Canvas: sharing, security and access
Creating a canvas is a great way to share information with your coworkers, but some information isn’t meant for everyone. Read on to learn more about sharing canvases, assigning permissions, and who can access your canvases once they’ve been shared.
Note: Canvases are rolling out to all teams gradually. We appreciate your patience as we make them available to everyone.
Understand access permissions
A canvas in a conversation
A canvas on its own
Canvases in conversations will match the privacy settings of the channel or direct message (DM) they belong to. Members of your workspace can view any public channel's canvas. To view a private channel's canvas, they need to be in the channel.
A member's ability to edit the canvas in a channel or DM is determined by their posting permissions in that conversation.
A member's ability to view or edit a canvas depends on the permissions they've been assigned by the canvas owner, or another member with edit permission on the canvas. Anyone who can edit the canvas can also decide who can view or edit it. They can also set general access permissions that will apply to their entire workspace or Enterprise Grid organization.
When sharing a canvas, you can:
-
Add people by name
When you share a canvas with other members in your workspace, you can choose whether they should have permission to view or edit. Members will receive a DM letting them know they have access to the canvas. -
Add entire channels
When you share a canvas in a channel, everyone in the channel will be granted the access permissions you choose. -
Set general access permissions
The general access permissions are the minimum access level for anyone in your workspace or org who come across the canvas without it being shared with them.
The levels of access are:
-
Restricted (default)
A restricted canvas can only be accessed by the people or channels it's been shared with. It will not appear in search, or in the Canvases view. This setting only applies to general access. -
Can view
Those with view access can read a canvas and its comments, but cannot make changes to the canvas or add comments. Members with view access can share the canvas with others, who will then have view access as well. -
Can edit
Those with edit access can read a canvas and its comments, make changes to the canvas and add comments. Members with edit access can share the canvas with others, and assign either view or edit access.
Assign general access permissions
General access permissions for a canvas will apply to anyone who comes across it. You can choose either Restricted, Can view, or Can edit permissions.
- From a canvas, click Share.
- Click the General tab and choose either Restricted, Can view or Can edit.
- Click Save to update the general access permissions.
Note: Setting general access permissions is optional. If you don't set them, your canvas will be Restricted and only people it's been shared with can find and view it.
Share and assign access permissions
A canvas in a conversation
A canvas on its own
Anyone who belongs to the conversation can view the canvas, and anyone with posting permission can edit it.
When you're ready to share your canvas, you'll need to assign individual permissions.
Desktop
- From a canvas, click Share.
- Type the name of the people or channels you’d like to share the canvas with and choose whether they should have Can view or Can edit access.
- Add a message if you'd like, then click Share.
Mobile
- From a canvas, tap the three dots icon, then choose Share in Slack.
- Type the name of the people or channels you’d like to share the canvas with.
- Add a message if you'd like, then tap Send.
Tip: To set general access permissions, navigate to the General tab to assign org- or workspace-wide permissions before you share the canvas.
Revoke and adjust access permissions
A canvas in a conversation
A canvas on its own
If you were the last person to edit a canvas in a conversation, you can prevent others from making changes by locking it:
- From any conversation on your desktop, click the canvas icon to open and edit the canvas.
- Click the three dots icon then choose Settings.
- Check the box next to Lock the ability to edit the canvas, then click Save.
Note: Anyone with posting permissions in the conversation can unlock the canvas to make edits.
If you need to, you can revoke or adjust access permissions for people and channels.
- From a canvas on your desktop, click Share.
- To change a channel's access, click the Channels tab. To change an individual's, click the People tab.
- Choose the new access permission, then click Share.
Note: To change an individual's access level, click the x icon next to their name to remove access first, then assign the new permission.
Role based access permissions
Public channels
A canvas in a conversation
A canvas on its own
- ✔ Yes
- ★ Yes, if the member is in the channel where the canvas was created
- ◼︎ Yes, if the member is in the channel and has posting permissions
| View | Edit |
Grant access permissions |
|
| Org Owner/Org Admin | ✔ | ★ | ✔ * |
| Owner/Admin | ✔ | ◼︎ | ✔ * |
| Member | ✔ | ◼︎ | |
| Guest | ✔ | ◼︎ |
* Can adjust the posting permissions in the channel to enable edit access
- ✔ Yes
- ★ Yes, if the member is in the channel where the canvas was shared
- ◼︎ Yes, if the member is in the channel and has Can edit access
| View | Edit |
Grant access permissions |
|
| Canvas owner | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Org Owner/Org Admin | ★ | ◼︎ | ◼︎ |
| Owner/Admin | ★ | ◼︎ | ◼︎ |
| Member | ★ | ◼︎ | ◼︎ |
| Guest | ★ | ◼︎ |
|
Private channels
A canvas in a conversation
A canvas on its own
- ✔ Yes
- ★ Yes, if the member is in the conversation where the canvas was created
- ◼︎ Yes, if the member is in the conversation and has posting permissions
| View | Edit |
Grant access permissions |
|
| Org Owner/Org Admin | ★ | ◼︎ | ✔ * |
| Owner/Admin | ★ | ◼︎ | ✔ * |
| Member | ★ | ◼︎ | |
| Guest | ★ | ◼︎ |
* Can adjust the posting permissions in the channel to enable edit access
- ✔ Yes
- ★ Yes, if the member is in the conversation where the canvas was shared
- ◼︎ Yes, if the member is in the conversation and has Can edit access
| View | Edit |
Grant access permissions |
|
| Canvas owner | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Org Owner/Org Admin | ★ | ◼︎ | ◼︎ |
| Owner/Admin | ★ | ◼︎ | ◼︎ |
| Member | ★ | ◼︎ | ◼︎ |
| Guest | ★ | ◼︎ |
Slack Connect
Canvases in Slack Connect conversations follow the same principles for access as any other canvas in your workspace or org. When you share a canvas with external people in Slack Connect, you can choose whether it is shared with view or edit permissions.
A canvas in a conversation
A canvas on its own
- ✔ Yes
- ★ Yes, if the member is in the conversation where the canvas was created
- ◼︎ Yes, if the member is in the conversation and has posting permissions
| View | Edit |
Grant access permissions |
|
| Org Owner/Org Admin | ★ | ✔ | ✔ * |
| Owner/Admin | ★ | ◼︎ | ✔ * |
| Member | ★ | ◼︎ | |
| Guest | ★ | ◼︎ | |
| External people | ★ | ◼︎ |
* Can adjust the posting permissions in the channel to enable edit access
- ✔ Yes
- ★ Yes, if the member is in the conversation where the canvas was shared
- ◼︎ Yes, if the member is in the conversation and has Can edit access
| View | Edit |
Grant access permissions |
|
| Canvas owner | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Org Owner/Org Admin | ★ | ◼︎ | ◼︎ |
| Owner/Admin | ★ | ◼︎ | ◼︎ |
| Member | ★ | ◼︎ | ◼︎ |
| Guest | ★ | ◼︎ | |
| External people | ★ | ◼︎ |
Note: In Slack Connect, anyone who has been granted access to a canvas can share it. However, someone from the organization who created the canvas will need to assign view permissions to any additional external people.
- All members and guests
- Canvases in conversations are available on all plans
- Canvases on their own are available on paid plans