Everyone watches.
Only you
can type.
Write a note, turn on Classroom Mode, and share the link. Your class, audience, or team watches it update in real time — but nobody else can edit it unless they have the PIN. Built on the same real-time sync ShareNotes already uses for collaborative notes, just locked the other way.
How can a class or audience follow a live note?
Classroom Mode on ShareNotes lets one person edit a note while everyone else watches it update live. Create a note, add a PIN with the "Edit Only" protection mode, and share the link: anyone with the URL can read and follow along in real time, but only the person who knows the PIN can change the text. It is free, needs no accounts for students or viewers, and works in any browser.
Set it up before class starts.
Write the note
Open sharenotes.dev and type your lecture notes, running agenda, or live code sample.
Turn on Classroom Mode
In the Save dialog, pick "Edit Only (Classroom Mode)" and set a 4-6 digit PIN. Only the PIN unlocks editing.
Share the link
Send the memorable URL to your class. They watch it update as you type — no edits, no accidents, no accounts.
ShareNotes against the usual classroom notepads.
Answers, briefly.
What is Classroom Mode on ShareNotes?
It's ShareNotes' edit-only password protection: anyone with the link can view the note and watch it update live, but a PIN is required to edit it. Built for teachers, presenters, and anyone broadcasting text to a group who shouldn't be able to change it.
Do students or viewers need an account to follow along?
No. They just open the link. No sign-up, no app install, no email. Works in any modern browser on any device.
Will I have to re-enter the PIN every time I edit?
No. Once you enter the correct PIN on a device, ShareNotes remembers it in that browser for future visits, so you won't be prompted again on the same device.
How is this different from Google Docs view-only mode?
No account or sign-in for either the presenter or the viewers, and live updates use a websocket — viewers see each change as you type, not after a periodic refresh. There's also no separate viewer link to manage; the same link works for everyone, and the PIN is what unlocks editing.
Can a viewer just guess the PIN and edit anyway?
The PIN is a 4-6 digit code checked against a hashed value on the server, so it isn't trivially guessable in a live session, but ShareNotes has no rate-limiting account lockout — treat it like a presenter PIN, not a security boundary for sensitive data.
Is Classroom Mode free?
Yes. It's part of ShareNotes' free tier — no ads, no paid plan, no usage limit.