Freeform Board Sharing Permissions in iOS 18
Apple’s Freeform app in iOS 18 enables real-time collaboration on digital whiteboards with granular sharing controls managed through iCloud. When sharing an interactive board, the board owner can configure two primary categories of permissions: access levels, which define who can open the board, and operational permission tiers, which govern whether collaborators can edit or merely view the canvas.
Operational Permission Tiers
When inviting participants to a Freeform board, the owner can assign one of two functional permission tiers:
- Can make changes (Editor): Users assigned this tier have full editing rights on the shared canvas. They can add, move, modify, and delete all elements, including sticky notes, shapes, freehand drawings, text boxes, media, and documents. Changes sync across all participants in real time.
- View only (Viewer): Users with this tier can open and navigate the board, zoom in and out, and see live updates made by others, but they cannot alter, add, or delete any content. This mode is ideal for presentations, reviews, or read-only reference materials.
Access Control Settings
Along with functional editing permissions, iOS 18 provides access scopes that dictate who can join the board:
- Only people you invite: Restricts access strictly to individuals explicitly added via their Apple Account email address or phone number. Uninvited users cannot access the board, even if they obtain the link.
- Anyone with the link: Allows anyone possessing the shared link to access the board using their Apple Account, applying whichever default permission (Editor or View only) the owner has configured.
Administrative and Invitation Permissions
Board owners have secondary management controls to delegate or restrict further sharing:
- Allow others to invite: When enabled, collaborators with "Can make changes" permissions can invite additional users to the board. When disabled, only the original board owner has the authority to add new participants.
- Individual Permission Overrides: Owners can adjust permissions on a per-person basis. A board can have general "View only" access for the public link, while specific invited team members are granted individual "Can make changes" rights.
- Access Revocation: At any time, the board owner can remove specific participants, change an individual's status from editor to viewer, or stop sharing the board altogether, which immediately disconnects all collaborators.