Text objects

Text objects give the canvas stable words: headings, labels, instructions, captions, callouts, legends, and short explanations that should not look like brainstorm notes. They are the right object when the words are part of the canvas structure rather than an individual idea to be sorted.

Use sticky notes when each item should move through a workshop as a separate thought. Use text objects when the words explain the canvas, name a section, label a diagram, or make a decision readable. Text can sit on top of shapes, beside arrows and lines, or near uploaded files to explain what people should look at.

Availability and permissions

The current mobile toolbar coverage documented for the Help Center focuses on Select, Hand, Drawing, Sticky notes, Upload files, and Insert links. For mobile work, select and review existing text as supported by the canvas UI, but create structured text on desktop when the exact placement and formatting matter.

When to use text

Use text for durable labels and explanations. Good examples include a workshop agenda title, a "Questions still open" label, a legend that explains sticky note colors, a diagram caption, a section header above a row of screenshots, or a short instruction such as "Vote on the three risks with the highest customer impact."

Use text instead of sticky notes when the words should stay in place while the work around them moves. A sticky note says "this is one item". A text object says "this area means something". That distinction matters when people scan the canvas later.

Use a shape behind text when the label needs contrast or a visible boundary. Use an arrow beside text when the words explain a relationship or call attention to a specific part of the canvas. Keep the text itself short. Long narrative belongs in a document, canvas page, or linked resource.

Add text objects

Choose the Text tool from the desktop canvas toolbar, then click on the canvas to place text. The T shortcut selects the Text tool when your keyboard focus is on the canvas rather than inside another editor. Pressing Enter while the Text tool is active can create a text object near the visible center of the canvas.

New text opens in editing mode so you can start typing. If the canvas creates a small text object from a click, type the label first, then resize or reposition it after the words are visible. This avoids creating large empty text areas that are hard to distinguish from intentional blocks.

For consistent canvases, add text after the main objects are roughly placed. It is easier to name sections and write instructions once the layout has a real shape.

Edit text and links

Select a text object, then use the edit action, double-click behavior, or keyboard entry supported by your canvas state to change the words. If the shortcut or typing action does not start editing, click the object again or open the object menu and choose Edit.

The inline toolbar exposes text formatting controls when they apply to the selection. The available controls can include font controls, size, bold, italic, underline, strikethrough, checklist style, text alignment, and link actions.

Use formatting to make structure obvious, not decorative:

• A large bold label should mark a real section.
• A link should point to the exact resource people need.

For the shared editor behavior, including links, checklists, slash commands, mentions, and controls that are not available in every state, see Use the rich text editor.

If a URL needs to travel with the text object, use the link control shown for the selection. If the link is part of a longer explanation, make the visible text descriptive enough that someone can understand the destination before opening it.

Arrange and style text

Text objects are often more effective when paired with other objects. Place a section heading above a group of sticky notes. Put a small label inside a shape to name a block in a diagram. Add a short callout near an arrow when the connection needs explanation.

Keep text readable at the zoom level people will use. A title can be larger than nearby sticky notes, but labels inside compact diagrams should stay modest. Avoid using several font sizes in one small area unless the hierarchy is important.

Use grouping when a text label belongs to a shape, sticker, or cluster of notes. Grouping helps move the label with its context. Use locking when a heading or instruction should stay fixed during a workshop. Use the element menu for duplicate, copy, copy link, group, ungroup, bring forward, send backward, lock, unlock, and delete actions when those actions are available.

Collaboration and comments

Text objects often carry shared instructions, so edit them carefully during live collaboration. If people are actively working in an area, avoid rewriting the heading underneath them unless the change is visible and intentional. A small wording change can change how the group interprets the entire section.

Use comments when text needs review, approval, or clarification. A comment thread is better than adding "(maybe?)" directly into a heading. Once the group resolves the question, update the text object so the canvas does not require readers to inspect the comment history.

For threaded discussion and mentions, see Comments and mentions. For live editing expectations, see Live collaboration.

Examples

On a workshop canvas, use text for the agenda, time boxes, voting instructions, and section titles. Keep participant contributions as sticky notes so they remain sortable.

On a product map, use text labels for "Current workflow", "Open risk", "Customer evidence", and "Next experiment". Place shapes behind major zones, then use arrows to show how the zones connect.

On a design review canvas, use text under screenshots for short captions and decision status. If the caption starts to become a paragraph, link to a fuller note or spec instead.

What can go wrong

If T does not select the Text tool, the keyboard focus is probably inside another editing surface. Click empty canvas space, then try again. Canvas shortcuts are intentionally quiet while typing so they do not interrupt text entry.

If text looks like a sticky note, the object may have been created as a note or formatted with note-like styling. Use the right object for the job: text for labels and instructions, sticky notes for moveable ideas.

If text becomes unreadable after zooming out, shorten it or make it a heading with supporting detail elsewhere. Canvas text should guide scanning. It should not force people to zoom and pan through a paragraph just to know what a section means.