> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.zerotwo.ai/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Canvas Troubleshooting

> Fixes for common Canvas Mode issues — activation problems, wrong editor types, inline edit failures, export errors, and shared link issues.

This page covers the most common issues with ZeroTwo's Canvas Mode and how to resolve them quickly.

## Activation Issues

<Accordion title="Canvas Mode pill is not visible">
  The Canvas pill lives in the prompt bar at the bottom of the chat interface.

  **Things to check:**

  * Make sure you are in a **main chat view** (`/c` or `/c/:chatId`). Canvas Mode is not available in all views — it is not accessible from the Projects overview, settings pages, or the home screen.
  * If you are in a chat and the pill is still missing, try a hard refresh: `Cmd/Ctrl + Shift + R`.
  * If the pill appears but is grayed out, your current plan may not include Canvas Mode access. Check your plan at **Settings → Subscription**.
  * Try opening a new chat and checking there.

  If the pill is still not visible after all of the above, contact ZeroTwo support from **Settings → Help & Support**.
</Accordion>

<Accordion title="Canvas panel didn't open after sending my message">
  The Canvas pill must be **toggled on (highlighted/blue)** before you send your message. If the pill is not active when you press send, ZeroTwo responds in the chat as usual — no canvas opens.

  **Fix:**

  1. Click the Canvas pill so it turns blue and is visibly highlighted.
  2. Send your message again.

  If the pill is active and the canvas still does not open, try rephrasing your prompt to be more explicit — see the AI behavior section below.
</Accordion>

## AI Behavior Issues

<Accordion title="AI wrote in the chat instead of the canvas">
  Canvas Mode is active, but ZeroTwo chose to respond in the chat rather than opening a canvas. This usually happens when the prompt is conversational or does not clearly call for a document artifact.

  **Fix — be more explicit:**

  * "Create a **canvas document** with..." instead of just asking a question
  * "Open a canvas and write a blog post about X"
  * "Make a canvas spreadsheet comparing..."
  * "Write this as a canvas document, not in the chat"

  If the response is already in the chat and you want it moved to a canvas, send: "Now put that in a canvas document."
</Accordion>

<Accordion title="Wrong editor type opened (e.g., text editor when I wanted code)">
  ZeroTwo infers the editor type from your prompt. If the wrong editor opens, specify the type explicitly:

  | To open this editor | Include in your prompt                                                                        |
  | ------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
  | Rich Text           | "Write a document..." or "Draft a report..."                                                  |
  | Code                | "Create a **Python code canvas**..." or "Write a **JavaScript function** in a code canvas..." |
  | Spreadsheet         | "Make a **spreadsheet**..." or "Build a **table** with columns for..."                        |
  | Mermaid Diagram     | "Create a **Mermaid flowchart**..." or "Draw a **sequence diagram**..."                       |
  | HTML Preview        | "Build an **HTML page**..." or "Create a **live HTML canvas**..."                             |

  You can also ask ZeroTwo to switch: "Close this and open a code canvas instead."
</Accordion>

<Accordion title="AI keeps regenerating the entire canvas instead of just editing part">
  When you send a follow-up message, ZeroTwo may regenerate the entire canvas rather than making a targeted edit. To prevent this, be specific about what should change and what should stay:

  * "**Only** change the second paragraph — make it shorter"
  * "**Add** a new section at the end about pricing; leave the rest unchanged"
  * "**Replace** the table in section 3 with a bullet list"

  For small text changes, use **inline edits** instead: select the specific text in the canvas and use the inline toolbar to modify just that passage.
</Accordion>

## Inline Edit Issues

<Accordion title="Inline edit toolbar is not appearing">
  The inline edit toolbar appears when you select text in the Rich Text canvas.

  **If it is not showing up:**

  1. Click directly on the text first to make sure the canvas is focused, then click and drag to select text.
  2. Avoid using keyboard shortcuts alone (`Shift + Arrow`) as the initial focus — click first, then extend the selection.
  3. Click elsewhere in the canvas to deselect, then try selecting again.
  4. Try refreshing the page if the toolbar is consistently missing.

  **Note:** Inline edits are only available in the **Rich Text editor** canvas. They are not available in the Code, Spreadsheet, Diagram, or HTML editors — use the chat to request changes in those editors.
</Accordion>

<Accordion title="Inline edit replaced more content than I selected">
  The AI sometimes expands an inline edit beyond the selected text, especially near section boundaries. To narrow the scope:

  * Select a smaller, more specific passage
  * Add "only change the selected text, do not modify surrounding content" to your inline edit instruction
  * Use `Cmd/Ctrl + Z` immediately to undo if the change was too broad, then try again with a smaller selection
</Accordion>

## Undo and History Issues

<Accordion title="Undo is not working">
  Undo behavior depends on the editor type:

  * **Rich Text editor:** `Cmd/Ctrl + Z` for undo, `Cmd/Ctrl + Shift + Z` for redo. This uses BlockNote's native history. Click inside the canvas first to ensure it is focused before pressing the shortcut.
  * **Spreadsheet editor:** Undo behavior may be limited. In-cell edits may not be fully undoable. For major changes, ask ZeroTwo to revert: "Restore the spreadsheet to before the last change."
  * **All other editors (Code, Diagram, HTML):** Use the **undo/redo buttons in the canvas toolbar** if available, not keyboard shortcuts.

  **Note:** Undo history is per-session. Refreshing the page clears the undo stack. Document content is saved, but you cannot undo changes made in a previous session.
</Accordion>

## Export Issues

<Accordion title="Export not downloading or PDF generation fails">
  **Try these steps in order:**

  1. Wait up to 30 seconds — PDF generation for large documents can be slow.
  2. Try a different export format. If PDF is failing, try DOCX or Markdown.
  3. Check your browser's download settings — some browsers block automatic downloads. Look for a blocked download notification in the URL bar and allow downloads from zerotwo.ai.
  4. Try in a different browser (Chrome, Firefox, Safari).
  5. If the canvas is very long, try exporting a shorter version first to confirm the feature is working.

  If exports consistently fail across all formats, contact ZeroTwo support.
</Accordion>

<Accordion title="Shared link shows 'not found'">
  This means the canvas has been deleted or the share link was revoked.

  **Check:**

  * Go to **Settings → Data Controls → Shared Links** to see if the link is still listed as active.
  * If the canvas was deleted, the link cannot be restored.
  * If the canvas still exists in your workspace, open it and generate a new share link from the canvas toolbar.
</Accordion>

## Diagram Issues

<Accordion title="Mermaid diagram not rendering or showing an error">
  A rendering error means there is a **Mermaid syntax error** in the generated code. The left pane shows the Mermaid source; look for the syntax issue.

  **Quick fix:** Send this message in the chat: "The diagram has a syntax error — please fix it." ZeroTwo will review and correct the Mermaid syntax.

  **Manual fixes for common syntax errors:**

  * Node labels with spaces must be in quotes: `A["Label with spaces"]`
  * Missing `end` keyword at the close of a subgraph
  * Wrong arrow syntax — flowcharts use `-->`, sequence diagrams use `->>`
  * Unsupported characters in node labels (avoid `()`, `{}`, `<>` inside labels without quoting)

  Full Mermaid syntax reference: [mermaid.js.org](https://mermaid.js.org)
</Accordion>

<Accordion title="Diagram export is blank or empty">
  A blank export almost always means the diagram was not rendering correctly (a syntax error). Fix the Mermaid syntax first, confirm the right pane shows the rendered diagram, then export again.
</Accordion>

## Performance Issues

<Accordion title="Canvas is slow to load or update">
  Large canvases may take a moment to render.

  **Tips by editor type:**

  * **Rich Text:** Very long documents (500+ paragraphs) may be slow. Break very long content into multiple canvases.
  * **HTML Preview:** Remove heavy external libraries if they are not needed.
  * **Mermaid Diagrams:** Very large diagrams (100+ nodes) render slowly. Simplify if performance is a concern.
  * Try refreshing the page if the canvas appears frozen — ZeroTwo will reload the last saved state.
</Accordion>

## Still Need Help?

If your issue is not covered here:

* Check the [Canvas Overview](/tools/canvas/overview) to verify you are using the feature as intended
* Search the ZeroTwo documentation using the search bar
* Contact ZeroTwo support from **Settings → Help & Support**

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Canvas Overview" icon="layers" href="/tools/canvas/overview">
    How Canvas Mode works and all 7 editor types.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Export Canvas" icon="download" href="/tools/canvas/export-canvas">
    All export formats and how to use them.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Share Canvas" icon="share2" href="/tools/canvas/share-canvas">
    Managing and revoking shared canvas links.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Rich Text Editor" icon="pen-line" href="/tools/canvas/text-editor">
    Formatting, inline edits, and undo/redo details.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>