Canvas is a workspace inside le Chat where you can create, edit, and adjust text, code, or other structured content. It provides a document-like environment to work with the model in real time.

Prerequisites

Activating Canvas

Unlike other tools, Canvas is off by default in le Chat.

To turn it on, open the Tools menu at the bottom of the chat window (1) and check the box next to Canvas (2).

Opening the tools menu (1) and selecting Canvas (2)

📌 The Canvas tool is available alongside other tools like Code Interpreter or Web search. You can activate multiple tools at the same time.

How to open a Canvas

Canvas is directly integrated into le Chat.

Once enabled, le Chat will open a Canvas when the context requires it. You can also request it explicitly with prompts like:

“Create a presentation on the history of AI.”
“Write a Python script to analyze this dataset.”
“Design a web page for a small business.”
“Open a new Canvas.”

📌 You can also open a Canvas manually by typing / in your prompt, then selecting Canvas from the tools dropdown.

Canvas core features

Direct editing

You can edit text, code, or spreadsheets directly inside the Canvas, similar to a standard editor (available actions depend on the file type).

🔑 Multiple Canvases can be open at once. Switch between them using the tabs at the top of the chat window.

Preview

The Preview button (eye icon) in the Canvas menu bar lets you switch between raw code/text and a rendered view for formats like HTML & React, Mermaid, or Marp.

Click the eye icon to toggle between the raw code/text view and the rendered view

Iteration and versioning

After le Chat generates output, you can request further edits (for example, "make this more formal" or "add a button to this component").

You can navigate between versions with the arrows in the top-left corner of the Canvas (1).
A diff view is available (2) to compare versions.

To restore the version you’re viewing or revert to the latest version, use the controls at the bottom of the Canvas (3).

Iterating between versions (1), toggling the diff view (2), and restoring a version or reverting to the latest version (3)

Interactive prompts

Canvas supports inline prompts.

When you select a block of text, an Ask le Chat field appears. Any instruction you enter is applied with that selection as context.

Asking le Chat a question about a specific block of text

🔑 Highlighted elements (text, a spreadsheet row, etc.) are automatically included in the context of your conversation with le Chat until you deselect them.

Selecting text may also display predefined actions to refine or analyze content (see 🔎 Quick actions).

Quick actions

You can use the Quick Actions button (✨ in the bottom-left) or highlight content to access predefined operations such as Translate, Optimize, or Visualize.

These actions vary depending on the format.