Canvas: inspect files beside Chat
Canvas on desktop keeps an artifact or project file beside the conversation so you can inspect the result and ask for a focused change. A preview is a way to review work; it does not mean a website is published.
Open Canvas
- Open the relevant Chat conversation.
- Open the chat header's menu and choose Canvas, or open a file card that offers a preview.
- Use Open project files in the Canvas header to select an available project file.
- If several files are open, choose the file tab you want. Check the filename and version before giving instructions.
A file must be available on the computer or workspace serving it. If a file lives on another device, bring it into the conversation or select the correct computer first. See working across devices.
Read the result in the right view
| Control | Use it to |
|---|---|
| Preview | Inspect supported rendered content |
| Code | Read the source or text behind the artifact |
| Changes | Compare versions when a comparison is available |
| Preview version | Select one of the versions available for this artifact |
| Refresh preview | Reload an HTML preview after a change |
| Fit, Desktop, Tablet, Mobile | Inspect HTML at an offered preview width |
A small-screen preview is a layout check, not proof that a native iPhone or Android build works. A file without a supported visual preview can still offer its source. Viewing an older version does not by itself restore or publish it.
Ask for a focused revision
Select relevant content in the preview, or use Capture area to chat and select the area you want to discuss. Add a specific instruction such as “Make this label easier to read while keeping the same wording.” Review the selection and instruction before submitting from the preview: a capture or selection submitted with a prompt can send immediately. If it is added to the Chat draft instead, review the attachment and message there before sending.
When Canvas shows Review or Preview updated, use See what changed where available. Inspect the revision before choosing the offered keep or undo action. A preview refresh only refreshes the display; it is not an approval of the proposed content.
Copy or open the file
Open More actions. Copy text copies the current source. When there is a file path, Show in Folder opens its location and Open External opens it with the relevant application. Check which file or version is selected before copying or sharing.
Auto-open controls whether eligible files open in the workspace automatically. Close file closes its Canvas tab. Close Canvas workspace hides the panel; these controls are not instructions to delete the underlying file.
If a preview is blank or stale
Check the selected file and version, then use Refresh preview for HTML. Try Code to confirm that the expected content exists. If an external browser opens a different result, check the file path and whether the preview depends on a running service.
For a reproducible issue, include the file type, selected view, app version, and exact error in a bug report. Share a minimal non-private example rather than uploading an entire personal project.