Position Media on the Canvas
Learn how to preview and arrange media on the canvas for your video.
Canvas Overview
The canvas is the area to preview and arrange media in your video. Drag and drop media or assets onto the canvas or timeline to add it to a video. 
The canvas shows a preview of your video. Drag the playhead along the timeline to change the point in time in the video that is shown. 
To learn how the timeline and canvas work together to build your video content, see the 3 Keys to the Timeline video series.
Position Media on the Canvas
Complete any of the following to edit the position of media in your video:
Move
- In the canvas toolbar, click Edit mode.
- Click and drag media to move to a new location on the canvas.
Resize
- In the canvas toolbar, click Edit mode.
- Click to select media on the canvas.
- Drag a white media handle in or out.
Scale Media within a Rev Layout
For Rev media, zoom in to focus viewers’ attention on an area of the screen recording or scale the camera stream to fill the layout frame.
- Click to select the screen or camera stream on the canvas.
- On the Visual Properties tab in the Properties pane, drag the Scale slider to zoom in or out.
- On the canvas, click and drag within the layout frame to position the content.
Reposition within a Layout Frame
For Rev media, center or adjust the focus of content within a layout frame.
- Click to select the screen or camera stream on the canvas.
- On the canvas, click and drag within the layout frame to position the content.
Crop
Hide parts of the media from showing in the final video.
- In the canvas toolbar, click Crop mode.
- Click to select the media or layout frame on the canvas and drag a blue handle in or out.
- Click and drag the media to position the content within the frame.
Align
The canvas offers guides to help you snap media to the edge, center, or align with other media.
- Canvas guides appear as you drag media on the canvas. Drag media until it aligns with the edge, center, or other media guidelines.
- To disable canvas snapping guidelines, select View > Enable Canvas Snapping to remove the checkmark.
Arrange – Timeline Z-Order
To reorder media on the canvas, right-click (Windows) or Control-click (Mac) and select Arrange.
The z-order position of media on the canvas is set by the placement of media on the timeline tracks. Media on the top track appears in front of media on lower tracks.
Rotate
Click to select media on canvas. Drag the center green handle in the media to rotate around the anchor point.
Change the Rev Media Layout
Click the Modify button on the Rev media on the timeline to change the layout.
Canvas Editing + Properties
The canvas and the properties both provide ways to adjust the appearance of media in a video.
- Use the canvas to manually edit the appearance of your video.
- Use the properties for fine-tuned editing or to enter a specific value for media properties. The properties also allow you to customize the properties for applied effects and backgrounds.
See Customize Media & Effect Properties.
Canvas Toolbar & Editing Modes
The canvas toolbar is located above the canvas and offers various editing modes. 
| Tool | Description |
|---|---|
Edit mode (Default) | Select this mode to move, resize, and rotate media on the canvas. |
Corner Pin mode | Select this mode to create a 3D perspective or to pin the corners of the media to fit within the boundaries of another object, such as a device frame. For example, replace what’s shown on a computer display with your own screen recording or simulate text on a whiteboard. See Create the Illusion of 3D Perspective (Corner Pinning).   |
Pan mode | If you are zoomed in and the entire canvas is not visible, select this mode or hold the Spacebar and drag to change the visible area on the canvas. Camtasia keeps the original position and size when panning. Canvas editing is disabled in Pan mode. |
Crop mode | Select this mode to trim the unwanted areas from media.
|
| Detach / Attach Canvas | To view the video preview in full screen mode or for better viewing, detach the canvas from the Camtasia application window and move it to another location, such as onto another monitor. To detach the canvas: Right-click (Windows) or Control-click (Mac) an empty area on the canvas and select Detach Canvas. Drag the detached canvas to the desired location on your screen. To reattach the canvas: Right-click (Windows) or Control-click (Mac) an empty area on the canvas and select Attach Canvas. |
Full Screen mode Windows Mac | If the canvas is detached from the Camtasia application window, you can expand the canvas to full screen mode. Press ESC to exit. |
Change the canvas magnification | To help preview or edit media in your video, you can adjust the canvas zoom level. Click the Canvas Options dropdown menu to select the zoom level.
|
| Project Settings | Set the canvas dimensions, editing frame rate, and audio level for your project. See Crisp and Clear Screen Recordings. |
Change the Video Background Color
If media or assets do not cover the entire canvas, the canvas background displays in the final video.
For the entire video:
- Right-click (Windows) or Control-click (Mac) the canvas and select Project Settings.
- The Project Settings dialog appears. Select a color from the Color dropdown.
- Click Apply.
For a section in the video:
- Click the Annotations tab.
- Click the Shapes subtab.
- Drag a rectangle onto the canvas. Drag the handles until the annotation covers the entire canvas.
- Right-click (Windows) or Control-click (Mac) the annotation on the canvas and select Arrange > Send to Back.
- In the properties, select the desired background color from the Fill color dropdown and the Outline color dropdown.
- Drag an end of the annotation on the timeline to set the duration for the background in the video.
Tip: For more contrast while editing, you can change the application theme color.
- On Windows, select Edit menu > Preferences > Program tab > Application theme.
- On Mac, select Camtasia menu > Settings > General tab > Application Theme.
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