1.4 Rendering & JavaScript ✦HighVerified
Content in canvas/WebGL
Text drawn into a canvas or WebGL scene is pixels, not text. Google cannot read it, so any content that matters needs a real textual equivalent in the DOM.
What it is
Text/info painted into canvas or WebGL.
Why it matters
Such content is not text-extractable; Google can’t read it.
How to fix it
Provide real HTML text equivalents.
How to find it on your site
- Identify content rendered into canvas or WebGL.
- Check whether an equivalent exists as real text in the HTML.
- Provide the important content as selectable text, with the canvas as enhancement.
- Confirm the text version appears in the rendered HTML.
Cross-reference to ranking and citation factors
Only textually expressed content can be indexed and quoted. Canvas-only content is invisible to search and AI answers.
Impact
High for affected content. Direct.
Evidence
Googlebot finds only textually-visible content; express it in text. Google Search Central, SEO Guide for Web Developers