Getting started with Padlet

Padlet is an online tool that supports virtual brainstorming, collation and collaboration activities. This guide provides you with specific instructions on how to access and use Padlet at the University of Melbourne.

Padlet account set up and access

Padlet is an online tool that can be accessed via a web browser. There is also an app version available for use on mobile/table devices.

The University of Melbourne has a Padlet license (Backpack) for teaching staff. This paid license allows for unlimited Padlet wall creation and posts, compared to the free (Basic) version which only supports creating 3 Padlet walls. The only restriction to our license is a 250MB file upload limit per individual post, with unlimited posts.

Teaching staff who don’t have a University of Melbourne Padlet account yet, please use Microsoft Single Sign On (SSO) login to get started.

  1. Go to padlet.com/unimelb.
  2. Click Log in with Microsoft.

Screenshot of the Padlet login landing page showing an option to sign in to a University of Melbourne account via Microsoft authentication.

  1. Enter your University of Melbourne email address. This will take you to the University of Melbourne SSO page.
  2. Sign in with your University of Melbourne credentials.
  3. If requested, click Accept to enable permissions.

If you were previously setup manually with a University of Melbourne Padlet account (for example, Faculty of Arts), you can continue to use your issued credentials to sign in from the main login page, by entering your staff username and Padlet password.

Already have a free Padlet account?

If you already have a free/vanilla (basic) Padlet account with existing Padlets, you can import those to your new University of Melbourne account once set up. For instructions, please refer to how can I import my Padlets from an existing account.

Padlet app

Padlet has an app version that can be used on mobile devices. The functionality between web browser and app versions is the same, but the location of functions slightly differs.

How to log in to the Padlet App

  1. Open the app on your mobile device.
  2. Tab Log In, then tab Log in with Microsoft.
  3. Tab Sign-in options, then tab Sign in to an organization.
  4. Enter unimelb.edu.au as the Domain name.
  5. Enter your University of Melbourne email address, tab Next. This will take you to the University’s SSO page.
  6. Sign in with your University credentials.
  7. If prompted, tab Send Push and confirm Okta Verify.

If you were previously setup manually with a University of Melbourne Padlet account (for example, Faculty of Arts), you can continue to use your issued Padlet credentials. Please select Log in with email and password instead of Log in with Microsoft, then enter your staff username and Padlet password.

Communication and notification settings

It is recommended to set your preferred notification settings in Padlet for better communication.

  1. Click on the Account button on the top right corner, then select Settings.

Screenshot of the Padlet account user interface showing the user settings menu, with the “Settings” button highlighted to indicate where to click.

  1. Click on Notifications on the Settings page. Choose how to receive communication from Padlet regarding feature updates via the checkboxes.

Screenshot of the Padlet account General settings page with the “Notifications” option highlighted in the left-hand menu, and notification preference checkboxes emphasized to show options for enabling push or email notifications.

  1. Set notifications on individual Padlet walls by clicking into Padlets under the Notifications header.

Screenshot of Padlet notification settings, showing options to customise how and when notifications are received for activity Padlet wall.

Storing and deleting Padlets walls

On your Padlet dashboard you can create folders to store and organise your Padlet walls. We recommend using a naming convention if you are going to be using Padlet regularly, across multiple tutorial groups and in several subjects in the same semester (for example, Tutorial 1 PUBL90006_2025_SM1).

  1. Click the New Folder link on the Dashboard.
  2. Enter a name for the new folder and click Submit.

Screenshot of the Padlet dashboard with the “New Folder” icon highlighted, showing a pop-up prompt to enter a name for the new folder.

  1. Identify the Padlet wall(s) you wish to add to a folder.
  2. Click the three-dot menu next to the Padlet name.
  3. Click Add bookmark, then select a folder.

Screenshot of the Padlet dashboard in the “Made by Me” section, with the dropdown menu open after selecting the vertical ellipses on a Padlet, and the “Add Bookmark” button highlighted to show how to add the Padlet to a folder.

Create a Padlet wall

Padlets are template driven. You can choose the layout and format that suits the learning activity or purpose you aim for. You can change the layouts later, if you change your mind and want to use a different format. For inspirations go to Padlet layout options.

Screenshot of the Padlet dashboard in the “Made by Me” section, with the “Make a Padlet” icon highlighted to indicate where to create a new Padlet.

  1. Click Select on the chosen layout.

Screenshot of the “Make a Padlet” screen showing the different layout options available for creating a Padlet, including columns, table, wall, and other formats.

  1. On the newly created Padlet wall, click the cog icon on the top right to:
    • Modify the title and description to suit the activity
    • Add an icon (optional)
    • Change Background wallpaper to one of the included options (or add your own image), choose the font and colour scheme
    • Configure how posts appear
    • Turn on comments/ social media interactivity (optional).
    • Configure comment moderation settings
    • Customise the URL address (must be one word and lowercase)

Privacy and visitor permission settings

Each Padlet wall has its own URL, so it’s easy to link students to specific walls. Privacy settings are located under the Share icon button at the top of each Padlet wall.

Screenshot of the top menu on a Padlet wall showing icons for Search, Slideshow, Share, Settings (cog), Remake, and three-dot menu, with the “Share” button highlighted.

By default, Padlet walls are set to a restricted access under the University of Melbourne license. This means that your wall will not be found through a web-engine search or the public areas of Padlet. It ensures your Padlet is only visible to those who have the direct URL to your wall.

The Permissions settings are accessible via the Share button and allow you to configure reader/writer/commenter/moderator access to your wall.

Screenshot of Padlet share settings with the “Permissions” section highlighted, showing a dropdown menu listing the different permission levels: Reader, Commenter, Writer, Moderator, and Admin.

Do not enable the default privacy setting for Show in school dashboard as this means all staff with a Padlet account on the University of Melbourne license will be able to see and access your wall.

Screenshot of Padlet share settings with “Privacy Options” highlighted, showing that the “Show in School Dashboard” setting is turned off.

Embed a Padlet wall into the LMS

There are several options for how you can share Padlet walls as a resource with your students. This includes linking to walls in Canvas, embedding in Canvas and generating a QR code. To share a completed activity that is text heavy, you can export the content as a PDF and upload to Canvas.

  1. Click the Share button on the top right on the Padlet wall.
  2. Select Embed in your blog or your website.

Screenshot of Padlet share settings with the “Embed in your blog or website” option highlighted to show how to embed the Padlet externally.

  1. Click on the Copy board embed code button.

    Screenshot of Padlet’s “Embed This Board” option selected, with the “Copy Board Embed Code” button highlighted to indicate how to copy the embed code.

  2. In your Canvas subject, go to the Page where you want to embed the Padlet wall (or create a new page).
  3. Click the Edit button to edit the page, then click the </> icon on the bottom right of the editing window.
  4. Paste the code, then click Save.

Screenshot of the Padlet embed code pasted into a Canvas LMS New Page, with the “Save” button highlighted.

Your Padlet wall content will then appear embedded on the page. Students can then begin to post on the wall directly from the LMS using the +Post button.

Screenshot showing a Padlet board successfully embedded and displayed within a Canvas LMS page.

Tips

  • We recommend adding a direct link to the Padlet wall along with the embed, as some students may be using a browser or mobile device that does not support the embed option and can open the link instead.
  • If your Padlet wall is large and involves scrolling vertically and horizontally, consider adding a link only rather than embedding it. A lot of scrolling on an embedded Padlet within the LMS can be tricky.
  • If you plan to run an activity with a seperate Padlet for each group so they can't see each others' work, consider posting the link to a limited area in the LMS, for example, via a group announcement.
  • Padlet walls can also be embedded into LMS Discussion Boards (for example, for students to comment on each other’s individual Padlet wall posts or for example digital presentations).

Remaking an existing Padlet Guide

Once a Padlet wall has been set up for an activity or use for seminar or tutorial group, it is very easy to remake (clone) walls, edit and reuse.

  1. Open the existing Padlet wall that you want to clone.
  2. Click on Remake icon in the top right corner of Padlet.

Screenshot of a Padlet wall’s top menu bar with the “Remake” icon highlighted to indicate where to duplicate the Padlet.

  1. Select the relevant options to copy:
    • Copy design (layout, wallpaper, activity title and description) and
    • Copy posts (text and attachments) and/or
    • Copy people and privacy (privacy and read/write settings).

Screenshot of Padlet’s Remake settings showing fields for the new board’s title, options to copy settings, and admin-only options including “Copy Authorship,” “Copy Collaborators,” and privacy settings.

Power tip: Enable the Copy authorship option so that you copy the same format as the original, including privacy settings and the visitor read/write permissions. Otherwise remade wall permissions default to ‘read’ only and must be manually changed.

  1. Once remade, in the new wall click the cog icon to modify the title (and description if needed to adjust the context) and edit the URL address option (this determines the wall’s URL link). This is to reflect the activity and repurposed wall, to aid identification of walls. URL addresses must be one word and lowercase, but underscores can be used.
  2. Check that the Privacy and Permissions settings under Share are set to the correct write/read permissions. Students will be unable to post if this is not set to ‘write’.

Adding other teaching staff as Contributors to your Padlet walls

Instructors can add other teaching staff as members and select the desired access levels. They first must have a University of Melbourne Padlet account for you to add their access as their Padlet account name. Alternatively, others can “remake” the walls created by you.

  1. Click the Share button on the top right on the Padlet wall.
  2. Click Add Members.

Screenshot of Padlet share settings showing the field under the Permissions section where an email address or username can be entered to invite someone to collaborate on the board.

  1. Search by name, username or email, then select the correct user.
  2. Click the Writer dropdown to adjust the permission levels. Choose either ‘Moderator’ or ‘Admin’ so that added members (e.g. Tutors) have permission to move, edit and delete student posts as needed.

Screenshot of Padlet Remake settings showing the available permission levels for the new board, including Reader, Commenter, Writer, Moderator, and Admin.

Tips for effective use

  • Create separate Padlet walls for each seminar/tutorial Group.
  • Consider separate Padlet walls for each table/group within the seminar/tutorial Group.
  • Remake (clone) existing Padlet walls to save time.
  • Make use of folders on your dashboard to organise Padlets.
  • Develop consistent naming convention for folders (for example, SM1 2026) for Padlet wall titles and URLs to make the identification for Padlets easier (for example, WEEK7_Thurs11am_group1).

Note: As per example, use underscores not spaces for addresses

  • For use in the entire cohort, customise the address URL to incorporate the focus of the activity / question.

Support and resources

Padlet is supported by Teaching and Learning Innovation. Please submit a support request for assistance. For further instructions, inspirations and help please view the following guides.

University of Melbourne guides

Padlet resources

This guide was last updated 10 Apr 2026.

Submit an LMS support request for further assistance or to report any errors or omissions in this guide.