How to Export Your Poe Canvas App as HTML

Name: AppToPub
Author: Keith Li

Poe Canvas is a powerful tool for building interactive AI-powered apps directly inside Poe.com. But what if you want to share your creation with people who don't have a Poe account? The first step is exporting your Canvas app's HTML source code. This guide walks you through the entire process.

What Is Poe Canvas?

Poe Canvas is a feature within Poe that lets you build interactive web applications powered by AI models like GPT-4, Claude, and Gemini. These apps run inside Poe's embedded environment and can include chat interfaces, data visualizations, games, utilities, and more.

The catch: Canvas apps are tied to the Poe platform. Anyone who wants to use your app needs a Poe account, and there's no built-in way to host them as standalone websites. That's where exporting the HTML comes in.

Why Export Your Canvas App?

Share publicly — Send a link to friends, clients, or on social media without requiring a Poe login
Embed anywhere — Drop the converted app into your own website via an iframe
Portfolio showcase — Demonstrate your AI app-building skills with a live, working demo
Client delivery — Hand off a polished, standalone app to clients

Step-by-Step: Export Your Poe Canvas App HTML

Open Poe.com and navigate to your Canvas app. Log in to your Poe account at poe.com and find the Canvas app you want to export.
Click "Edit" to open the Canvas editor. You'll see the full source code of your app — this is the HTML, CSS, and JavaScript that powers your Canvas creation.
Select all the source code. Use Ctrl+A (Windows/Linux) or Cmd+A (Mac) to select the entire content of the editor.
Copy the source code. Use Ctrl+C or Cmd+C to copy it to your clipboard.
Paste into AppToPub. Go to AppToPub and paste the HTML into the upload area. You can also save the code as an .html file first and upload that instead.

What Does the Exported HTML Contain?

The exported HTML is a single-file web application. It typically includes:

HTML structure — The layout and UI elements of your app
CSS styles — Inline or embedded stylesheets for appearance
JavaScript logic — App behavior, API calls to Poe's inference endpoints, and interactivity
Poe API references — Calls to Poe's embed API that enable AI model communication

The key thing to understand: this HTML file won't work if you just open it in a browser. It relies on Poe's API infrastructure for AI model access. That's exactly what AppToPub solves — it rewrites the API calls to use your own Poe API key, making the app fully standalone.

Common Issues When Exporting

I can't find the Edit button: Make sure you're viewing a Canvas app, not a regular Poe bot. Canvas apps have an "Edit" option that opens the source code editor.
The copied code looks incomplete: Ensure you've selected all the content in the editor. Use Ctrl+A / Cmd+A to select everything, not just what's visible on screen.
My app uses external resources: If your Canvas app loads external CDN scripts or stylesheets, AppToPub will handle proxying those resources automatically. No manual changes needed.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a Poe subscription to export?: No. Any Poe user can access the Canvas editor and copy the source code. You do need a Poe API key to use AppToPub, which is available through Poe's developer settings.
Can I export someone else's Canvas app?: You can only access the editor for Canvas apps you've created or have edit access to. Respect other creators' intellectual property.
Is the exported HTML the same as "View Source"?: No. The Canvas editor shows the app source code, which is different from the browser's "View Source" output. Always use the Canvas editor's Edit view.

With your HTML exported, you're ready for the next step: turning it into a live public website. Head over to our guide on converting your Poe app to a public website to deploy it in under 60 seconds.