Stickers

Stickers are visual markers on the canvas. Use them for reactions, signals, lightweight status marks, symbolic labels, and moments where an icon communicates faster than another line of text. They can make a canvas easier to scan when used sparingly.

A sticker is not a database field, status system, or task tracker. If a sticker means "approved", "blocked", or "needs follow-up", make that convention visible with text or use a more explicit object such as a sticky note, text object, or comment.

Availability and permissions

The documented mobile canvas toolbar does not list Stickers as a primary mobile creation tool. Add and tune sticker-heavy layouts on desktop when placement and sizing matter.

When to use stickers

Use stickers to add a visual signal that improves scanning. A check mark can indicate a selected option. A warning symbol can flag a risk. A hand, star, or reaction sticker can make workshop sentiment visible without adding another note.

Use stickers near the object they modify. Place a risk sticker on the relevant sticky note cluster, not in a corner of the canvas. Place a reaction sticker next to the decision it reacts to. If the sticker is separated from its context, it becomes decoration instead of information.

Avoid using stickers as the only representation of important state. A new reader may not know what an icon means, and exported or printed views can make small stickers harder to interpret. If the state matters, pair the sticker with readable text or a comment.

Add stickers

Choose Stickers from the desktop canvas toolbar or press K when the canvas has keyboard focus. The sticker panel supports search and commonly used sticker sources. Search for a concrete object or concept, then click a sticker to place it or drag it onto the canvas when the UI supports drag placement.

Placed stickers become canvas objects. They can be selected, moved, resized, copied, duplicated, grouped, locked, or deleted according to your permissions. Sticker creation may involve loading the image asset after placement, so give the object a moment if the visual does not appear immediately.

For repeated use, ALLO keeps recent sticker context in the toolbar flow so common stickers are easier to reuse during the same kind of work.

Size, place, and group stickers

Keep stickers large enough to read at the intended zoom level and small enough that they do not compete with the content. A sticker beside a sticky note should feel like a marker. A sticker in a presentation section can be larger if it carries visual emphasis.

Group a sticker with the object it marks when the two should always move together. For example, group an approval sticker with the selected option, or group a warning sticker with the shape that represents a risk area. Do not group stickers with a large section if participants still need to move the underlying notes independently.

Use locking when a sticker marks a final state and should not be bumped during cleanup. Use the element menu for grouping, locking, duplicate, copy, and delete actions where available.

Format and combine with other objects

Stickers are strongest when they complement other canvas objects. Use shapes for the area, text for the label, sticky notes for the ideas, and stickers for the visual cue. That keeps the sticker from carrying too much meaning alone.

Use a small, consistent set of stickers on operational canvases. For example, one check mark for approved, one warning icon for risk, and one question icon for unresolved. If every team member uses a different icon style, the canvas becomes harder to read.

Do not use stickers where a line, arrow, or shape would be clearer. A sticker can signal attention, but arrows and lines explain relationships.

Collaboration and comments

Stickers are useful for shared reactions during workshops, but they can create ambiguity if the group does not agree on the meaning. If people are voting or reacting, define the convention before the activity starts. For example, "Use a star sticker for the idea you want to explore" is clearer than "Add stickers where you feel something."

Use comments when a sticker needs explanation. A warning sticker beside a customer quote may be enough in the moment, but a comment can capture the reason: "Legal review needed before using this claim." For threaded discussions, see Comments and mentions.

After a workshop, remove reaction stickers that no longer matter. Keep stickers that help future readers understand the final canvas.

Examples

In a prioritization workshop, ask participants to place star stickers on the three opportunities they want to discuss. After the vote, count the stars, record the outcome in text, and delete extra stickers if they clutter the canvas.

In a roadmap review, place a warning sticker near items with unresolved dependency risk. Add a comment or sticky note explaining the blocker so the icon is not the only source of truth.

In a design canvas, use a check sticker beside the selected direction and a text label with the decision date. That makes the final choice visible without depending on memory.

What can go wrong

If K does not open stickers, check keyboard focus. Shortcuts do not fire while typing in text, comments, or browser inputs. Click empty canvas space, then try again.

If a sticker looks decorative but unclear, add a label or remove it. A canvas full of unexplained icons can feel lively while making decisions harder to recover.

If a sticker will not move or delete, it may be locked, selected by someone else, still loading, or outside your permission level. Open the element menu to see what actions are available.