How to Enable Text Selection and Copying for Multiple Participants?

Hi Johannes, in the free version of Miro, text objects can be edited but simultaneous text selection and copying by multiple participants isn’t supported. To allow this, you’ll need a Team or Business plan, which lets collaborators copy text from sticky notes or shapes while working together in real-time.

Hi Daniel,
thanks for your reply. I have to check with Miro whether the Starter Plan with just one team member already includes this feature.
Since I work as a solo freelancer, I only have more people involved during trainings – there are 20+ participants, but I’m still the only actual team member. For example, during my workshops many people interact with the board at the same time, but I’m the only one administering it.

​@Johannes Dalampiras A few questions:

1. Should the participants be only be able to select (and copy) the text and not edit it?

2. Do you have a preference for which object type the text should be in, e.g., Text, Shape, Sticky note, Doc? 

3. Will your participants be expected to edit the board in any way, e.g., add sticky notes?

Hi Robert,

thanks for taking care of my question. Answers in green.

1. Should the participants only be able to select (and copy) the text and not edit it?Yes, they should only be able to select and copy the text. (so in the best case, 10-15 people are selecting and copying the text same time)

2. Do you have a preference for which object type the text should be in (e.g., Text, Shape, Sticky Note, Doc)?
   Mainly text, docs, sticky notes

3. Will your participants be expected to edit the board in any way (e.g., add sticky notes)?
   Yes, but only in a very limited way — navigating the board, adding text or sticky notes, and clicking on the links I provide.

​@Johannes Dalampiras Thanks for answering those questions — this provides helpful context.

First, since you don't want users to be able to edit the objects that contain the text you want them to copy, you can simply lock them. Once locked, they can select them object and either

1. Ctrl/Cmd + C
2. or use the ellipsis menu and Copy

… both options will copy the text to their clipboard.

A few notes about this:

• If on a paid subscription, you need to set the Content copy permissions to Anyone with the board access.
• Multiple people can select locked objects and copy at the same time.
• One one person can select and edit most objects at a time (works the same on all plans, paid or otherwise) with the exception of the newer format-style objects, e.g., Docs.
• A locked Doc can be exported to PDF.
• A locked document, e.g., PDF can be downloaded.

Free vs. Paid

The only way a user can edit a board that resides in a Free Plan team is if they are a full team member of the team. And, they must have created a Miro account. For these two reasons, you likely do not want to use the Free Plan.

Starter Plan

The Starter Plan will let you use the Visitors feature (i.e., public/no Miro account required by your participants) method. You can read more above the Visitors feature here.

To experience this for yourself, I will DM you a sample board.

Open an incognito browser window and load this board that is in my Business Plan (the Visitors feature works the same as the Starter Plan) — you will be able to copy the content of the locked object, but can also create object on the board. Check your messages here: https://community.miro.com/inbox/overview