Microsoft Whiteboard layout changed unexpectedly: toolbar and ink palette moved from bottom to top

klissman morales olabarrera 5 Reputation points
2026-09-15T06:48:16.7033333+00:00

Hello,

I am a daily Microsoft Whiteboard user and I noticed an unexpected change in the interface today.

Until a few hours ago, both the main toolbar and the ink/pen palette were displayed at the bottom of the canvas. Without making any changes to my settings, the layout switched and now the toolbar appears on the left side and the ink palette appears at the top of the screen.

This is happening in both:

  • Microsoft Whiteboard desktop app
  • Microsoft Whiteboard web version

Because the change is present across different devices and browsers, it does not appear to be a local application issue.

I would like to know:

  1. Is there a setting that allows users to switch between layouts?
  2. Has my account been moved to a different Whiteboard experience?
  3. Is there any way to restore the previous layout with the toolbar and ink palette at the bottom?

I use Whiteboard every day, and the previous layout was significantly more comfortable for my workflow.

Thank you for any assistance.

Microsoft 365 and Office | Other
Answer recommended by moderator
klissman morales olabarrera 5 Reputation points
2026-09-18T20:50:18.7633333+00:00

Just providing an update: the issue resolved itself. However, I want to point out that it is quite frustrating that this sudden interface change happened out of nowhere. Anyway, it is now exactly how I always wanted it; the app practically reverted to the previous interface on its own after about a day.

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  1. Michelle Nguyen 1,510 Reputation points Independent Advisor
    2026-09-15T11:02:06.0666667+00:00

    Hi @klissman morales olabarrera

    Thank you for the detailed description. The fact that this phenomenon appears identically on both the desktop app and the web version simultaneously is a crucial clue.

    After testing in my own environment, I encountered the same behavior you described. Therefore, what you are seeing, specifically the sudden interface change appearing on both desktop and web at the same time, strongly suggests that your account has been moved to a new phase of this rollout, rather than being caused by a bug or an accidental change to a setting.

    Here are specific answers to your three questions:

    1. Is there a setting to switch between interfaces?

    To my knowledge, there is no such self-service option. Microsoft typically manages these changes through a phased rollout process rather than providing an on/off switch within the app. You can still check the Whiteboard Settings section just to be sure, but I wouldn't expect to find such an option there.

    1. Could my account have been switched to a different experience?

    If you are using a work or school account, you should contact your organization's IT administrator or Microsoft 365 admin to check if there have been any recent changes regarding licenses, deployment policies, or Whiteboard service updates within the tenant. Sometimes, new features or interfaces are rolled out in waves and may appear differently across user groups.

    1. Is it possible to revert to the old interface?

    Not through a setting that users can change themselves. However, all hope is not lost; you can submit feedback directly via the Feedback function within Whiteboard.

    Thank you for your patience.

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