Present a canvas

Presentation mode turns a page canvas into a fullscreen slideshow. Use it when the canvas is ready to be walked through in order and the editing interface would distract from the story: client review, workshop wrap-up, class session, internal readout, or design critique.

Presentation is for page canvases on desktop. Freeform whiteboards do not use a page sequence, so they are not presented as slides. Mobile and guest access are for viewing or collaborating in the canvas, not running fullscreen page presentation.

Availability

Start presentation

Open the canvas, check the page order in the Slide rail and overview, then choose Present from the canvas header. The shortcut is Cmd+Alt+P on Mac or Ctrl+Alt+P on Windows and Linux when available.

ALLO opens a fullscreen slideshow with a dark background and hides editing controls. The purpose is to make the canvas readable as a presentation, not to edit it live. If you notice a page order problem, exit presentation, fix the page order or folded state, then start again.

Move through slides

Keyboard behavior can depend on browser focus and operating system shortcuts. If a key does not work, click inside the presentation first or use the footer controls.

Prepare a canvas for presentation

Rename pages manually before presenting. Smart titles can help during editing, but presentation audiences need clear page names and a clear order.

Fold pages that should not be shown: facilitator notes, scratch work, archived pages, or alternate versions. Because folded pages are skipped, they are a clean way to keep useful material in the canvas without showing it.

Check media before the session. Large images, PDFs, and embedded content should be loaded before you start. If a file is still processing, presentation may not show the page the way you expect.

Resolve or hide distracting comment activity if the audience does not need to see it. Presentation mode hides editing UI, but the underlying canvas should still be clean enough to read.

Present during a live collaboration session

Presentation mode changes your view of the canvas. If you are running a live meeting, combine it with the collaboration tools that fit the session.

If the audience also needs to edit, presentation mode may be the wrong surface. Use the normal canvas with the slide rail visible, or present only during the readout portion.

Presentation versus export

Use Present when people are watching the canvas live. Use Export to PDF or Print when someone needs a static copy after the session. Use Export for the whole-canvas header menu, and use Fix a failed canvas export if output does not complete.

Presentation respects page order and folded-page state. Export and print also depend on page structure, but they are separate actions. A presentation going well does not prove a PDF export will include every media element if files are still loading.

What can go wrong

If Present is missing, check whether the canvas is a freeform whiteboard, whether you are on mobile, whether you are a guest, or whether you do not have enough access to run presentation.

If the wrong page starts first, exit, navigate to the intended starting page, and start again. If that page is folded, unfold it first.

If a page is skipped, check whether it is folded. Folded pages are intentionally excluded from presentation.

If the footer controls do not respond, click inside the presentation or use keyboard controls. If browser fullscreen behavior is interfering, exit and restart presentation.

If the presentation looks messy, the canvas probably needs presentation prep rather than a presentation fix. Rename pages, fold scratch pages, align objects, hide irrelevant comments, and check media loading before trying again.