Quick answer
Open a board with active collaborators, then press the forward slash key while your cursor is on the canvas to open cursor chat. Type your message and press Enter — it appears in a small bubble beside your cursor for everyone on the board, then fades automatically after a few seconds.
Steps at a glance
- Open a Miro board with other active collaborators
- Confirm cursors are visible for everyone on the board
- Press the forward slash key on the canvas
- Type your quick message in the bubble that appears
- Press Enter to send it near your cursor
- Watch it fade automatically after a few seconds
- Switch to comments for feedback you need to keep
Summary
Cursor chat lets you send short, temporary messages that appear next to your cursor while you're working alongside teammates on a Miro board. It's built for fast, in-the-moment reactions during live sessions, rather than for notes you need to keep on the board long-term.
Step-by-step guide
Step 1
Open a board with active collaborators
Cursor chat only works when other people are viewing or editing the same board at the same time. Open the board and check the avatar stack in the top-right corner to confirm at least one teammate is currently active.
Step 2
Make sure cursor visibility is turned on
Everyone needs to be able to see each other's colored cursors for cursor chat messages to show up. If you don't see teammates' cursors moving on the canvas, ask them to check their browser tab is on the same board and not minimized.
Step 3
Trigger cursor chat with the keyboard shortcut
Click anywhere on the open canvas so your cursor is active, then press the forward slash (/) key. A small text field opens right next to your cursor position, ready for input.
Step 4
Type your message
Enter a short message — cursor chat works best for quick reactions, directions, or one-line thoughts rather than long explanations. Keep it brief since the bubble has limited space and disappears quickly.
Step 5
Send it and let it fade
Press Enter to send the message. It appears as a floating bubble next to your cursor for everyone currently on the board, then automatically fades away after a few seconds without leaving a permanent mark on the canvas.
Step 6
Use comments for anything you need to keep
Since cursor chat messages disappear, switch to the comment tool for feedback, questions, or action items that need to stay visible and get resolved later.
Step 7
Combine it with live sessions for full collaboration
For structured workshops, pair cursor chat with inviting collaborators to your board so the right people can join and react in real time without needing extra setup.
Why this matters
You're mid-brainstorm with teammates on a shared board and want to say 'nice!' or 'move that over here' without breaking flow to open a comment thread. Cursor chat lets you communicate instantly, right where the action is happening, keeping the session fast and conversational.
Frequently asked questions
Is cursor chat available on Miro's free plan?
Yes, cursor chat works during live collaboration sessions on free-plan boards as long as multiple people are actively viewing or editing the board together.
Can I turn off my cursor chat messages so others don't see them?
Cursor chat messages are visible to anyone actively on the same board while you're typing them. If you don't want to share a message, simply don't send it — there's no separate privacy toggle for individual messages.
Does cursor chat save a record of what was said?
No, cursor chat messages are temporary and fade automatically after a few seconds. For anything you need to reference later, add a comment or note on a sticky note instead.
Can I use cursor chat during a presentation?
Cursor chat is designed for active editing sessions rather than presentation mode. If you're presenting, use talktrack or comments to communicate with your audience instead.
Related guides
Continue with more step-by-step guides for getting work done.
How to add a comment in MiroLearn how to add, reply to, and manage comments on a Miro board to give feedback and collaborate with your team in real time.
How to invite collaborators to a Miro boardLearn how to invite collaborators to a Miro board using email invites or share links, and set the right permission level for each teammate.
How to use Talktrack in MiroLearn how to record, edit, and share a Talktrack in Miro to walk teammates through your board with narrated video.
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