Google Gemini Canvas: What It Is and How to Use It

Gemini Canvas is a workspace inside the Gemini app where you and Gemini create and edit something together, such as a document, a slide deck, code or a small working app, in a panel beside your chat. You can write and polish drafts, build and preview web apps and games, and turn what you make into a quiz, an infographic, a web page or an Audio Overview.

Instead of copying answers out of the chat into another tool, you keep the work in one place. You ask for changes in the chat, or you edit the Canvas yourself, and your changes are saved automatically.

What Gemini Canvas is, in plain terms

A normal Gemini chat is a conversation. Canvas adds a panel beside it that holds the thing you are working on.

That panel can be:

• A document you can type in directly, format and refine with Gemini's help.

• Code with a live preview, so you can see a web app, game or tool running as Gemini builds it.

• Slides that you can later export to Google Slides.

Canvas is part of the Gemini app at gemini.google.com and the Gemini mobile app. It is not a separate product or a paid add on. Google's own Canvas overview page says it is available to Gemini users in every language and country where the Gemini app is available.

How to open Canvas in Gemini

You need to be signed in to a Google account. The exact label on the menu can shift slightly as Google updates the app, but Canvas always lives in the menu just below the text box.

On the web

1. Go to gemini.google.com and sign in.

2. Below the text box, open the menu with the plus icon (Google's help page calls it Add files) and choose Canvas.

3. Type your prompt. If you want a particular format, say so, for example "Create a slide presentation about..." or "Create a quiz to test me on...".

4. If you want Gemini to work from your own material, attach a file or image with Add files.

5. Click Submit. The Canvas panel opens on the right with your draft, code or slides.

On the Gemini mobile app (Android and iPhone)

1. Open the Gemini app.

2. Below the text box, tap Add (the plus icon) and then tap Canvas.

3. Type your prompt and attach any files you need.

4. Tap Submit.

On a phone the Canvas opens full screen, and you switch between the chat and the Canvas. You can preview apps and ask for changes on mobile, but Google says text style and formatting tools only work in the web app on a computer.

Plan, age and account notes. Canvas itself is available to all Gemini users. Some extras inside it, such as adding Gemini powered features to an app and the Create menu that turns a document into other formats, are not available to users under 18. If you use a work or school Google account, your administrator controls which Gemini features you can use, so Canvas may look different or be switched off.

What you can make with Canvas

Google describes Canvas as a place to create or edit a doc, app, slides or code. Here is what that means in practice.

Documents

Essays, reports, cover letters, speeches, blog posts, study notes and emails all work well. You can type straight into the document, ask Gemini to rewrite a section, or use quick tools to change the tone and length. Canvas also supports LaTeX for maths and science formulas.

Code, apps and games

Ask for a to do list, a quiz game, a budget calculator or a small website, and Canvas writes the code and shows a working preview. You can switch to the Code view to read or edit the code yourself, and open the console to see errors. Python code can be exported to Google Colab.

Slides

Ask for "a slide presentation about..." and Canvas builds a deck you can export to Google Slides or save as a PDF.

Things you can create from a document

Once you have a document or a Deep Research report in Canvas, the Create button at the top right lets you turn it into:

• A quiz you can take and share.

• An infographic that summarises the content visually.

• A web page built from your text.

• An Audio Overview, a spoken summary in the style of a podcast. This feature first appeared in NotebookLM, which Google has since renamed Gemini Notebook.

• A custom visual or app, by describing what you want in the text box.

Example 1: Write and edit a document

Say you need a short personal statement for a scholarship application.

1. Open Canvas and type: "Write a 400 word personal statement for an engineering scholarship. I am a final year student in Lagos who built a solar charging kiosk for my hostel. Keep the tone warm and confident."

2. Read the draft in the Canvas panel. Fix any facts about yourself by typing directly into the document.

3. Highlight a paragraph that feels weak and type an instruction such as "Make this more specific and add one result."

4. Use Change length if you are over the word limit, and Change tone if it sounds too stiff or too casual.

5. When you are happy, click Share & export and choose Export to Docs to keep working in Google Docs.

Always check the final version yourself. The story and the facts must be yours. Our guide to writing a scholarship essay with AI explains what is allowed and what works.

Example 2: Build and preview a small web app or game

You do not need to know how to code for this.

1. Open Canvas and type: "Build a simple web app that helps me split a restaurant bill between friends. Let me enter the total, the tip percentage and the number of people. Use a clean design with large buttons that work on a phone."

2. Gemini writes the code and shows a live preview. Try it straight away in the preview.

3. Ask for changes in plain language: "Add a currency choice with naira, pounds and dollars" or "Make the colours softer."

4. If something breaks, open Show console to see the error, then paste it into the chat and ask Gemini to fix it.

5. Click Code at the top right if you want to read or edit the code yourself.

6. When it works, use Share & export and then Share to get a public link that anyone can open.

Try a small game the same way: "Make a memory matching game with 12 cards and a timer." Build in small steps and test after each change. That is much easier to fix than one huge request.

Example 3: Turn your notes into a study aid

This is one of the most useful things Canvas does for students.

1. Open Canvas and attach your lecture notes or a reading as a PDF or document.

2. Type: "Turn these notes into a clear revision summary with headings, key terms in bold and a short list of likely exam questions."

3. Read the summary and correct anything that is wrong or missing.

4. Click Create at the top right and choose Quiz to test yourself on the material.

5. Click Create again and choose Infographic for a one page visual, or Audio Overview to listen to a spoken summary on the way to class.

If you study from many sources at once, Gemini Notebook is often a better fit because it keeps answers tied to your uploads. See how to use Gemini Notebook to study.

Editing tips that save time

Highlight to edit. In a document, select any text and type what you want changed. Gemini rewrites only that part. You can also click Suggest edits after selecting text to get recommendations instead of a rewrite.

Select and ask in apps. For apps, click Select & ask at the bottom right of the Canvas panel, then click the part of the app you want changed, such as a button or a heading.

Use the quick tools. Change length shortens or expands text. Change tone makes it more casual or more formal. These are faster than writing a new prompt.

Format on the web. On a computer, a toolbar at the top of the document lets you add headings, bold, italics and lists.

Go back if a change goes wrong. Use Previous Version and Next Version at the top of the Canvas to move between saved versions.

Share and export. From Share & export you can:

• Export to Docs to open the text in a new Google Doc.

• Export to Slides to open a deck in Google Slides, or save slides as a PDF.

• Copy contents to paste the text anywhere.

• Share to create a public link. Anyone can open it in a web browser and make their own copy to keep editing.

Shared links open at gemini.google.com in a browser, not in the Gemini mobile app.

Write clearer prompts. Say who the audience is, how long it should be, and what format you want. Our free AI prompt builder helps you structure requests if you are not sure where to start.

Is Gemini Canvas free?

Yes. Google says Canvas is available to all Gemini users, including people on the free plan.

Paying for Google AI Pro or Google AI Ultra mainly gives you access to Google's most capable Gemini model inside Canvas and a much larger context window. In simple terms, the model can take in far more text and code at once, which helps with long documents and bigger coding projects. Paid plans also tend to have higher usage limits.

Plans, prices and limits change often and vary by country, so check Google's Gemini subscriptions page for what applies to you.

Limitations to know about

It can be wrong. Canvas uses the same Gemini models as the chat, so facts, figures and citations can be inaccurate. Check anything important before you submit or publish it.

Apps are prototypes. Canvas is great for small tools, games and demos. It is not a replacement for a proper development setup when you need logins, a database you control or a production website.

Mobile is more limited. You can create, preview and request changes on your phone, but formatting tools are web only, and shared links do not open in the mobile app.

Age and account limits. Some features are not available to users under 18, and work or school accounts depend on admin settings.

Public links are public. Anyone with a shared link can view the content, and for apps they can use and interact with it. Do not put private information in something you plan to share.

Gemini Canvas vs ChatGPT Canvas vs Claude Artifacts

All three put your work in a panel beside the chat. The differences are in what they connect to.

Pick Gemini Canvas if you already live in Google Docs and Slides or want quick study aids. For a wider look at which assistant suits you, read our honest decision guide to GPT, Claude and Gemini.

Frequently asked questions

What is Canvas in Gemini?

Canvas is a workspace in the Gemini app that opens beside your chat. You use it to create and edit documents, slides, code and small apps with Gemini, and your changes are saved automatically.

How do I turn on Canvas in Gemini?

There is nothing to switch on in settings. On the web, open the plus menu below the text box and choose Canvas. On the mobile app, tap Add below the text box and then Canvas. You can also simply ask Gemini to create a document or app, and it may open Canvas for you.

Is Gemini Canvas free to use?

Yes. Canvas is available to all Gemini users. Google AI Pro and Ultra subscribers get Google's most capable model and much more room for long documents and large projects.

Can I use Gemini Canvas on my phone?

Yes. Canvas works in the Gemini app on Android and iPhone. You can create, preview apps and ask for changes, but text formatting tools are only available in the web app on a computer.

Can I export Gemini Canvas to Google Docs?

Yes. Click Share & export at the top right of the Canvas panel and choose Export to Docs. Slides can be exported to Google Slides or saved as a PDF, and Python code can be sent to Google Colab.

Can Gemini Canvas make quizzes and infographics?

Yes. Once you have a document or Deep Research report in Canvas, click Create and choose Quiz, Infographic, Web page or Audio Overview. This option is not available to users under 18.

Can other people edit my Canvas?

When you share a Canvas link, other people can open it in a browser and make their own copy to edit. Your original stays as it is. For live editing with classmates or colleagues, export to Google Docs and share the Doc instead.