Use Canvas

Who can use this feature?

🔐 Only workspace editors can add and edit a canvas.

⭐️ On the Free plan, you can create up to 3 canvases. On the paid plans, you can create an unlimited number of canvases.

Canvas enables seamless visual collaboration directly in Nuclino and allows you to easily add whiteboards and diagrams to any item. You can use it to brainstorm, create flowcharts, build moodboards, and more – all without leaving Nuclino.

To add a canvas

Open the item you'd like to add a canvas to.
Click on an empty line or create a new one.
Use the insert menu or the /canvas slash command to add a canvas.

To edit a canvas

To start editing a canvas, double-click it or right-click it and select Edit. The canvas will open in full screen and allow you to edit its content.

A canvas can contain sticky notes, shapes, images, and connections.

Sticky notes, shapes, and images

Adding new objects

To add a new sticky note, shape, or image to a canvas, you can:

select it from the toolbar and left-click the canvas
right-click the canvas and select it from the menu
drag it from the toolbar onto the canvas
select an existing object and press Alt + →/←/↓/↑

Changing sticky note color

To change the color of a sticky note, right-click it and choose it from the menu.

Changing shape type

To change the type of a shape, right-click it and choose it from the menu.

Editing

Every sticky note and shape can contain text and emojis. To edit the contents of a sticky note or shape, you can:

double-click it
select it and press Enter
right-click it and select Edit

Tip

To add an emoji, type : and select it from the menu.

Resizing

To resize a sticky note, shape, or image, select it and then click and drag one of its corners.

Tip

To resize a sticky note, shape, or image without changing its ratio, hold Shift.

To resize a sticky note, shape, or image while keeping its center fixed in place, hold Alt.

Reordering

To reorder overlapping objects on a canvas, right-click any object and select Bring to front or Send to back – or just use the shortcut Ctrl/Cmd + Alt + ] or Ctrl/Cmd + Alt + [.

Connections

Sticky notes, shapes, and images can be linked together using connections.

Adding connections

To add a connection, hover over the side of any sticky note, shape, or image, click on the red dot, and drag it to the side of another sticky note, shape, or image to connect it.

Editing connections

To edit a connection, right-click it. You can use the menu to:

Add text to a connection.
Show or hide the arrow at the start or the end of a connection.
Delete a connection.

To navigate a canvas

Select and Pan mode

You can navigate the canvas using the Select or Pan tools:

In the Select mode, you can select, move, and edit the objects on the canvas.
In the Pan mode, you can freely navigate the canvas without making accidental changes.

You can switch between the Select and Pan mode using the toolbar on the left, or using the following hotkeys:

While in the Select mode, hold Space to switch to Pan mode.
While in the Pan mode, you can press Esc to switch to Select mode.

Zoom

You can zoom in and out of the canvas using the mouse wheel, the zoom controls in the bottom-right corner, or the following shortcuts:

Actual size: Ctrl/Cmd + 0
Zoom in: Ctrl/Cmd + +
Zoom out: Ctrl/Cmd + -

To maximize or minimize a canvas

A canvas can be resized to take up more or less space inside an item.

Right-click the canvas you'd like to resize.
Select Maximize or Minimize.

To comment on a canvas

Right-click the canvas you'd like to comment on.
Select Comment.
Type your comment and click on COMMENT.
The canvas will be highlighted with a yellow border until the comment is resolved or deleted.

To delete a canvas

Right-click the canvas you'd like to delete.
Select Delete.