Use a canvas in Slack
When you need to share information that won’t fit in a simple message (such as project plans or meeting notes), create a canvas. A canvas is a surface where you can create and share fully formatted content with your colleagues, directly in Slack.
What to expect
There are two ways to use canvases in Slack:
-
Channel and direct message canvases
Every channel and direct message (DM) has a built-in canvas where you can store relevant and persistent details about the conversation and the work that is happening there. Channel canvases can be seen by anyone with access to the channel, and DM canvases are only visible to the members of the DM.
-
Standalone canvases
You can create a canvas for anything that you’re working on – meeting notes, project briefs or checklists – and then share it with your colleagues in any conversation. You can also keep canvases private, for select eyes only.
Tip: Not sure what to use a canvas for? Take a look at our ideas and templates for canvas to get started.
Get started
A canvas in a conversation
A canvas on its own
Channel and DM canvases can be used to organise the information that your team needs regularly, or for any important details that someone in the conversation might need at a glance.
- Click on the blank add channel canvas icon in any conversation header to open the canvas.
- If you have permission to post in the conversation, start typing to add content to the canvas.
Tip: When the canvas in a conversation has content in it, the icon will change from the blank add channel canvas icon to the filled canvas icon.
You can create a canvas on its own for anything that you’re working on – from employee onboarding to company newsletters, project briefs and more.
Desktop
- From your desktop, click Canvases at the top of your left-hand sidebar. If you don’t see this option, click on More to find it.
- From the Canvases view, click New canvas in the top-right corner.
- A blank canvas will open in a new window, and you can start typing to add content to your canvas.
Mobile
- From the Home tab, tap Canvas at the top.
- From the Canvas view, tap Create.
- A blank canvas will open. Start typing to add content to your canvas.
Formatting options for canvas
Format your text
Add objects to your canvas
Text formatting options
You can apply the following formatting options to the text in a canvas:
Paragraph
Big heading
Medium heading
Small heading
Checklist
Ordered list
Bullet-point list
Block quote
Code block
Insert objects
Insert media directly into a canvas to play audio and video in line, and interact with files and other canvases.
Video clip
Audio clip
Divider
Image
Canvas
File
Quick actions
Along the toolbar, you’ll notice additional icons that will allow you to complete some quick actions in your canvas:
Upload an image
Format text as a checklist
Open the emoji browser and add an emoji to your text
Apply formatting
Desktop
Mobile
When you open a canvas, the formatting options will appear in the formatting bar at the bottom of the canvas. Use the formatting bar to insert media such as clips or files, or to configure your text into lists, quotes or headings.
Format your text
- From the canvas, start typing your content.
- The formatting bar will appear at the bottom of the canvas.
- Click on the formatting icon to reveal text formatting options. Select an option from the list to format your text.
- Highlight any text that appears in your canvas to reveal the formatting bar and apply options such as Bold, Italic and
Strikethrough.
Insert media
- From the canvas, start typing your content.
- The formatting bar will appear at the bottom of the canvas.
- Click on the insert icon and select from the list to insert the media of your choice.
Once you’ve added content to your canvas, you can rearrange it by clicking and holding the six dots icon and dragging the content to a new location in the canvas.
Tip: Click the six dots icon for additional formatting options, to copy a link to the section or to add a comment.
Format your text
- From the canvas, start typing your content.
- The formatting bar will appear at the bottom of the canvas.
- Tap on the formatting icon to reveal text formatting options, and swipe the toolbar towards the left to scroll through the options.
- Select your option from the toolbar, then tap to apply the changes.
Note: It is not currently possible to add objects to a canvas on mobile.
Work on and collaborate in a canvas
Canvases are designed with collaboration in mind. Share your canvas to involve multiple editors, leave comments on canvases and mention people in the body of a canvas to notify them.
Tip: Review our guide on Sharing, access and security for canvases to learn how to share and assign permissions to canvas.
Edit a canvas
To edit a canvas, all you need is Editor access. Simply open the canvas and start typing to make any changes you like.
Tip: If you have View only access to a canvas but need to make edits, you can Request edit access by clicking the View only button in the canvas header. A notification will be sent to the creator of the canvas to approve or deny your request.
Add comments to a canvas
You can use comments in a canvas to leave feedback or start a discussion. Comments on a canvas will behave like threads, and all new replies will appear in your Threads view if you’ve commented or been mentioned in a comment.
Desktop
Mobile
- From your desktop, open a canvas.
- Find the text that you’d like to comment on, then click the six dots icon and choose Add comment.
- Type your comment, then press Enter to send it.
- From your mobile device, open a canvas
- Highlight the text that you’d like to comment on, then tap the Add comment icon. If you don’t highlight specific text, your comment will apply to the whole section.
- Type your comment, then tap Send.
View comments on a canvas
Desktop
Mobile
- From your desktop, open a canvas.
- Click the three dot icon in the canvas header, then choose View all comments.
- To sort your comments by Most recent, Unread or Archived, click the Filter icon.
- From your mobile device, open a canvas.
- Text that has been commented on will appear highlighted. Tap the highlighted text to view and reply to comments.
Tip: You can archive individual comments by clicking the archive icon at the top of the comment thread. To archive all comments on a canvas, click the three dots icon at the top of the canvas, then choose Archive all comments.
Mention people in a canvas
To notify someone directly in a canvas, mention them by using the @ symbol, followed by the member’s name. As long as the canvas has been shared with the person that you mention, they will receive a badge notification next to the Canvas view in their sidebar.
Members that you mention in a canvas who do not have access permissions to the canvas will not be notified.
View and manage existing canvases
A canvas in a conversation
A canvas on its own
- From your desktop, open the channel or DM that the canvas is in.
- Click the canvas icon to view and interact with the canvas in the conversation.
Tip: A canvas in a conversation can’t be deleted, but you can highlight and delete all the content if you’d like to start fresh.
From the Canvas view, you’ll be able to browse the canvases that you’ve created, as well as any canvas in your workspace that you have View or Edit access to.
- From your desktop, click Canvases at the top of your left-hand sidebar.
- If you don’t see this option, click on More to find it.
- Use the Filter and Sort options to help you find exactly what you need, or search for your canvas by name in the search bar.
- Choose the canvas from the list, or click the More actions menu to either View canvas details, Copy link, Save for later or Delete the canvas.
- All members and guests
- Canvases in conversations are available on all subscriptions
- Standalone canvases are available on paid subscriptions
When you need to share information that won’t fit in a simple message (such as project plans or meeting notes), create a canvas. A canvas is a surface built into Slack where you can create and share fully formatted content. There are two ways to use a canvas in Slack:
- Channel and direct message canvases
- Standalone canvases
Tip: Not sure what to use a canvas for? Take a look at our ideas and templates to get started.
Get started
A channel or DM canvas
Every channel and direct message (DM) has a built-in canvas where you can store details about the conversation and the work that is happening there. Channel canvases can be seen by anyone with access to the channel, and DM canvases are visible only to the members of the DM.
Desktop
Mobile
- Click the add channel canvas icon in any conversation header to open the canvas.
- If you have permission to post in the conversation and edit access to the canvas, start typing to add content to the canvas.
- Tap the blank add channel canvas icon in any conversation header to open the canvas.
- If you have permission to post in the conversation and edit access to the canvas, start typing to add content to the canvas.
A standalone canvas
You can create a canvas for anything that you’re working on – think meeting notes, project briefs or checklists – and then share it in any conversation. You can also keep canvases private, for select eyes only.
Desktop
Mobile
- Hover over More, then click Canvases.
- Click Create in the top-right corner.
- The canvas will open in a new window. Start typing to add content, or select a template from the list.
- From the Home tab, tap the search bar at the top of your screen.
- Tap Canvases, then tap Create a canvas.
- The canvas will open. Start typing to add content.
Format your canvas
Formatting options
Format your text
Add objects to your canvas
Text formatting options
You can apply the following formatting options to the text in a canvas:
Paragraph
Big heading
Medium heading
Small heading
Checklist
Ordered list
Bullet-point list
Block quote
Code block
Insert objects
Insert media directly into a canvas to play audio and video in line, or embed files and other canvases.
Record video clip
Record audio clip
Divider
Workflow
Image
Canvas
File
Apply formatting
Desktop
Mobile
Use the formatting bar at the bottom of the canvas to format your text, configure your content into lists, quotes or headings, and to insert media such as clips and files.
Format your text
- From the canvas, start typing your content.
- The formatting toolbar will appear at the bottom of the canvas.
- Click on the formatting icon to reveal text formatting options. Select an option from the list to format your text.
To change the formatting, highlight any text that appears in the canvas to reveal the formatting bar and apply options such as Bold, Italic and Strikethrough .
Insert media
- From the canvas, start typing your content.
- The formatting toolbar will appear at the bottom of the canvas.
- Click on the insert icon and select from the list to insert the media of your choice.
Once you’ve added content to your canvas, you can rearrange it by clicking and holding the six dots icon and dragging the content to a new location in the canvas.
Tip: Click the six dots icon to copy a link to the section, add a comment and for additional formatting options.
Format your text
- From the canvas, start typing your content.
- The formatting toolbar will appear at the bottom of the canvas.
- Tap on the formatting icon to reveal text formatting options. Swipe left on the toolbar to scroll through the options.
- Select an option, then tap to apply the changes.
Note: It's not currently possible to add objects to a canvas on mobile.
Quick actions
From the toolbar, you'll be able to access the following commonly used actions in one click:
Upload a file
Create a table
Format text as a checklist
Open the emoji browser and add an emoji to your text
Work in a canvas
Canvases are designed with collaboration in mind. Share your canvas to involve multiple editors, leave comments on canvases and mention people in the body of a canvas to notify them.
Tip: Review our guide on sharing, security and access for canvases to learn how to share and assign permissions.
Edit a canvas
To edit a canvas, all you need is editor access. Simply open the canvas and start typing to make any changes you like. If you need to edit a view-only canvas, you can request editor access by following the steps below:
A channel or DM canvas
A standalone canvas
The ability to edit a canvas in a channel is determined by:
- Your membership in a channel
- Whether a channel manager has set edit permissions to Anyone who can post in the channel or Channel managers only
If you belong to a channel and cannot edit its canvas, ask the channel manager for permission to edit.
- From your desktop, click View only in the top-right corner of a canvas, then click Request edit access.
- Your request will be sent to the canvas’ owner for review, and you’ll be notified once the request is approved.
- If you need to, you can send the canvas’ owner a reminder by repeating step 1.
Note: It's currently not possible to request edit access on mobile.
Add comments to a canvas
You can use comments in a canvas to leave feedback or start a discussion. Comments on a canvas behave like messages in threads, and new replies will appear in both your Threads and Activity views if you’ve commented or if you're mentioned in a comment.
Desktop
Mobile
- Open a canvas.
- Find the text that you’d like to comment on, then click the six dots icon and choose Add comment.
- Type your comment, then press Enter to add it.
- Open a canvas.
- Highlight the text that you’d like to comment on, then tap the Add comment icon. If you don’t highlight specific text, your comment will apply to the whole section.
- Type your comment, then tap Send.
View comments on a canvas
Desktop
Mobile
- Open a canvas.
- Click the three dots icon in the canvas header, then choose View all comments.
- To sort your comments by Most recent, Unread or Archived, click the Filter icon.
- Open a canvas.
- Text that has been commented on will appear highlighted. Tap the highlighted text to view and reply to comments.
Tip: To archive individual comments, click the archive icon at the top of the comment thread. To archive all comments, click the three dots icon at the top of the canvas, then choose Archive all comments.
Mention people in a canvas
To notify someone directly in a canvas, mention them by using the @ symbol followed by the member's name. As long as the canvas has been shared with the person that you mention, they'll receive a badge notification next to the Canvases view in their sidebar. Members who don't have access permissions to the canvas won't be notified.
View and manage existing canvases
A channel or DM canvas
A standalone canvas
- From your desktop, open the channel or DM that the canvas is in.
- Click the canvas icon to view and interact with the canvas in the conversation.
Tip: Channel and DM canvases can’t be deleted, but you can delete all the content if you’d like to start fresh.
From the Canvases view, you can browse the canvases that you’ve created, as well as the canvases in your workspace that you have View or Edit access to.
- Hover over More, then click Canvases.
- Use the Filter and Sort options to find exactly what you need, or search for a canvas by name in the search bar.
- Choose a canvas from the list, or click the three dots icon to either Share canvas, View canvas details, Copy link, Save for later or Delete the canvas.
- All members and guests
- Channel and DM canvases are available on all subscriptions
- Standalone canvases are available on paid subscriptions