea", "shape": "square" },
"style": { "fillColor": "yellow" },
"position": { "x": 100, "y": 200 }
}'
# Create a connector
curl -X POST "https://api.miro.com/v2/boards/{board_id}/connectors" \
-H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_ACCESS_TOKEN" \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-d '{
"startItem": { "id": "ITEM_ID_1" },
"endItem": { "id": "ITEM_ID_2" },
"style": { "strokeColor": "#000000" }
}'
# Timer:
- Set countdown for time-boxed activities
- Visible to all participants
- Audio alert when time is up
# Voting:
- Enable voting on frames or objects
- Set vote limit per participant
- View voting results
- Sort by vote count
# Attention Management:
- "Bring everyone to me" — centers all participants' view
- "Follow me" mode — participants follow your navigation
- Cursor chat — quick text bubbles at cursor position
Exporting
# Export options:
- Image: PNG, JPG (board or selection)
- PDF: Full board or specific frames
- CSV: Data from cards and sticky notes
- Backup: JSON format for archival
- Presentation: To Google Slides or PowerPoint
# Embed:
- iFrame embed code for websites
- Live embed updates in real-time
Troubleshooting
| Issue | Solution |
|---|
| Board loading slowly | Reduce number of objects; split large boards; use frames to organize |
| Lag during collaboration | Check internet speed; reduce number of simultaneous editors |
| Objects not aligning | Enable grid snapping in board settings |
| Cannot edit board | Verify your permission level (view/comment/edit) |
| Export quality low | Export at higher resolution; use PDF for vector output |
| Video embed not playing | Ensure the source URL is from a supported provider |
| Integrations not connecting | Re-authorize the integration; check API token permissions |
| Board not syncing | Refresh the page; check for connectivity issues |
| Template not available | Check if template requires a specific plan tier |
