# Adding whiteboard video unit fails with \`SDKERR\_WRONG\_USAGE\`

**URL:** <https://devforum.zoom.us/t/adding-whiteboard-video-unit-fails-with-sdkerr-wrong-usage/144623>\
**Category:** Android\
**Created:** [July 7, 2026, 6:48am UTC](https://devforum.zoom.us/t/adding-whiteboard-video-unit-fails-with-sdkerr-wrong-usage/144623 "2026-07-07T06:48:56Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Aleksander](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/aeb1de/32.png) [@Aleksander](https://devforum.zoom.us/u/Aleksander)\
**Post date:** [July 7, 2026, 6:48am UTC](https://devforum.zoom.us/t/adding-whiteboard-video-unit-fails-with-sdkerr-wrong-usage/144623/1 "2026-07-07T06:48:57Z")

</div>

## Description

Using **Custom UI** on the Android Meeting SDK, I’m trying to render the whiteboard  
stream in my own `MobileRTCVideoView` when a participant starts a whiteboard.

I listen for the whiteboard start via  
`InMeetingWhiteboardCtrlEvent.onWhiteboardStatusChanged()`. When the status becomes  
`SDKWhiteboardStatus_Started`, I add a whiteboard video unit to my video view manager:

```kotlin
val error = manager.addWhiteboardVideoUnit()

```

`addWhiteboardVideoUnit()` always returns **`SDKERR_WRONG_USAGE`** and nothing is  
rendered.

I have already:

- Enabled Custom UI: `meetingSettingsHelper.isCustomizedMeetingUIEnabled = true`
- Enabled the whiteboard video view: `meetingSettingsHelper.enableWhiteboardVideoView(true)`

but the error is still returned. I can render normal participant video and shared  
content into the same `MobileRTCVideoView` without any problem — only the whiteboard  
unit fails.

**Question:** What is the correct sequence / preconditions to successfully call  
`addWhiteboardVideoUnit()` in Custom UI? Is there an additional capability, event, or  
timing requirement I’m missing that causes `SDKERR_WRONG_USAGE`?

## Which Android Meeting SDK version?

Zoom Android Meeting SDK **7.0.5**.

## To Reproduce

Steps to reproduce the behavior:

1. Initialize the SDK with Custom UI enabled and whiteboard video view enabled:

2. Join a meeting and register a whiteboard listener:

3. From another participant, start a whiteboard. `onWhiteboardStatusChanged` fires with  
`SDKWhiteboardStatus_Started`.

4. On the custom `MobileRTCVideoView`, add the whiteboard unit:

5. See that `addWhiteboardVideoUnit()` returns `SDKERR_WRONG_USAGE` and nothing renders.

> Note: I tried adding the unit both immediately on `SDKWhiteboardStatus_Started` and  
> after a delay (~10s) in case the whiteboard content stream is not ready yet — same  
> result in both cases.

## Screenshots

N/A (only a black video area is rendered; the relevant output is the returned error code).

## Troubleshooting Routes

- Confirmed Custom UI is enabled (`isCustomizedMeetingUIEnabled = true`) — normal  
active/participant video and screen-share units render correctly in the same  
`MobileRTCVideoView`.
- Enabled `meetingSettingsHelper.enableWhiteboardVideoView(true)` before joining — no  
change.
- Tried enabling `meetingSettingsHelper.enableCloudWhiteboard(true)` - no change either
- Tried calling `addWhiteboardVideoUnit()` immediately on  
`SDKWhiteboardStatus_Started` and after a delay — same `SDKERR_WRONG_USAGE`.
- Verified the whiteboard listener is registered via  
`inMeetingWhiteboardController.setEvent(...)` and the callback fires as expected.

## Smartphone

- Device: Pixel Tablet
- OS: Android 14 (AAOS)

## Additional context

- The whiteboard is started by another participant, not the local user.
- Could `SDKERR_WRONG_USAGE` indicate a missing precondition (e.g. the whiteboard must  
be in a specific shared state, an account/feature entitlement, or that  
`addWhiteboardVideoUnit()` is not supported in Custom UI on 7.0.5)? Guidance on the  
correct call sequence would be appreciated.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![elaine.ku](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/devforum.zoom.us/elaine.ku/32/40026_2.png) [@elaine.ku](https://devforum.zoom.us/u/elaine.ku)\
**Post date:** [July 14, 2026, 6:08pm UTC](https://devforum.zoom.us/t/adding-whiteboard-video-unit-fails-with-sdkerr-wrong-usage/144623/2 "2026-07-14T18:08:20Z")

</div>

@Aleksander Thank you for posting on our dev forum. We would like to know whether you attached the whiteboard view to the FragmentActivity? If not, would you please change the activity to FragmentActivity and test it again?

Elaine

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Aleksander](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/aeb1de/32.png) [@Aleksander](https://devforum.zoom.us/u/Aleksander)\
**Post date:** [July 16, 2026, 10:41am UTC](https://devforum.zoom.us/t/adding-whiteboard-video-unit-fails-with-sdkerr-wrong-usage/144623/3 "2026-07-16T10:41:54Z")

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I tried switching to FragmentActivity and it worked! I also had to set `enableCloudWhiteboard(true)`. Thank you for help!