# Project chat canvas links open \`source.canvas.tsx\` as a file instead of the live canvas

**URL:** <https://forum.cursor.com/t/project-chat-canvas-links-open-source-canvas-tsx-as-a-file-instead-of-the-live-canvas/171785>\
**Category:** Bug Reports\
**Tags:** canvas, chat\
**Created:** [September 15, 2026, 7:22pm UTC](https://forum.cursor.com/t/project-chat-canvas-links-open-source-canvas-tsx-as-a-file-instead-of-the-live-canvas/171785 "2026-09-15T19:22:17Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![jburri](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/43a26b/32.png) [@jburri](https://forum.cursor.com/u/jburri)\
**Post date:** [September 15, 2026, 7:22pm UTC](https://forum.cursor.com/t/project-chat-canvas-links-open-source-canvas-tsx-as-a-file-instead-of-the-live-canvas/171785/1 "2026-09-15T19:22:17Z")

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### Where does the bug appear (feature/product)?

Cursor IDE

### Describe the Bug

The canvas link in the chat opened the canvas source file in a normal editor tab:

`User Context/canvases/<uuid>/source.canvas.tsx`

I see the source, not the rendered canvas.

### Steps to Reproduce

1. Open a **Project** conversation (cloud coordinator).
2. Ask for a diagram as a canvas (git/rebase walkthrough).
3. Agent writes a canvas under the user store and replies with a markdown link to `/cursor/stores/user/canvases/<uuid>/source.canvas.tsx`.
4. Click that link in the Project chat.

### Expected Behavior

Clicking a canvas link from a Project conversation should open the **live canvas** beside the chat (the compiled React view).

### Screenshots / Screen Recordings

 ![Cursor_Cursor Agents_09-15@2x.png](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/cursor1/original/3X/4/0/40f5f8fc074fdf01671cf36382c4265ae4f13b77.jpeg)

### Operating System

MacOS

### Version Information

Version: 3.20.21  
VS Code Extension API: 1.128.0  
Commit: f09fca384ceca23f7bf21f9c23655b162641d740  
Date: 2026-09-13T19:02:51.781Z  
Layout: Agent Window  
Build Type: Stable  
Release Track: Nightly  
Electron: 42.10.0  
Chromium: 148.0.7778.280  
Node.js: 24.18.1  
V8: 14.8.178.38-electron.0  
xterm.js: 6.1.0-beta.291  
OS: Darwin arm64 27.0.0

### Does this stop you from using Cursor

No - Cursor works, but with this issue

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Colin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/cursor1/user_avatar/forum.cursor.com/colin/32/90452_2.png) [@Colin](https://forum.cursor.com/u/Colin)\
**Post date:** [September 16, 2026, 7:51am UTC](https://forum.cursor.com/t/project-chat-canvas-links-open-source-canvas-tsx-as-a-file-instead-of-the-live-canvas/171785/6 "2026-09-16T07:51:34Z")

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Hey @jburri, thanks for the report, and for the clear repro.

You’ve found a real gap: Project (cloud) agents can save a canvas into your user context, but the Agents window doesn’t yet render canvases that live there, so the link falls back to opening the source file. The team is aware and it’s tracked; I’ve added your report.

In the meantime, canvases made by a regular (non-Project) agent on your local workspace render normally. If you want to keep the one the Project made, open a normal agent chat in the same workspace and ask it to recreate that diagram as a canvas (you can paste the source it produced). Opening from the + button, then Canvas, then Recent also works for local canvases.

I’ll keep this thread updated!