An apparatus and method for synchronizing the display of content in a real-time collaboration system are provided. The method includes transmitting, from a master device to each of a plurality of other devices, a list of thumbnails and content corresponding to each thumbnail, for each of the plurality of other devices, displaying the list of thumbnails in a format appropriate for that device, without taking into account a display format of other devices in the plurality of other devices, transmitting, from the master device to each of the plurality of other devices, a content ID corresponding to content having a current focus, and for each of the plurality of devices, scrolling through the list of thumbnails to display the thumbnail corresponding to the received content ID.