2022 年底，苹果(Apple)推出了Freeform ，这是一款专为所有需要(Freeform)白板进行头脑风暴的(whiteboard to brainstorm)创意人士推出的新应用。但这款适用于 iPhone、iPad 和Mac的强大应用程序的功能远不止于此。它将帮助您可视化和组织所有数据和内容，并且您将能够与同事共享。Freeform专为协作而设计(designed for collaboration)，这意味着您可以邀请其他人一起在您的白板上工作。
Freeform应用程序与最新的 iOS和(Freeform)macOS 版本集成。您可以在空白画布上绘图、素描、书写或添加文件，而无需担心页面大小。所有在Freeform(Freeform)中完成的创意工作都将保存在 iCloud 中(saved in iCloud)。这意味着您可以在多个设备上使用此应用程序，并让它们全部同步，这样您的工作就不会受到影响。
Apple 的自由形式应用程序(Freeform App)作为画布(Canvas)和协作空间(Collaboration Space)
如果您的设备在 iOS 16.2 和 macOS Ventura 13.1或更高版本上运行，则您已经预装了Freeform。如果找不到，可以从 App Store
下载。(download)
当您创建面板时，您将拥有无限的画布可供您使用。添加内容时，画布会向各个方向扩展，因此您可以使用绘图工具做笔记或涂鸦您的所有创意并将其保存在一个空间中。您还可以添加不同的媒体，例如图像、音频和视频文件或网络链接。它的灵活性是无限的。
在它的工具中，您会发现各种各样的画笔、颜色、便签、形状和图表，以勾画您的想法。内置的对齐指南也将帮助您组织绘图和笔记。您不仅可以从应用程序内拖放项目，还可以从设备上的其他应用程序（例如文件、图库(Gallery)或Finder）拖放项目。此外，多个视频和音频文件可以同时播放，并创建板的动态视图。
请注意，虽然Freeform支持Apple Pencil，但您可以使用手指在 iPhone 和 iPad 上的空白画布上绘图。
Apple 的Freeform App作为协作工具
Freeform应用程序非常适合所有喜欢随时随地工作的人。它可以轻松地跨设备访问，而且更易于使用。但这并不意味着如果您在共享办公室工作，您不会发现它有用。
您只需将邀请拖入消息(Messages)线程或单击“共享”(Share)按钮，即可在一个板上添加最多 100 个协作者。该线程的所有成员都会自动收到加入董事会的邀请。您还可以通过电子邮件或直接链接发送邀请，并修改协作者的权限。分配(Assign)谁可以编辑，谁可以邀请更多协作者，或者干脆为每个人禁用链接邀请。如果您不想邀请其他人加入您的图板，但仍想与他们共享，您可以截取屏幕截图，或将画布导出为PDF。
按照消息(Messages)线程顶部的活动更新，查看您的同事何时在看板上进行更改。此应用程序的 iCloud 集成和快速同步功能可让您在其他人做出贡献和编辑后立即看到它们。如果您需要更直接的方式与协作者沟通，尤其是实时沟通，您可以使用 iMessage 或集成的FaceTime。只需点击屏幕右上角的协作按钮即可
开始FaceTime通话。(FaceTime)
如何创建自由格式的板
一旦您首次启动 Apple 的Freeform应用程序，您的第一块板就可以使用了。它将自动创建，您会注意到它默认有一个网格。这是为了让您更轻松地创建内容。但是如果您想创建另一个板怎么办？这很简单。
只需转到“文件”(File)菜单并选择“新建板”(New Board)。您还可以通过按Mac或Macbook上的Command + N keyboard快捷键来完成此操作。最后，工具栏上有一个“新建板”图标。(New Board)单击它可以从现有画布快速打开一个新画布。
将内容添加到看板
Freeform应用程序有无数的可能性。您可以使用它来改善您的业务，或规划简单的日常任务。如果您是一个富有创造力的人并且已经有使用类似软件的经验，您会发现Freeform的工具集已经熟悉且易于使用。
让我们看看如何使用 Freeform 的工具和功能来集思广益或勾勒出您的创意。
添加注释
点击注释(Note)图标。您会在屏幕的左下角找到它。彩色纸条会立即出现在黑板上。双击它即可输入文本。键盘上方的工具栏可让您管理字体大小、样式和文本对齐方式。
通过点击笔记并按住其任意角上的蓝点来调整笔记大小。然后将其拖出以增大或减小其大小。您只需按住并拖动笔记即可在画布上移动笔记。如果您需要更多高级编辑选项，请点击注释将其调出，然后选择树状点状图标（更多）。在那里，您将找到诸如“管理层(Manage)”、“剪切”(Cut)或“复制(Copy)”、“锁定(Lock)”、“说明”(Description)等选项。
添加形状
形状图标位于注释图标旁边。点击它即可调出形状库。由于该画廊很大，您可以使用搜索图标在给定时间找到您需要的画廊。找到正确的形状后，选择它并将其放在板上。您可以通过拉动蓝点来调整其大小。
您可以通过多种方式编辑形状的外观。点击形状图标并使用菜单。您可以更改其颜色或其边框的颜色和粗细。添加(Add)或调整文本大小、颜色和对齐方式，以及复制或删除它。
添加文本框
点击工具菜单中央的 A 图标。这将打开一个文本框，您可以将其放置在Canvas上的任何位置。您可以通过拉动蓝点来调整文本框的大小。
双击(Double-tap)输入文本。如果您想要更多选项，例如更改文本大小、颜色或字体、复制或删除它，只需点击文本框即可。
绘画
要调出画笔菜单，请点击“标记”(Markup)图标（工具栏中的倒数第二个）。选择画笔或铅笔并开始绘图。要编辑画笔或笔，请长按该工具以调出菜单。您可以在此处更改其大小、厚度和不透明度。
要编辑绘图，只需点击它，选择另一支铅笔、画笔或橡皮擦，然后执行编辑。完成后，点击“完成”(Done)。
插入照片、视频、文档和链接
工具栏上的最后一个图标将允许您执行不同的任务。
“插入”(Insert)选项会将您重定向到“文件”(Files)应用程序。从这里您可以插入PDF文件、照片、视频等。
通过“链接”(Link)选项，您可以将任何网络链接键入或粘贴到指定位置。您可以稍后编辑该链接。请注意，该链接将始终在您设备的默认浏览器中打开。
扫描功能使用 iPhone 和 iPad 的内置扫描仪来扫描不同的文档并将其插入Freeform应用程序中。
“相机”(Camera)选项可让您使用设备的相机捕获和插入实时照片和视频。您还可以访问随附的工具栏，编辑、裁剪、复制或删除媒体文件。
对于想要跟踪社交日历、集思广益和发挥创造力的人们来说，Apple Freeform 应用程序是一款很棒的工具。(Apple Freeform App)无论您是在寻找与团队分享想法的方法，还是只是尝试一些不会占用太多存储空间的不同东西，Apple Freeform App(Apple Freeform App)都是组织您的想法的可靠工具。
What Is the Apple Freeform App (And How to Use It)?
Αt the end of 2022, Apple launched Freeform, a new app for all creative people who need a whiteboard to brainstorm. But this powerful app for iPhone, iPad, and Mac is so much more. It’ll help you visualize and organize all your data and content, and you’ll be able to share it with your colleagues. Freeform is designed for collaboration, and that means you can invite others to work on your whiteboard together.
The Freeform app comes integrated with the latest iOS and macOS versions. You can draw, sketch, write, or add files to its blank canvas without ever worrying about the page size. All creative work done in Freeform will be saved in iCloud. That means you can use this app on multiple devices, and have them all sync so your work will never suffer.
Apple’s Freeform App as a Canvas and Collaboration Space
If you have a device that runs on iOS 16.2 and macOS Ventura 13.1 or newer, you already have Freeform preinstalled. If you can’t find it, you can download it from the App Store.
When you create a board, you’ll have an endless canvas at your disposal. As you add content, the canvas expands in all directions so you can use the drawing tools to take notes or to doodle all your creative ideas and save them in one space. You can also add different media such as images, audio and video files, or web links. Its flexibility is unlimited.
Among its tools, you’ll find a wide variety of brushes, colors, sticky notes, shapes, and diagrams, to sketch your ideas. The built-in alignment guides will help you organize your drawings and notes as well. You can drag and drop items not only from within the app but also from other apps on your device such as Files, Gallery, or Finder. Also, multiple video and audio files can play at the same time, and create a dynamic view of your board.
Take note that although Freeform supports Apple Pencil, you can use your fingers to draw on a blank canvas on the iPhone and iPad.
Apple’s Freeform App as a Collaborative Tool
The Freeform app is great for all those who like to work on the go. It’s easily accessible across devices, and even more easy to use. But that doesn’t mean you won’t find it useful if you’re working from a shared office.
You can add up to 100 collaborators on one board by simply dragging the invites into a Messages thread, or clicking a Share button. All members of that thread will automatically receive an invitation to join the board. You can also send invitations through email or with a direct link, and modify permissions for collaborators. Assign who can edit, who can invite more collaborators, or simply disable link invites for everyone. If you don’t want to invite others to your board but you still want to share it with them, you can take a screenshot, or export the canvas as PDF.
Follow the activity updates at the top of the Messages thread to see when your colleagues make changes on the board. iCloud integration and fast-sync capabilities of this app will let you see other people’s contributions and edits as soon as they are made. If you need a more direct way of communicating with your collaborators, especially in real-time, you can use iMessage or integrated FaceTime. Start a FaceTime call by simply tapping the collaboration button at the top-right side of the screen.
How to Create a Board in Freeform
Your first board will be ready to use as soon as you first start Apple’s Freeform app. It’ll be created automatically and you’ll notice it has a grid by default. That’s to make it easier for you to create content. But what if you want to create another board? It’s pretty simple.
Just go to the File menu and select New Board. You can also do it by pressing the Command + N keyboard shortcut on your Mac or Macbook. Finally, there’s a New Board icon on the toolbar. Click it to quickly open a new canvas from the existing one.
Adding Content to Boards
There are a myriad of possibilities with the Freeform app. You can use it for improving your business, or for planning simple day-to-day tasks. If you’re a creative person and already have experience with similar software, you’ll find Freeform’s toolset already familiar and easy to use.
Let’s see how you can use Freeform’s tools and features to brainstorm or sketch your creative ideas.
Adding Notes
Tap the Note icon. You’ll find it at the bottom-left corner of the screen. A colorful note will instantly pop on the board. Double-tap it to enter text. The toolbar above the keyboard will let you manage font size, style, and text alignment.
Resize the note by tapping the note and holding the blue dot on any of its corners. You’ll then drag it out to increase or decrease its size. You can move the note around the canvas by just pressing, holding, and dragging it. If you need more advanced editing options, tap the note to bring them up, and then select the tree-dotted icon (More). There, you’ll find options such as Manage layers, Cut or Copy, Lock, Description, and more.
Adding Shapes
The shape icon is right next to the notes icon. Tap it to bring out the Shape gallery. Because this gallery is large, you can use the search icon to find the one you need at the given time. Once you find the right shape, select it and drop it on the board. You can resize it by pulling on the blue dots.
There are many ways in which you can edit the appearance of a shape. Tap the shape icon and play with the menu. You can change its color, or the color and thickness of its borders. Add or adjust text size, color, and alignment, and duplicate or delete it.
Adding a Text Box
Tap the A icon in the center of the tool menu. This’ll open a text box that you can place anywhere on Canvas. You can resize the text box by pulling on the blue dots.
Double-tap to enter the text. If you want more options such as changing text size, color, or font, to duplicate it or delete it, simply tap the text box.
Drawing
To bring up the brushes menu, tap on the Markup icon (the second last in the toolbar). Select the brush or a pencil and start drawing. To edit your brush or pen, long-press the tool to bring up the menu. Here you can change its size, thickness, and opacity.
To edit a drawing, simply tap it, select another pencil, brush, or eraser, and perform your edit. Once you’re finished, tap Done.
Inserting photos, videos, documents, and links
The very last icon on the toolbar will let you perform different tasks.
The Insert option will redirect you to the Files app. From here you can insert PDF files, photos, videos, and more.
The Link option will let you type or paste any web link into a designated spot. You can later edit the link. Note that the link will always be opened in your device’s default browser.
The Scan feature uses the built-in scanner of iPhone and iPad to scan and insert different documents into the Freeform app.
The Camera option will let you use your device’s camera to capture and insert real-time photos and videos. You’ll also get access to the accompanying toolbar that’ll let you edit, crop, duplicate or delete the media files.
The Apple Freeform App is an awesome tool for people looking to keep track of their social calendars, brainstorm, and get creative. Whether you’re looking for a way to share your ideas with your team or just trying out something different that won’t take up too much storage space, the Apple Freeform App is a reliable tool for organizing your ideas.
