Add shapes, lines, arrows, and diagrams to a Freeform board on iPad
In the Freeform app , you can add shapes, lines, arrows, and diagrams to a board.
Add and format shapes, lines, and arrows
Open the Freeform app
on your iPad.
Open a board, or tap
to start a new one.
Tap
, and tap a shape, line, or arrow to add it to the board.
Tap to select the shape or line and show its formatting tools, then do any of the following:
Change the fill color: Tap
.
Change the line style: Tap
, then choose the stroke color and weight you want for a shape or line.
Tap
to turn lines into arrows or to add other styles of endings.
If you’ve selected a connection line, tap
to change its style to straight, corner, or curved.
Change the type of shape: Tap
, tap Change Shape, then choose another shape.
You can also add shapes and lines to your board by drawing them and then smoothing or straightening the strokes. See Draw or handwrite on a Freeform board on iPad.
Note: The color of a button may change to reflect its current state.
Create a diagram
You can easily create a connected diagram, such as a flowchart, by using connectors and the shape picker in Freeform.
Open the Freeform app
on your iPad.
Open a board, or tap
to start a new one.
Do one of the following:
In full-screen view: Tap the
in the lower-right corner.
In Split View: Tap
in the toolbar, then tap Show Connectors.
Begin your diagram by tapping
,
,
, or
and adding an item.
Drag a connector arrow to where you want the next part of your diagram. When you let go, a small menu of shapes opens. Tap to select the next shape you want to add.
(Tap
to browse other shapes.)
You don’t see connector arrows when you select a line or multiple items.
Tip: You can quickly add equally spaced, aligned shapes with connectors. Tap to select a shape, then touch and hold a connector arrow. As you hold, a preview of the shape and line appears. When you let go, the shape and line are added to the board.
Split or combine shapes
When you add multipart shapes in the Freeform app , you can divide them into their parts and then edit each part individually. For example, you can divide the map of the United States (in the Places category) and change the color of each state. You can also subtract shapes from other shapes, remove the overlapping area between two shapes, or create a new shape by combining one shape with another.
After you’ve added shapes to your Freeform board, do one of the following:
Split a multipart shape apart: Tap
, then tap Break Apart.
Combine shapes: Select multiple items, tap
, then below Combine Shapes tap an option to unite, intersect, subtract, or exclude.
Change size, width, or length
After you add a shape or line in the Freeform app , you can change its dimensions.
Tap to select a shape, then drag a dot.
Shapes: Drag a blue dot to change the size or proportions of the shape. Drag any green dot to change aspects particular to that shape, such as its number of sides.
Connection lines: Drag a blue dot to attach an endpoint to another item on the board. Drag the green dot to adjust the curve.