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What are canvas apps?

Canvas apps are custom business applications you can create in Microsoft Power Apps without writing code. Think of a canvas as a blank design surface where you can drag and drop components to build exactly the user interface you need. Whether you're creating a simple data entry form or a complex business workflow, canvas apps give you the flexibility to design solutions that work the way your business works.

With canvas apps, you can:

  • Connect to data from hundreds of sources. , including Microsoft 365, Dataverse, SharePoint, and other data sources
  • Create responsive designs that work seamlessly across browsers and mobile devices
  • Use AI-powered Copilot to build apps through natural language conversations
  • Share your apps securely within your organization
  • Embed apps directly in SharePoint, Power BI, and Microsoft Teams

This overview helps you understand how to get started building canvas apps and guide you through the key concepts for creating effective business solutions.

Build an app

The following articles provide guidance on building apps:

For more information on where makers can create apps, see Get started with Power Apps.

After you generate an app automatically, customize its default appearance and behavior based on your users' workflows. For example, change which types of data appear, how they're sorted, or whether users specify a number by typing it or adjusting a slider. Add and customize screens, galleries, forms, and other controls.

After you generate and customize an app automatically, create an app from scratch based on Dataverse, Excel, or another data source. By working from the ground up, you get flexibility in app design, flow, and controls, and you can use a larger variety of data sources.

If you're new to Power Apps and want to turn your ideas into a working solution, start with Planning a Power Apps project.

Note

  • If you don't have a license for Power Apps, you can sign up for free.
  • If you don't have an organization account or aren't part of a tenant or organization account, you can establish a developer's account through the Microsoft Developer Program.

Share and run an app

When you finish the app and save it to the cloud, share it with others in your organization. Specify which users or groups can run the app, and whether they can also customize and share it with more people in the organization.

Run your own apps, and any apps shared with you, on Windows, in a web browser, or on an iOS or Android device.

Learn more

Share your experience

  • Read and post in the Power Apps Community, where anyone who uses Power Apps can post a question for others to answer. Before you post a question, search the community to see if your question is already answered.
  • Submit an idea to improve Power Apps in the Power Apps Ideas Forum.
  • If you're a Power Apps admin for your organization, open a support ticket in the Power Platform admin center.