# What does the Canvas UI element do?

**URL:** <https://forum.code.org/t/what-does-the-canvas-ui-element-do/37054>\
**Category:** Resources, Tools, Differentiation\
**Created:** [October 13, 2022, 2:04pm UTC](https://forum.code.org/t/what-does-the-canvas-ui-element-do/37054 "2022-10-13T14:04:38Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![ron.knapper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/5e9695/32.png) [@ron.knapper](https://forum.code.org/u/ron.knapper)\
**Post date:** [October 13, 2022, 2:04pm UTC](https://forum.code.org/t/what-does-the-canvas-ui-element-do/37054/1 "2022-10-13T14:04:39Z")

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I don’t know if my training missed it, or I am not looking in the right places for information, but… what in the heck in unit 3 does the Canvas Element do? I can’t see that it does anything. Can’t seem to make it do anything… Help!

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**Author:** ![wutadam](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.code.org/wutadam/32/7711_2.png) [@wutadam](https://forum.code.org/u/wutadam)\
**Post date:** [October 13, 2022, 2:52pm UTC](https://forum.code.org/t/what-does-the-canvas-ui-element-do/37054/2 "2022-10-13T14:52:35Z")

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The canvas is for drawing. You can use the red canvas blocks to draw pictures on it.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![ron.knapper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/5e9695/32.png) [@ron.knapper](https://forum.code.org/u/ron.knapper)\
**Post date:** [October 13, 2022, 3:08pm UTC](https://forum.code.org/t/what-does-the-canvas-ui-element-do/37054/3 "2022-10-13T15:08:51Z")

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I thought it was for drawing. But… I add it, when I run the app, there’s nothing displaying. I certainly don’t see any red canvas blocks. We are only on Unit 03.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![wutadam](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.code.org/wutadam/32/7711_2.png) [@wutadam](https://forum.code.org/u/wutadam)\
**Post date:** [October 13, 2022, 7:47pm UTC](https://forum.code.org/t/what-does-the-canvas-ui-element-do/37054/4 "2022-10-13T19:47:24Z")

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For specific lessons, blocks won’t appear unless a previous lesson has used them. If you’d like to test it out in your own project, you can make a new one with [this link](https://studio.code.org/projects/applab/new).

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**Author:** ![ron.knapper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/5e9695/32.png) [@ron.knapper](https://forum.code.org/u/ron.knapper)\
**Post date:** [October 13, 2022, 8:07pm UTC](https://forum.code.org/t/what-does-the-canvas-ui-element-do/37054/5 "2022-10-13T20:07:53Z")

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Thanks. A student was wanting to use one and we both figured it was a drawing element, but it is available in the Design screen, but not the code screen, so it is kind of deceiving. I would think it should not be available for placing as an element if you are unable to interact with it programmatically. It causes some confusion.