Create and edit documents and slides in Canvas

Last updated: May 21, 2026

This article describes how to use Canvas to create and work with documents and slides in Gemini Enterprise – Business edition.

Note: This feature is subject to the "Pre-GA Offerings Terms" in the General Service Terms section of the Service Specific Terms. Pre-GA features are available "as is" and might have limited support. For more information, see the launch stage descriptions.

Canvas is a dedicated, interactive surface within Gemini Enterprise – Business edition that helps you create AI-generated documents and slide presentations from your conversations. You can work on your documents and slides side-by-side with your chat, without needing to switch between applications.

Create a document or a slide in Canvas

To create a document or a slide in Canvas:

Sign in to Gemini Enterprise – Business edition (business.gemini.google/).
Start a new chat.
Click the Tools button or type / in the chat box. A list of shortcuts appears.
Select Canvas (Preview), or enter a prompt that implies creating a document or slide.
Enter a prompt.
Note: Your chat conversation history, content from enabled connectors, and explicitly added sources are used as input.
(Optional) To upload files or an image with your prompt, click + Add files.
Click Submit. The document or the slide presentation opens in the Canvas editor on the right.

Source citations

To view the references and search results used to generate documents, click Sources directly under the AI's response.

For slides, a final Image Sources slide is automatically included, containing all the metadata for the images used in your deck.

Edit a document in Canvas

You can edit a document in the following ways:

Direct edits: In the Canvas space, you can manually add, edit, or delete the Markdown text, change formatting like headings, bold, and italics, and create bulleted and numbered lists. Changes are auto-saved.
AI-powered edits: At the bottom right of the Canvas panel, click the Change length and Change tone sliders for global adjustments to tone and length, or provide detailed chat feedback for more specific edits.
Highlight to edit: To refine a specific section of text, highlight it and enter your instructions in one of two ways. You can type directly into the Ask Gemini box that appears next to your selection, or use the main prompt box to tell Gemini how you want that section rewritten.

You can also use the previous and next version arrows on the editing bar to navigate between different saved versions of your document.

Note: Canvas supports editing content generated during your active session. To edit further, export your content to another application.

Edit a slide presentation in Canvas

To open and edit a slide presentation in Canvas:

Go to the chat where you generated the slides.
Click Open.
In the chat box, enter your suggestions to update the slides.
Click Submit.
Note: Each update generates a completely new Canvas artifact. The existing artifact is not modified or versioned.

Export your documents and slides from Canvas

You can export a document or a slide presentation from Canvas to download and edit it in your preferred application.

Export options

Export a document

Open the chat with the Canvas document that you want to export.
At the top right of the Canvas panel, click Export. You can export to Google Docs, DOCX, or PDF.
You can also copy all text to your clipboard. To copy all text, at the top right of the Canvas panel, click Copy.

Export a slide presentation

Open the chat with the Canvas slides that you want to export.
At the top right of the Canvas panel, click Export. You can export to Google Slides, Microsoft PowerPoint, or PDF.

Export to Google Docs and Google Slides

If you're a Google Workspace user, you can export your Canvas creations directly to Google Docs and Slides. For the Export to Google Docs or Export to Google Slides options to appear and function correctly, your environment must meet specific configuration and licensing requirements as follows:

Your account must have an active Google Workspace license. The export feature is not available for accounts without Workspace access.
A Google Drive data store must be successfully connected and tied to your Gemini Enterprise – Business edition app.
Your Google Workspace Admin must have data access enabled for Gemini Enterprise – Business edition. Export to Google Docs and Export to Google Slides are hidden if data access is turned off at the administrative level.

Troubleshooting export issues

The Export button is missing: This typically indicates your account is either BYOID or doesn't have access to Google Workspace, or that you haven't configured your Google Drive data store in Gemini Enterprise – Business edition, or your Workspace admin has turned off Google Workspace access by Gemini Enterprise – Business edition.
The Export fails after clicking: This happens if there is an account mismatch between your account and the account with which the Google Drive data store is connected to. Verify you're logged in using the correct identity.

Limitations

The following limitations apply when using Canvas:

Regionalization: Only Global, EU, and US regions are supported.
Mobile support: Canvas is not supported on the mobile app. It is only available on the web app.

Quota consumption

Canvas queries and regular Gemini Enterprise – Business edition chat queries are counted in the same way and share the same quota.

Best practices

When generating content in Canvas, follow these best practices:

For complex documents and presentations, provide clear and detailed prompts, with other enterprise knowledge artifacts as sources and template references.
Always review and edit the AI-generated content to ensure that it meets your requirements.

Instructions for Google Workspace administrators

This section is for Google Workspace administrators.

Canvas is currently in public preview. Administrators must review the following technical constraints, data handling behaviors, and available controls to determine if the feature aligns with your organization's current needs:

Pre-GA scope: Canvas is currently pre-GA, so relevant Google Cloud-wide restrictions and limitations apply.
Account and regional limits: Canvas is currently available exclusively in the global, US, and EU regions during the public preview. It is available for users of Gemini Enterprise – Business edition, Standard and Plus editions.
Administrative controls: Canvas is enabled by default. Gemini Enterprise – Business edition administrators can enable or disable the feature.