Shopify Canvas and Snug Gallery: what works today

Shopify announced Canvas on October 1, 2026, a store design surface where you work with Sidekick and see your theme's templates side by side. You can describe changes to Sidekick or edit blocks, settings and text yourself. The Canvas help page says it is in early access for certain stores and available only on desktop.

App blocks and embeds aren't supported yet

Shopify's Canvas requirements state: “You can't add or configure app blocks or app embeds in Canvas.” Snug Gallery displays galleries through a theme app extension, so its Gallery block cannot be added or configured on a Canvas theme today. Use an Online Store 2.0 theme in the standard theme editor to place your gallery.

A familiar theme name does not settle compatibility. Canvas works with Shopify-developed themes and custom themes; third-party themes are not supported in Canvas. Even a Shopify theme such as Dawn needs to be edited in the standard editor for you to add the Snug Gallery block.

Look for the Canvas badge

Go to Online Store > Themes and check the theme's badge. Shopify's creating and customizing guide explains that themes edited in Canvas display a Canvas badge. Clicking Edit theme on one of these themes opens Canvas, not the standard theme editor.

Clicking New creates a theme with Sidekick in Canvas. Choosing Duplicate in Canvas opens a separate copy that you can edit only in Canvas; the original stays in your theme library and remains editable in the standard theme editor. Changes to the two themes are separate, so check which version contains your latest work before publishing.

Use a theme without the badge

This approach uses a theme without the Canvas badge. The Canvas copy remains a separate theme, and clicking Edit theme on that copy will still open Canvas.

On Online Store > Themes, find your original Online Store 2.0 theme without the Canvas badge. If you want a working copy, use Duplicate on that theme, not Duplicate in Canvas.
Open that theme in the standard theme editor. Add a section or block, choose Gallery from Snug Gallery under Apps, and select your gallery in the block settings. If you are editing an unpublished copy, open that copy directly from Themes: Snug Gallery's Add to theme button targets your current live theme.
Adjust the gallery's settings and save. Preview the theme and check that it contains the changes you want before publishing it. Our no-code gallery setup guide walks through the gallery steps.

What Shopify has said about support

Shopify has told app developers that it expects theme app extension support before Canvas becomes the default editor, with no changes required from apps. That is an expectation, not a release date. For now, use the Canvas badge and Shopify's current app-block limitation to choose where you build your gallery.