Quick answer
To turn a Gemini Canvas into a website free (and put it on a custom domain): open the Code tab (or Share & export → Copy contents), paste into GeminiLaunch, and publish. You get a live HTTPS URL in under two minutes — no GitHub, no build step. Per Google's Canvas help, shared g.co/gemini/share links only open on gemini.google.com (not the Gemini mobile app), and viewers can copy the Canvas. That is a demo link, not yourbrand.com. Free plan: up to 3 live sites on a GeminiLaunch subdomain; Lite ($5/mo) adds editing + 1 custom domain.
The problem
Why Gemini's share link isn't a real website
Gemini Canvas is genuinely good at building websites. Turn on the Canvas tool, describe what you want, and Gemini writes the code on the left with a live, interactive preview on the right. Iterate in plain English until it looks perfect.
Then you hit Share & export → Share, and Gemini gives you a g.co/gemini/share link. Google documents that shared links only open on gemini.google.com — not in the Gemini mobile app — and that anyone who opens the link can copy the Canvas and keep editing it. There is no custom-domain option on that share URL.
There is a bigger catch: every share link is a frozen snapshot. Update your Canvas tomorrow, and the link you already sent still shows yesterday's version. The only fix is sharing a brand-new link - and hoping everyone clicks the right one.
Here is what you cannot do with a Gemini share link:
Get a standalone page - the Canvas always opens inside Gemini's interface
Connect your own custom domain - the URL always stays on g.co
Update the page after sharing - every link is a frozen snapshot
Stop viewers from copying your full source with one click
Open the link in the Gemini mobile app - it only works on the web
Gemini share link
Your page opens framed inside Gemini's interface on a g.co URL. The link is a snapshot you cannot update, and anyone can copy the whole Canvas as their own.
GeminiLaunch
A standalone page on your own URL. Keep your source to yourself, and from Lite, update it anytime without changing the link and replace the subdomain with a custom domain.
Key insight
The code in your Canvas belongs to you. Gemini already did 90% of the work - the only thing missing is a URL you own. Copying the code out and publishing it yourself closes that last 10%.
Compare
Your three options, compared
There are three ways to take a Gemini Canvas further. Here is how they compare for building a real website.
| Option | URL you get | Your source code | Custom domain | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gemini share link | A g.co/gemini/share link | Anyone can copy your full source | No custom domain | Quick demos inside the Gemini interface |
| Save the HTML yourself | A file on your computer | Private, but not live | No URL until you host it | Keeping a local copy or moving the code elsewhere |
| GeminiLaunch | Your own live URL | Your source stays yours | Custom domain from Lite | A real website you own, editable anytime from Lite |
Step-by-step
Turn your Gemini Canvas into a real website in 4 steps
The whole process takes under two minutes once you have done it once. No GitHub, no terminal, no build step.
Get the code out of your Gemini Canvas
Open your Canvas in Gemini. Switch to the code view (the Code tab at the top of the Canvas panel) and copy everything. Or click Share and choose the copy contents option. If Gemini split your site into separate HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, type in the chat: "Give me this entire page as a single HTML file with all CSS and JavaScript inline." Gemini outputs one complete block, ready to copy.
Tip: The single-file instruction matters. One HTML block means one copy, one paste, no missing styles or broken scripts.
Paste the code into GeminiLaunch
Go to GeminiLaunch and create a new project. Paste the code from your Canvas into the editor. GeminiLaunch auto-detects whether it is HTML or React - no framework selection, no configuration. It reads your code and handles the rest.
Tip: GeminiLaunch publishes your Canvas exactly as Gemini built it. It does not rebuild or reinterpret your design - the preview you saw in Canvas is the site that goes live.
Publish and get your live URL
Click publish. Within seconds you get a live public URL on a free GeminiLaunch subdomain. Anyone can open it in any browser on any device - no Google account, no Gemini interface around your page, and nobody can copy your Canvas source from it. Share it with clients, customers, or anyone.
Tip: This is the difference from the g.co share link. Your page is a standalone website, not a Canvas viewed inside Gemini's interface.
Connect your own custom domain
When you are ready, upgrade to GeminiLaunch Lite ($5/mo) for 1 domain, or Pro ($15/mo) for up to 5, and connect your own domain. You add one DNS record at your registrar - GeminiLaunch shows you exactly what to copy - and your Gemini-built site goes live on yourbrand.com. No developer needed.
Tip: Lite includes 1 custom domain; Pro includes up to 5. Most domains go live within 5 to 30 minutes of adding the DNS record.
Avoid these
Common mistakes when publishing a Gemini Canvas
Sharing the g.co link as your "website"
The share link opens your Canvas inside Gemini's interface, not as a standalone page. It also will not open in the Gemini mobile app, so phone visitors get bounced to the browser. For anything client-facing, publish the code on a real URL instead.
Copying only the HTML and losing the CSS
If Gemini generated separate files, copying just the HTML gives you an unstyled page. Ask Gemini for a single file with everything inline before you copy - one block, nothing missing.
Re-sharing a new link after every edit
Each Gemini share link is a snapshot. If you update the Canvas, the old link still shows the old version, so you end up re-sending new links forever. Publishing on GeminiLaunch fixes this: paste the updated code, republish, and your URL stays the same.
Not realizing your source code is public
Anyone who opens your shared Canvas can copy the entire thing and continue editing it as their own. If your page contains anything you would rather not hand over - copy, structure, pricing logic - keep it off the share link.
Start here
Gemini website hosting
Cluster hub: Gemini does not host — free live URL, then your domain.
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Web Code Canvas index.html explained
Saw “generated with web code canvas tool”? Decode the filename, then host it.
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Turn a Google AI Studio project into a website
Build mode ZIP → dist → live URL — different from Canvas paste-and-publish.
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Turn Claude artifact into website
Same playbook for Claude users: skip claude.site and own your URL.
Read the guideFAQ
Frequently asked questions
Common questions about turning a Gemini Canvas into a real website.
How do I turn a Gemini Canvas into a real website?
Copy the code from your Gemini Canvas (Code tab, or Share & export → Copy contents), paste it into GeminiLaunch, and click publish. You get a live public URL in under two minutes, and you can connect your own custom domain from Lite ($5/mo). No GitHub, no coding, and no build step required.
Can Gemini Canvas publish a website directly?
Not as a standalone website you control. Share creates a g.co/gemini/share link that opens inside gemini.google.com only. There is no custom domain, the link does not open in the Gemini mobile app, and anyone who views it can copy your full source. For a real website URL, host the exported code elsewhere.
What is the problem with the g.co share link?
Three things: the link opens inside Gemini's interface rather than as your own page, every share is a frozen snapshot you cannot update, and viewers can copy your entire Canvas source and reuse it. It works for quick demos, but it is not a website you would put on a business card.
Can people copy my code from a shared Gemini Canvas?
Yes. Anyone who opens a public Canvas link can use the Copy Canvas option to duplicate your entire project, including all the code, and continue editing it as their own. Publishing the code as a real website on GeminiLaunch avoids this - visitors see your page, not your editable source project.
Can I update a Gemini Canvas after sharing the link?
Not on the same link. Each share is a snapshot, so edits to your Canvas do not appear on links you already sent. With GeminiLaunch, you paste the updated code and republish - your URL and custom domain stay the same, and everyone sees the new version.
Can I connect a custom domain to a Gemini Canvas?
Not through Gemini - shared Canvases stay on g.co links. To put your Gemini-built site on your own domain, copy the code into GeminiLaunch and connect your domain there. It takes one DNS record and starts on the $5/mo Lite plan.
Is it free to publish a Gemini Canvas on GeminiLaunch?
Yes. The free plan lets you publish up to 3 live sites to a GeminiLaunch subdomain with no commercial restriction. Lite at $5 per month adds 1 custom domain and editing after publish; Pro at $15 per month adds unlimited sites and up to 5 custom domains.
Does this work if my Canvas is React instead of HTML?
Yes. GeminiLaunch auto-detects HTML and React. Whether Gemini generated a static HTML page or a React component in Canvas, you paste the code and it publishes correctly without any configuration.
How do I get the code out of Gemini Canvas?
Open the Code tab at the top of the Canvas panel and copy everything, or use the copy option in the Share menu. If the project has separate files, ask Gemini for the whole page as one HTML file with all CSS and JavaScript inline - then it is a single copy-paste.
Do visitors need a Google account to see my published site?
On GeminiLaunch, no - anyone can open your URL in any browser on any device with no account and no sign-in. Gemini's own share links open inside the Gemini web interface and do not work in the Gemini mobile app.
What online tools turn a Gemini Canvas into a website?
Paste-and-publish hosts (GeminiLaunch) and ZIP/file drop hosts (Tiiny Host, Netlify Drop, GitHub Pages) both work. GeminiLaunch is the simplest for non-developers: paste the Canvas code and publish, with no download step, no GitHub, and your design kept exactly as Gemini made it. Drop hosts need you to save index.html (or a ZIP) and upload it yourself.
Does a Gemini Canvas share link open on mobile?
Google’s Canvas help says shared links only open on gemini.google.com — you can’t open shared Canvas content in the Gemini mobile app. For a link that works in any phone browser with no Google account, publish the code on a real host like GeminiLaunch.
Can I keep editing my site in Gemini after publishing?
Yes - and it is the recommended workflow. Iterate in Gemini Canvas where editing is easiest, then copy the updated code into your GeminiLaunch project and republish. Your live URL and custom domain never change.
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