ChatGPT Canvas gives you an editable workspace for drafting and revising a document alongside your conversation with ChatGPT. You can type directly in the document, ask for changes to a selected passage, compare revisions and export the finished result.
This guide covers ChatGPT Canvas, not Canva, the separate design service. It focuses specifically on writing and document editing, although Canvas can also support other kinds of work.
Check whether ChatGPT Canvas is available
Availability note reviewed July 31, 2026: OpenAI’s official Canvas guide documents Canvas as available on the ChatGPT web app and the Windows and macOS desktop apps. OpenAI lists support for iOS, Android and mobile web as forthcoming, without giving a release date.
| Platform | Documented availability |
|---|---|
| Web on a desktop browser | Available |
| ChatGPT for macOS | Available |
| ChatGPT for Windows | Available |
| iOS and Android | Listed as forthcoming |
| Mobile web | Listed as forthcoming |
Model compatibility also matters. OpenAI’s current documentation says Canvas is not available with pro-series models or GPT-5.5 and later models. Because model access can vary by rollout and workspace, use a model for which the interface offers Canvas rather than relying on a long fixed compatibility list.
In a managed ChatGPT workspace, an administrator can also control feature access through ChatGPT workspace settings. If Canvas does not appear on a supported desktop surface, check the selected model and ask your workspace administrator whether the feature is permitted.
Open Canvas and add your document
The most direct way to start is to tell ChatGPT that you want to use Canvas. For example, enter:
Open a Canvas and help me improve the structure of this article draft without changing its main argument.
You can include your draft in the prompt or ask for a blank Canvas and add the text afterward. On the web, another documented method is to paste text into the message composer and select Open in canvas when that option appears. Labels and access points can differ between the web, Windows and macOS interfaces, so use the Canvas action shown on your current surface.
- Open ChatGPT on a supported desktop platform and select a Canvas-compatible model.
- Ask ChatGPT to open or use Canvas.
- Paste your existing draft, or describe the document you want ChatGPT to create.
- Confirm that the document has opened in the editable Canvas workspace.
The conversation remains useful for instructions, while the Canvas itself is where you work directly with the document. Canvas edits one document; if you need to manage a wider collection of source files and conversations, use the separate workflow to organize related chats and files in a ChatGPT Project.
Edit the document and revise selected text
You can edit Canvas text directly as you would in a standard document editor. Click in the text, add or remove wording, correct errors and rearrange content manually. This is useful when you already know the exact change you want.
For an AI-assisted change to one passage, select the relevant text and give ChatGPT a focused instruction. For example:
Rewrite only this paragraph in plain English. Keep the dates, names and conclusion unchanged.
A selection-based instruction limits the requested revision to the highlighted passage. If you instead want a document-wide change, make that scope explicit, such as asking ChatGPT to improve transitions throughout the entire draft.
Effective editing instructions usually identify both the desired change and the material that must remain intact. You might specify the audience, tone, length or reading level while telling ChatGPT not to alter quoted text, factual claims or headings.
Review every AI-assisted revision before continuing. Check names, figures, quotations and other factual details against your original material, and make sure the new wording has not changed your intended meaning.
Review changes and recover an earlier version
Canvas provides version-navigation arrows for moving through earlier and later versions of the document. Use Show changes to inspect differences and understand what was added, removed or rewritten.
- Select Show changes to compare the current draft with its previous state.
- Use the version-navigation arrows to inspect earlier revisions.
- Read the full version you want to recover rather than relying only on highlighted differences.
- Use the available restore action if you want that earlier version to become the working draft.
OpenAI’s documentation does not clearly describe what happens to every later revision after a restoration. If you may need the current draft again, copy it before restoring an older version.
Canvas version navigation concerns revisions of the document itself. It is different from trying to search ChatGPT history for an old conversation.
Copy, share or download the finished document
When the document is ready, use the available Copy, Share or Download control in Canvas:
- Copy: Copy the document so you can paste it into another editor or service.
- Share: Open the sharing choices currently presented by your ChatGPT interface. Review those choices before proceeding rather than assuming a particular permission or visibility level.
- Download: Export the document as a PDF, Markdown or DOCX file.
Open the downloaded file before distributing or publishing it. Check headings, lists, links, spacing and other formatting because presentation can change when content is converted to a different file format.
Can I use ChatGPT Canvas on iPhone or Android?
As of the availability review on July 31, 2026, OpenAI lists Canvas support for iOS, Android and mobile web as forthcoming. It does not provide a release date. The documented supported platforms are the web app on desktop and the Windows and macOS desktop apps.
Can ChatGPT Canvas edit only part of a document?
Yes. Highlight the passage you want to change and provide a targeted instruction. State what should change and what must remain intact, then review the revised wording for accuracy and unintended changes.
What formats can a ChatGPT Canvas document be downloaded in?
OpenAI officially documents PDF, Markdown and DOCX downloads for Canvas documents. Inspect the exported file for formatting changes before sharing or publishing it.