Use the element menu

The element menu is the full action menu for the object or objects you selected. Use it when the inline toolbar is too small, or when you need file, image, layer, copy, lock, group, sub-canvas, or destructive actions that depend on the element type.

The inline toolbar is the fast selected-object surface; the element menu is the full one. Open it by selecting an element and using More, or by opening the context menu on the object. The exact list changes with element type, selection count, permission, upload state, device, and workspace settings — the menu is not meant to show every action all the time.

Availability and permissions

Actions by object type

Comments, links, and copy

Use Add comment (or Cmd/Ctrl+Enter) when feedback belongs to the selected object — the thread stays anchored and is easier to resolve than a nearby note. Deleting an object can delete or detach its comment history, so slow down when a destructive action warns about comments. See Comments and mentions.

Use Copy link when someone needs to jump to the exact object. This is usually a private link — it points back into ALLO and works for people who already have access, so if the recipient may not, share the canvas first (private vs share links explains the model). This differs from adding a link to text or an object, which can point to another canvas, sub-canvas, or external site. Use Copy as Markdown for a text-first destination, and Copy, Duplicate, or Paste (Cmd/Ctrl+V) when you want more canvas objects.

File, image, and document workflows

Select a file and use Preview to inspect it in ALLO, Download when you need the local file and downloads are allowed, and Copy link to send someone to the exact file element. For an image that needs updating, use Replace image instead of deleting and re-uploading so placement and context are kept; use Crop for framing, Flip horizontal/vertical for mirroring, Remove background so the subject sits cleanly, and Restore image to undo background removal. Work with images, files, and spreadsheets covers these in detail.

Remove background is an AI-assisted action for supported image states (processable JPEG, PNG, WebP, or AVIF sources). It can be missing when an upload or generated image is still pending, the workspace lacks the image-processing capability, the source cannot be used, or you lack edit permission. Restore image appears only when ALLO still has the original to restore. Some PDF and image actions depend on processing state, so wait for the preview or thumbnail to finish before retrying.

Use Convert to canvas when a supported uploaded PDF or Office file deserves its own workspace — ALLO creates a sub-canvas beside the source and keeps the original visible. It requires exactly one selected uploaded document and edit access, and is not available for guests, multiple selections, unsupported file types, link-only embeds, or files still processing. See Convert an uploaded document to a canvas.

Layout and sub-canvas workflows

Use Group after arranging objects that should move together (a label plus screenshot, a diagram block). Use Lock for canvas infrastructure — backgrounds, section labels, instructions, reference screenshots — but do not lock everything, since collaborators read locked content as intentional. Use Bring to front and Send to back when overlap blocks selection; if an object is hard to select after sending it back, select from an open edge or temporarily move the covering object. Use Tidy Up, align, and distribute to clean spacing before sharing without rewriting the work.

For a sub-canvas element, use Open canvas to enter it, Share when a collaborator can see the parent but not the sub-canvas, and Rename and Upload a thumbnail to make the doorway understandable. Avoid deleting a sub-canvas element casually — it is how collaborators find the connected canvas.

Useful shortcuts

Troubleshooting

• The action you expect is missing. Check the selected element type first — a sticky note does not need Preview, and a mixed selection cannot show every object-specific action.
• A destructive action warns about comments. Deleting an object can delete or detach its comment history, so resolve or copy important review discussion first.
• A file action is disabled. The file may still be uploading, downloads may be restricted, the workspace capability may be unavailable, or your permission may allow viewing but not downloading. Ask the owner if the restriction is intentional.
• Grouping or alignment affects unexpected objects. Clear the selection and reselect carefully — dense, overlapping canvases make accidental multi-selection easy.
• Open canvas is visible but access fails. The sub-canvas may not be shared with you even though the parent is. Ask the owner to share it or move it into a project you can access.