Open & View JSON Canvas (.canvas) Files Online
🔒 Your .canvas is parsed and rendered in your browser and is never uploaded.
Someone shared a .canvas file and you just want to see what is inside it — without installing Obsidian or any other app. Drop it here and this tool parses the JSON Canvas right inside your browser and draws the whole board: text cards, groups, colored nodes, and the arrows connecting them. Nothing is uploaded; the file is read on your own device and never leaves it. Once it is on screen you can export the board as a PNG image or a scalable SVG to drop into a document, slide, or wiki. It works with any file that follows the open JSON Canvas 1.0 spec.
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
What is a .canvas file?
It is a JSON Canvas file — an open, JSON-based format created by Obsidian for infinite-canvas boards of notes, links, and groups. Because it is plain JSON, this tool can render it without Obsidian.
Is my canvas uploaded anywhere?
No. The file is parsed and drawn entirely in your browser on your own device. It is never uploaded, stored, or seen by anyone.
Why do some cards show as placeholders?
Cards that point to an external file or web link only store a reference, not the content. The .canvas file itself does not contain the image or note, so those nodes are drawn as labelled placeholders.