To start using the Chrome Canvas app, open a new tab, and go to canvas.apps.chrome. If you are on a Chromebook, this extension comes pre-installed.

Want to learn how to use this app? Read on.

canvas.apps.chrome

Install Chrome Canvas app

Chrome Canvas is a web app. You need not install it to use it. Bookmarking the URL of the app will do.

However, you can install this as a Progressive Web App (PWA). This means you will have a Canvas app icon in your launcher. In addition, you can create desktop or taskbar shortcuts for the app.

Chrome Canvas is a Progressive Web App. You can install this on your Chromebook too.

Here is how you install the Canvas app.

1. Open canvas.apps.chrome in a new tab.
2. Click the + icon on the address bar.
3. On the confirmation screen, click Install.
4. The Canvas app will now launch as a PWA app. You will also see an app icon in the taskbar.

You can right-click the Canvas app icon on the taskbar to pin it to the taskbar. You will also find this app in your launcher. Here is a screenshot from a Windows 10 computer:

You can now open the Canvas app using the taskbar shortcut or from the launcher. Type “Canvas” to search for the app.

Now let us learn how to use the Chrome Canvas app.

Draw using the Canvas app

There are two ways to get started with the Canvas app. You can either create a new drawing or start from an image.

If you choose New drawing, you’ll get a blank canvas to start drawing. New from image lets you upload a new image and draw on it.

Let us first get familiar with all the elements on the screen first.

1. Home icon to go back to the gallery. You will see all your drawings here. These files sync across devices where you use the same Google account.
2. Undo
3. Redo
4. Add layer icon. We will discuss this in detail later.
5. Settings icon. You’ll see the option to save your drawing an image here.
6. Color palette. Choose your color from here.
7. Brush size and opacity
8. Pencil
9. Pen
10. Marker
11. Chalk
12. Eraser

Change color, try different tools, make your beautiful drawing, and make the empty canvas come to life.

Now, let us explore how to upload an image and edit it using the Canvas app.

New from image

When you click New from image from the home screen of the Canvas app, a file selector prompt appears. Browse and select the image that you want to edit.

The Canvas app will now open this image alongside the tools that we discussed in the previous section. Then, you can draw on the image using all the tools available.

If you wish to add more layers to the image, that is possible too.

Add, remove or hide layers

Have you ever used Adobe Photoshop? If you have, you will be familiar with the concept of layers.

Layers mean stacking one layer of an image or drawing on top of another. You can do this using the Canvas app.

To add existing view layers, click the layers icon on the top-right corner.

To add a new layer, click the “+” icon.

To select a layer’s contents, click the selector icon.

Click the eye icon to show or hide a layer.

To delete a layer, click the trashcan icon.

Uninstall Chrome Canvas

To uninstall the Chrome Canvas app:

1. Open chrome://apps/ in a new tab.
2. Right-click Chrome Canvas.
3. Choose Remove from Chrome.

This will remove Chrome Canvas from your computer or Chromebook.