View an Obsidian Canvas Online — No Obsidian Needed
🔒 Your .canvas is parsed and rendered in your browser and is never uploaded.
Obsidian’s Canvas is great, but you do not always have Obsidian open — or installed — when a .canvas file lands in your inbox or a shared folder. This page lets you view an Obsidian Canvas online: drop the file in and the board is rendered in your browser, no vault and no app required. Your notes stay private because the file is read locally and never uploaded. You will see the text cards, the groups, the colors, and the connecting arrows just as they were laid out. When you are done, export the board as a PNG or SVG so you can share it with people who do not use Obsidian at all.
How it works
- Choose or drop your
.canvasfile(s). - The board is parsed and drawn instantly — in your browser.
- Export it as a PNG or SVG image. Nothing is uploaded.
FAQ
Do I need an Obsidian vault to open the file?
No. This tool reads the .canvas file directly. You do not need Obsidian, a vault, or any plugin — just the file itself.
Will my linked notes and images appear?
Cards that embed a vault note or image store only a path, not the content, so they appear as labelled placeholders. Text cards, groups, colors and edges render fully.
Is this affiliated with Obsidian?
No. This is an independent tool that reads the open JSON Canvas format. It is not made by, or affiliated with, Obsidian.