Lucidspark is the leading intuitive visual whiteboard tool. With a library of integrations for teams and classrooms, and over 70 million users, Lucidspark is the best option to empower you and your organization to see and build the future. Read this article to learn how to work with Lucidspark after migrating from Jamboard.
Sign up for a free Lucid account and read this article to learn how to work with Lucidspark as you migrate from Jamboard.
Import a Jam PDF into Lucid
On December 31, 2024, the Jamboard app was shut down. At that time, existing Jams were automatically exported to users’ Google Drive accounts as PDFs. While it is no longer possible to import an editable version of your Jams, you can import the PDF versions into Lucid to view them as images.
Import a PDF with one page
- Open a Lucid document.
- Open
the More menu from the top-left of the canvas.
- In Lucidchart, after opening the More menu, hover your cursor over “Insert”.
- Select Image.
- Choose a file from your device to insert.
Import a PDF with multiple pages
- Open a Lucid document.
- Open
- In Lucidchart, after opening the More menu, hover your cursor over “Insert”.
- Select PDF.
- Choose a file from your device to insert.
- Click the embedded link tile that appears on the canvas.
- Select
the Extract Thumbnails icon.
- In Lucidchart, this is located in the context panel to the far-right side.
- In Lucidspark, this is located in the context menu that appears when you select an item.
Tip: You can use a PDF image as a reference point to recreate a diagram or board in Lucid. For more information, check out this post from the Lucid Community.
Tools in Lucidspark compared to Jamboard
In Lucidspark, you’ll find the majority of the Jamboard tools you’re familiar with—but with more robust functionality and even more tools. Refer to the tables below for a one-to-one comparison of features and tools in Lucidspark and click the links to learn more.
To learn how to use similar tools you used in Jamboard, see the Replicate Jamboard in Lucidspark section of this article.
Tip: If you’re an educator and you want to learn more about everything Lucid has to offer, visit our Lucid for the classroom page for more. To ask questions and get support from Lucid experts and others coming from Jamboard to Lucidspark, check out this post in the Lucid Community.
On the canvas
| Lucid | Jamboard | |
| Add shapes | Add a wider range of shapes and draw lines between them on the canvas | 8 total shapes |
| Add lines | Use drag and drop lines to connect any idea or shape | 1 arrow shape |
| Sticky notes | Use sticky notes with many more color options to collect and organize ideas | 5 color options |
| Add media | Add playable videos, images, GIFs, emoji, and icons by uploading or searching the web | Upload, paste, or search images in Google |
| Draw on the canvas | Use the Pen tool with custom color capability, highlighter, eraser, and magic shapes | 6 colors and 4 pen point options |
| Create Frames and Paths | Add Frames around content to draw attention and create Paths to guide students through information | Not available in Jamboard |
| Lock shapes | Prevent unwanted edits and changes by locking shapes on the canvas | Not available in Jamboard |
| Use templates | Create engaging boards in less time with hundreds of education-specific templates for all subjects | Not available in Jamboard |
| Embed links | Embed links in boards to allow easy access to linked information | Not available in Jamboard |
| Access revision history | View the revision history of a Lucid document and restore to earlier versions | Not available in Jamboard |
| Take notes | Take notes, record action items, and define goals and next steps | Not available in Jamboard |
| Add a Dynamic Table | Organize ideas in a matrix to more clearly see and plan next steps | Not available in Jamboard |
| Add a Dynamic Table | Organize ideas in a table to more clearly see and plan next steps | Not available in Jamboard |
| Use Timelines | Use Timelines to keep everyone on track | Not available in Jamboard |
| Add Lucid Cards | Plan, organize, and assign tasks | Not available in Jamboard |
| Record instructional videos | Record videos in Lucid documents for instruction and demonstration | Not available in Jamboard |
| Use AI capabilities | Generate, sort, and summarize ideas using AI | Not available in Jamboard |
Collaboration
| Lucid | Jamboard | |
| Use facilitator tools | Present information and encourage engagement using tools like a Laser Pointer, “Take the Lead”, “Follow”, and more | Laser pointer only |
| Use Breakout Boards | Use Breakout Boards to break students into groups for projects and collaboration | Not available in Jamboard |
| Build Visual Activities | Use Visual Activities to engage the class and have fun | Not available in Jamboard |
| Set Collaborator Colors | Set colors for collaborators and add a color legend | Not available in Jamboard |
| Add Comments | Add and assign comments on shapes | Not available in Jamboard |
Integrations
| Lucid | Jamboard | |
| Canvas | Assign and complete assignments with Canvas | Not available in Jamboard |
| Confluence Cloud | Import Lucidspark boards into Confluence Cloud and view and edit Confluence pages in Lucid documents | Not available in Jamboard |
| Developer platform | Create custom apps via Lucid’s REST and extension APIs | Not available in Jamboard |
| Gmail | Attach Lucidchart documents to emails | Not available in Jamboard |
| Google Calendar | Attach Lucid documents to meeting invites | Not available in Jamboard |
| Google Classroom | Assign, submit, and grade assignments with Google Classroom | Not available in Jamboard |
| Google Drive | Open, store, and share Lucid documents with Google Drive | Not available in Jamboard |
| Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides | Attach Lucid documents to your Google documents, spreadsheets, and presentations | Not available in Jamboard |
| Google Meet | Open a Lucidspark board in Google Meet to remotely collaborate with others | Not available in Jamboard |
| Google Workspace | Use your Google Workspace domain to easily manage your team | Not available in Jamboard |
| Lucid Cards and Google Sheets | Visualize data from Google Sheets in Lucidspark | Not available in Jamboard |
| Microsoft Teams | Edit documents, send messages, and use Lucidspark on the Teams app | Not available in Jamboard |
| SAML | Configure secure single sign-on | Not available in Jamboard |
| Schoology | Assign, submit, and grade assignments with Schoology | Not available in Jamboard |
| SCIM | Auto-provision licenses | Not available in Jamboard |
| Webex | Use Lucidspark with Webex to increase meeting engagement and enhance collaboration | Not available in Jamboard |
| Zoom | Use Lucidspark in Zoom calls to increase meeting engagement and enhance collaboration | Not available in Jamboard |
Note: To see and install all available integrations in Lucid, check out our Integrations Marketplace.
Replicate Jamboard in Lucidspark
Lucidspark has all of the same features as Jamboard, and much more. Now that you’ve reviewed the tables above and know more about all the additional functionality you can utilize in Lucidspark, let’s go through how to replicate the experience of Jamboards in Lucidspark using similar tools.
Workspace tools
Use the Pen tool to draw on the canvas
In Jamboard, this functionality was also called the “Pen.” To access the Pen in Lucidspark, select the Pen icon from the Primary Toolbar to the left of the canvas.
With Lucidspark’s Pen tool, you have access to a wider range of colors and pen thickness options, as well as the ability to use it as a highlighter, pixel eraser, and object eraser. You can also use the Pen to draw Magic Shapes which automatically converts freehand drawings to standard shapes on the canvas.
Draw attention to objects on the canvas with the Laser Pointer
In Jamboard, the Laser tool was located to the left side of the Jam. In Lucidspark, click the Select icon from the Primary Toolbar to the left of the canvas and select Laser Pointer.
Navigate your Lucidspark boards
In Jamboard, you had the option to work within an area that correlated to about the size of a sheet of printer paper. You can work within a similarly sized area in a Lucidspark board if you choose, but you also have the option to enable infinite canvas which removes the limits of the space you have to work within—your workspace becomes infinite.
Whether you enable infinite canvas or choose to work in a more defined space, it’s easy to move around a Lucidspark board and its content. To do so, click the Select icon from the Primary Toolbar to the left side of the canvas and choose between three options: Select, Pan, and Freehand Select.
To set your overall board navigation preferences based on whether you are using a trackpad or a mouse:
- Select
- Click Board settings.
- Hover your cursor over Navigation mode.
- Select Trackpad, Mouse, or Auto.
Learn more: For more information about setting board preferences, including steps to enable infinite canvas, check out our Adjust document and board settings article.
Add sticky notes
Sticky notes in Lucidspark are a simple but comprehensive tool to collect and organize ideas and information. In Jamboard, you could access sticky note shapes from the left side of a Jam and had the choice of five colors. In Lucidspark, use sticky notes from the Primary Toolbar to the left side of the canvas and select from a wide range of color options.
Add and work with shapes
In Jamboard, you could add eight standard shapes. Lucidspark doubles those shapes, adding a cloud, star, hexagon, octagon, speech bubble, and more.
To see the options and learn how to work with shapes, read our Add and customize shapes in Lucidspark article.
Add and edit text
Adding text to a Lucidspark board is very similar to how you added text in Jamboard. From the Primary Toolbar to the left of a Lucidspark board, select the text icon. Double-click anywhere on the canvas and begin typing to add text.
To learn more about how to Add and style text in Lucidspark, read our article.
Add videos, images, GIFs, emoji, and icons
In Jamboard, you could add images by uploading them from your computer, pasting a URL of the image, taking a real-time photo with your computer’s camera, searching Google Images, and adding a photo from your Google Drive or Google account.
Read on to learn how you can add photos to Lucidspark boards.
Upload a photo
You can insert PDF, PNG, JPEG and GIF image files into Lucidspark by selecting the More menu icon at the top of the canvas. Click Insert then select the file type you want to insert.
Paste a URL
Copy an image or video URL from the web and paste it directly onto the canvas. Once added, you can interact with the image or video the same way you can with a standard shape. Many URLs will also show a preview of the content on the linked website.
Add GIFs, images, emoji, and icons from the web
In Lucidspark, you can add GIFs, images, emoji, and icons from the web. Click the images icon from the Primary Toolbar to the left, select which type of media you want to add, and type a keyword to search. Then, click and drag it onto the canvas.
Learn more: You can find more detailed steps on how to add media to your Lucidspark boards using all the methods described above in our Add and customize shapes in Lucidspark article.
FAQ
In Jamboard, I could set the background to dots, lines, graphs, and colors. Can I do this in Lucidspark?
Yes, with a few key differences. To learn more about how to Adjust document and board settings, check out our article.
What’s the difference between frames in Jamboard and Lucidspark?
In Jamboard, frames were linked pages you could cycle through at the top of a Jam—almost like pages in a book. In Lucidspark, instead of separate frames (or pages) for content, you have an infinite canvas to build on.
In Lucidspark, a Frame is a unique tool you can use to organize content on a Lucidspark board. Alongside framing content, you can create Paths to guide collaborators through content.
Access this functionality by selecting the Organizers icon from the Primary Toolbar to the left of a board.
How can I replicate the experience of Jamboard’s separate frames in Lucidspark?
If you’re looking to replicate the experience of Jamboard frames where you have separate pages for content, we recommend using Breakout Boards. Lucidspark’s Breakout Boards allow you to break a larger groups and collaborators from the main board into smaller groups and separate boards, while keeping everyone connected to the main board.
To learn more about how to Collaborate with Breakout Boards in Lucidspark, check out our article.
Resources
To continue learning, explore the additional resources below. These resources are available in English only.
Lucid Community
Lucid for Education Community space
Lucid for Developers Community space
Videos
Lucid Training Labs video library
Lucid for Education
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