How to position items on a Freeform board on iPad

You can move, rotate, or resize items on your Freeform board. You can align, distribute, or group them, and move them to the background or foreground. You can also lock items when you want to prevent any further changes.

You can move an item in a straight line, resize it, and even match its size to another item on your board.

Here’s how to position items on a Freeform board on iPad.

Move, rotate, or resize an item

1. Go to the Freeform app on your iPad.
2. Open a board, select an item you want to position by tapping it, and then do any of the following:
   • Reposition it: Drag from the center of the item.
   • Move it in a straight line: To constrain an item’s movement horizontally, vertically, or diagonally, drag the item with one finger while you use another finger to touch and hold anywhere on the board.

     

   • Rotate it: Place two fingers on the item and turn your hand in the direction you want to rotate it.

     

   • Put it in the background or foreground: Tap the More button in the formatting tools and tap Back or Front.
   • Resize it: Drag a blue dot.

     In text boxes, drag a green dot to resize both the box and the text within it.

   • Match its size to another item: Start resizing and then use a second finger to touch and hold the item whose size you want to match. When the words Match Size appear, lift both your fingers at the same time.

     

Select, align, and group multiple items on a board

With items on a Freeform board, you can select multiple items and line them up relative to one another. Group several items, and you can move, rotate, or resize them together as a single unit.

1. Open the Freeform app on your iPad.
2. Open a board. Select multiple items by doing one of the following:
   • Touch and hold an item on your board, then, with another finger, tap other items.

     

   • Touch and hold the canvas, then drag the box that appears around the items you want to select.

     

   • Tap an empty space on the canvas, then tap Select Objects. Tap each item you want to select. To deselect an item, tap it again.
3. Move, rotate, or resize the selected items, or tap the Arrange button. Tap an alignment option or Group.

   Some items—such as 3D objects—can’t be grouped.

Arranging items gets easier when you turn on the background dot grid and automatically align items to it.

Select items and scroll with Apple Pencil

In Freeform, Apple Pencil works as a drawing and writing tool by default. If you’d also like to use Apple Pencil to select items and scroll, you can change this setting.

1. Open the Settings app on your iPad.
2. Tap Apps, then tap Freeform.
3. Below Apple Pencil, turn on Select and Scroll (green is on).

After you change this setting, tap the Drawing and Handwriting Tools button in the toolbar to draw. Tap the button again to use Pencil to select and scroll.

Lock an item on a board

After you add an item to a Freeform board, you can lock it so you don’t inadvertently move, modify, or delete it. For example, you might lock one or more text boxes to serve as headings. (This could help set off areas on a board where participants can share items.)

1. Open the Freeform app on your iPad.
2. Open a board. Tap a drawing, shape, text box, or other item on your board to select it.
3. Tap the More button in the formatting tools and tap Lock.

Quick tip: To define a workspace for your participants instead of a wide open canvas, try adding a large rectangle shape. Then select the shape and tap the More button in the formatting tools before you tap Back and lock it.

See also

• Change your Freeform settings on iPad
• Create a Freeform board on iPad
• Apply consistent styles and formatting in Freeform on iPad