How it works

Live on your screen
in three steps

NowBoard is designed to get you from sign-up to a live screen display in under an hour — including the hardware. Here is exactly how it works.

Free plan. No credit card. No hardware required to start.

1
Step one

Pick a Board

Browse 100+ ready-made screen layouts — designed to be read from across a room. Filter by what you want to show, or browse by your sector.

  • Content Boards (25): schedules, menus, announcements, welcome screens, meeting rooms, countdowns
  • Media Boards (5): image slideshows, video backgrounds, ambient displays
  • Info Boards (5): wayfinding, facility info, emergency notices
  • Each Board comes loaded with sample content matched to your sector — you never start from a blank screen
  • Light and dark versions of every Board are included

Not sure which Board to start with? The Welcome Board and Schedule Board are the most popular first choices across every sector.

🗂️ Template library grid showing Welcome, Schedule, Menu, Noticeboard, and Meeting Room layouts with sector filters

2
Step two

Add your content

Type in your timetable, menu, announcements, or upload images. It is as straightforward as filling in a form. Everything updates on screen automatically — no publishing step, no cache to clear.

  • Text, images, and structured fields — each Board has the right inputs for its purpose
  • Changes appear on your connected screens within seconds
  • Set expiry dates on time-sensitive content so it disappears automatically
  • AI helps you write, rewrite, translate, and adjust the tone of your content (Professional+)
  • Update from any device — phone, tablet, or laptop
✏️ Simple form editor: fields for title, session times, and description, with a live preview panel showing the Board updating in real time

3
Step three

Plug in and display

NowBoard works on any screen with a modern Chrome browser — preview from any laptop, phone, or tablet for free. For unattended 24/7 displays, plug a dedicated device into your TV's HDMI port, connect to Wi-Fi, scan the QR code, done.

Three paths to a dedicated NowBoard Player:

  • NowBoard Player (£139) 🇬🇧 UK only: fully assembled. Plug in HDMI, scan the QR code, done. Auto-starts on boot, offline resilience, kiosk mode, CEC TV power control, remote management from your dashboard. Zero IT skill required.
  • Pre-imaged SD card 🇬🇧 UK only: already own a Raspberry Pi 5? We ship a pre-imaged SD card. Slot it in, scan the QR — same OTA updates and management as the assembled Player, lower price point.
  • DIY OS image (free) 🌍 global: download our NowBoard OS image, flash your own SD card, use your own Raspberry Pi 4 or 5. Currently the only path outside the UK.

Or use a generic streaming device:

  • Smart TV browser or Android TV box (~£20–£50): use the built-in browser on a modern smart TV, or plug in any HDMI Android box. Connect to Wi-Fi, sign in to your Location — works for most setups.
  • Any kiosk tablet, mini-PC, or screen that runs Chrome will display NowBoard.

Change content from anywhere — it updates on screen within seconds. No IT support needed, no daily maintenance, the screen looks after itself.

📺 A wall-mounted TV displaying a NowBoard Schedule, with a NowBoard Player tucked into the HDMI port on the back

Once you are live, grow at your own pace

Your first Board is a start, not a limit. Here are the things most organisations add next — all optional, all easy.

🔄

Build a Playlist

Add more Boards and rotate through them automatically. Set how long each one displays before switching.

🕐

Schedule by time of day

Show a Welcome Board in the morning, a Menu at lunch, and an Activities Board in the afternoon — automatically.

👥

Invite your team

Give staff access to update their own content. Set role-based permissions so everyone sees what they need.

📍

Add more Locations

Each screen is a Location. Add a second TV in another room, or roll out across multiple buildings.

🔗

Share a link

Generate a public link to any Board or Location. Share with families, visitors, or staff — no login needed.

🚨

Emergency override

Activate an Alert Board from your dashboard and it takes over every screen instantly. One click.

Built for every space where people need to know what is on

NowBoard works wherever there are screens and people who need information. Each sector gets Boards, sample content, and terminology tailored to their context.

Try it free — pick your first Board

Sign up, browse the Template library, and add your first piece of content. You can preview everything in your browser before you touch any hardware.

Explore all features