Contact Us

If you still have questions or prefer to get help directly from an agent, please submit a request.
We’ll get back to you as soon as possible.

Please fill out the contact form below and we will reply as soon as possible.

  • Contact Us
  • Home
  • Canvas
  • Create a canvas

Create a canvas to visualize your automated system

Written by Owner

Updated at August 20th, 2025

Contact Us

If you still have questions or prefer to get help directly from an agent, please submit a request.
We’ll get back to you as soon as possible.

Please fill out the contact form below and we will reply as soon as possible.

  • Tables
    Work with tables Manage tables Create tables Troubleshoot Zapier Tables
  • Product updates
    Product updates: January 2023 Product updates: March 2023 Product updates: February 2023 Product updates: April 2023 Product updates: May 2023 Product updates: June 2023 Product updates: July 2023 Product updates: August 2023 Product updates: September 2023 Product updates: October 2023 Product updates: November 2023 Product updates: December 2023 Product updates: January 2024 Product updates: February 2024 Product updates: March 2024 Product updates: April 2024 Product updates: May 2024 Product updates: June 2024 Product updates: July 2024 Product updates: August 2024 Product updates: September 2024 Product updates: October 2024 Product updates: November 2024 Product updates: December 2024 Product updates: January 2025 Product updates: February 2025 Product updates: March 2025 Product updates: April 2025 Product updates: May 2025 Product updates: June 2025 Product updates: July 2025 Product updates: August 2025
  • Zaps
    Zap basics Zap history Troubleshoot Zaps Manage your Zaps Do more with Zaps
  • Your Zapier account
    Plans Billing Account profile Notifications Data privacy & security Get help User roles and permissions
  • Interfaces
    Troubleshoot Zapier Interfaces Create an interface Use interface components Manage interfaces
  • Canvas
    Create a canvas Collaborate on a canvas
  • Chatbots
    Add logic and knowledge to chatbots Troubleshoot chatbots Create chatbots Manage chatbots
  • Getting started
    Intro to Zapier Set up your Zapier account Use case templates
  • Agents
    Create agents Manage agents Troubleshoot agents
  • MCP
    Set up MCP
  • Built-in tools
    Filter & Paths Formatter Schedule & Delay Email, IMAP, SMTP, & Email Parser Webhooks & Code Storage, Digest, & RSS Sub-Zap & Looping Other built-in tools Custom Actions & API Requests Functions AI by Zapier & AI actions Copilot Human in the Loop
  • Lead Router
    Create routers
  • Apps
    Connect and manage your app connections AI apps on Zapier Apps on Zapier
+ More

Table of Contents

Draft a canvas Review and build the canvas Make changes before building the canvas Use Copilot to make changes Add steps Connect steps Move steps Delete a step Delete a canvas Collaborate on systems Data retention Provide feedback and get help
miscBoltAlt icon Beta

This product is in open beta. It’s available for use but still in active development and may change.

Zapier Canvas helps you visualize and organize full business systems. You can create systems that include manual and automated steps, add Zaps, Zapier Chatbots, Tables, Interfaces, and many other apps, share these systems with others, and invite team members to collaborate.

Draft a canvas

  1. From the Canvas home, click + Create canvas. You'll be directed to your new canvas.
  2. In the dialog box, describe what you want to build. Canvas will use AI to generate a system suggestion. Learn how to create an effective prompt for Zapier Canvas.
    • If you prefer to create your system manually, click anywhere outside the dialog box to see the blank canvas and add steps.
  3. You can make changes to the suggested system after it's displayed:
    • Edit or rewrite your initial request and click Generate to start again or refine your request.
    • Click an underlined app name to replace it with a different app.
    • In the section Additional steps to consider, select the checkbox to add more steps to your canvas.
  4. When you're happy with your system, click Start building. You'll be taken to your new canvas.
Screen Shot 2025-04-25 at 11.31.39 AM.png

Review and build the canvas

Once you start building, Canvas will display all the steps and apps suggested previously as a draft system. If you're happy with what it creates, click Build it. The assets will be added to your Zapier account, and you can edit any part of the system. 

miscEye icon Note

The account must have enough Zapier assets available (such as interfaces, chatbots, or tables) to create the whole system. If you need more assets, upgrade your plan.

Make changes before building the canvas

If you want to review or make changes to any part of the system before building:

  • Preview each asset by hovering over it and clicking the View asset icon.
  • If you want to start over, click Start from scratch.
  • Use the AI chat to make changes to the displayed system.

Use Copilot to make changes

While your system is in draft, you can chat with Copilot to edit any parts of it or add new steps, for example.

  • In the chat text field on the bottom left, enter the changes you want to make and press Enter on your keyboard, or click the Send icon .
  • The AI will make the requested changes and update any other steps that may be affected.
    • Click the Stop button in the chat field to stop the AI generation.
Screen Shot 2025-07-21 at 3.46.27 PM.png

Add steps

You can add new steps to a canvas by clicking the icon that appears whenever you hover over an existing step. Use this icon to add a step, split a path, or get a step suggestion.

miscEye icon Note

You can only add assets you own to a canvas. Shared tables, interfaces, and chatbots cannot be added as a step.

You can also add: 

  • Split paths: connect one step to multiple outcomes.
  • Text boxes: add a title or description anywhere in your canvas.
  • Groups: group steps and other objects to move them together, and label these groups. 

To create these elements, click any of the options in the Basic menu at the bottom of the canvas, and then click an empty area of the canvas.

Learn about the different element types in Canvas.

Connect steps

When you hover over a step, small dots appear on each side of it. Click any dot and drag it to a dot on another step to connect them.

Move steps

You can move steps by clicking on the step border and dragging it to a new position, using either the Select or Hand tool. When you move a step to a new position, all connected lines will move with it.

Delete a step

To delete a step:

  1. Click a step or drag over multiple steps.
  2. On your keyboard, click the delete (Mac) or backspace (Windows) key.

Only the selected steps are deleted. Any steps that were attached to it will be attached to another step. 

Delete a canvas

From the Canvas home:

  1. Click the three dot icon beside the canvas' name.
  2. Click Delete. This action cannot be undone.

Collaborate on systems

You can invite other members of your Zapier account to help develop the system. Learn how to collaborate on a system.

Data retention

Zapier's Data Retention, deletion, and export practices vary depending on the product. Learn more about the specific guidelines for the product you're using.

Provide feedback and get help

You can request a feature, provide feedback on the product, and get help from the Canvas team.

 

Was this article helpful?

Yes
No
Give feedback about this article

Related Articles

  • Element types in Zapier Canvas
  • Groups steps in Canvas
  • Use keyboard shortcuts on Zapier Canvas
  • Clean up your canvas
  • Prompt AI to create a system in Zapier Canvas

Copyright 2025 – OBZ-Zapier.

Knowledge Base Software powered by Helpjuice

Expand