Help · Images and layers
How to Upload Plans and Photos and Work with Layers
MetricCanvas accepts any image your browser can open — JPG, PNG, WebP, screenshots of PDFs, scanned blueprints or satellite captures. This guide shows how to add images, arrange them as layers and pick up your work exactly where you left it.
Add images with drag and drop
Drag one or several image files from your desktop and drop them anywhere on the page — a highlighted frame shows that the drop will be accepted. Images dropped on the canvas appear where you release them; the first image is automatically zoomed to fit the screen. You can also click the upload box in the sidebar to pick files.
Your images never leave your computer: they are processed locally in the browser, which makes MetricCanvas safe for private floor plans and client documents.
Move and arrange images
Choose the Select tool (cursor icon, or press A) and drag an image to move it. With other tools, hold Ctrl/Cmd while pressing on an image to drag it. Measurements attached to an image move together with it, so you can rearrange the canvas without losing your work.
Put two versions of a plan side by side, or a photo next to its floor plan, to compare dimensions at a glance.
Layers: order and visibility
The Layers panel lists every image. Use the arrows to bring an image forward or send it back when images overlap, and the eye icon to hide an image temporarily without deleting it. Hidden images are ignored when you click on the canvas.
To start again, use the reset button in the toolbar; it clears images, calibration and measurements, and can be undone with Cmd/Ctrl + Z.
Your work is saved automatically
Images, calibration, measurements, labels, locks, the zoom level and the active tool are saved in your browser as you work. Close the tab and come back later — everything reopens as you left it, even with large photos.
The data is stored only on this device and in this browser. Clearing site data or using a private window removes it, so export your measurements if you need to keep them.