How long does Web Whiteboard keep my board, and how can I save it?

Updated

Web Whiteboard keeps an unregistered user's board for 24 hours. If you don't save or export it within that window, the board is permanently deleted. To keep a board beyond 24 hours, sign up for the free Miro Plan, log in, and save your work. If you're already a registered Miro user, click "Save to my boards" at the center top of the screen.

What happens to your board over time

Situation What happens
You use Web Whiteboard without signing up The board is available for 24 hours
24 hours pass with no save or export The board is permanently deleted
You sign up for the free Miro Plan and log in You can save the board and keep using it
You're a registered Miro user Click "Save to my boards" to store it

The 24-hour limit applies to the board itself, not to how long you can stay in a session. You can sketch, brainstorm, and collaborate in real time during that period — the clock is on the board's retention, not your activity.

How to save your board

If you're not registered yet

  1. Sign up for the free Miro Plan.
  2. Log in.
  3. Save your work so it stays available after the 24-hour window.

If you're already a Miro user

  1. Open your board.
  2. Click "Save to my boards" at the center top of the screen.

That's the direct save path for registered users — no export needed if you just want the board to persist.

How to export a copy instead

Exporting gives you a file you keep outside the platform, which also protects you from the 24-hour deletion.

  1. Click the "Export this board" icon next to the Web Whiteboard name in the upper left corner of the screen.
  2. Choose the file type you want.

For Web Whiteboard users, the export options are JPG or PDF. Registered Miro users get more choices from the same icon: image, PDF, spreadsheet, embed, and Google Drive.

Anyone you've shared the board with can also export it — they'll see the same "Export this board" icon and can save it as JPG or PDF.

Sharing and edit rights, briefly

Sharing is what makes the board collaborative, and it also affects who can save or export:

  • Click "share board" in the top right corner and send the link.
  • Anyone with the link can access the board for free without signing up.
  • People with the link get the same editing rights as the board creator — they can draw on and edit the contents.
  • They can also export the board themselves.

If you want to manage edit rights or get more functionality, that requires signing up for the free Miro Plan.

Common pitfalls

  • Assuming the board is safe because you're still using it. The 24-hour limit is about retention, not session length. Export or save before you close the tab.
  • Relying on a share link as a backup. A shared link doesn't extend the 24-hour window for an unregistered board.
  • Forgetting that collaborators can export too. Once shared, others can export the board as JPG or PDF — useful for backup, but worth knowing before you share.
  • Waiting until hour 23. If you don't save or export, the board is permanently deleted — there's no stated recovery path.