# Focus on one item or board

> Select an item or board and click Enter focus mode to show only that item, full size; press Escape or click Exit focus mode to go back to the canvas.

Category: Boards and presenting
Web page: https://www.pactto.com/help/focus-mode
All guides: https://www.pactto.com/help.md

## What focus mode does

Focus mode fills your screen with one item and hides everything else on the canvas. It works on images, videos, audio files, PDFs, links, Pactto Docs, tables, screen shares and boards. When you focus a board, you see the board and everything inside it.

Focus mode only changes your own screen. Other people keep their view, unless you are the spotlight and they follow you (see [Spotlight your view](https://www.pactto.com/help/spotlight.md)).

Who can do it: everyone in the room, including people with **Can view** access.

## Enter focus mode

1. Select the item, or click a board's name to select the board.
2. Click **Enter focus mode** in the bar above the item (for a board, in the bar next to its name).
3. The item fills the screen and its name moves to the top left of the screen. For an item inside a board, the title shows the board name followed by the item name.

## Exit focus mode

- Press **Escape**, or
- Click **Exit focus mode** at the top left, next to the item's title.

You return to where you were on the canvas.

## While in focus mode

- If your access lets you draw, you can still draw and annotate on top of the item.
- Scrolling the mouse wheel does not move the canvas. Long documents, PDFs and tables scroll inside the item.
- To zoom into an image, PDF, video or screen share, hold Cmd (Ctrl on Windows) and scroll, or pinch on a touch screen. See [Zoom in on an item in focus mode](https://www.pactto.com/help/focus-zoom.md).
- The chat stays available.
- Others cannot move, resize, rotate or delete an item while someone has it in focus mode. Pactto shows a message if they try. They can still play a video, turn PDF pages, change the review status, and edit the content of Docs and tables.
- Several people can have the same item in focus mode at once.
- When you focus a board, you can select, move and edit the items inside it.

## Good to know

- Presenting a board uses focus mode: each slide opens in focus mode. See [Present in a room](https://www.pactto.com/help/present.md).
- If you are the spotlight, entering focus mode takes your followers into the same item.
- If you start sharing your screen while in focus mode, your view switches to your screen share and returns to the previous item when you stop.
- Opening focus mode closes the AI Assistant panel if it was open.

## Related guides

- [Present in a room](https://www.pactto.com/help/present.md): Add your assets, put them in a board, select the board and click the play button (Enter presentation mode); turn on Spotlight so everyone in the room follows your slides.
- [Spotlight your view so others follow you](https://www.pactto.com/help/spotlight.md): Click Spotlight me in the header (or press X) and confirm Become spotlight; others are invited to follow your view and their canvas moves with yours until you stop.
- [Create a board and add items to it](https://www.pactto.com/help/boards.md): A board is a named container on the room canvas that groups items; draw one with the Board tool (B) or select items and choose Convert to Board, then drag or drop items into it.
- [Zoom in on an item in focus mode](https://www.pactto.com/help/focus-zoom.md): In focus mode, hold Cmd (Ctrl on Windows) and scroll, or pinch on a touch screen, to zoom into an image, PDF, video or screen share; drag to move around and click Reset zoom to go back.
- [Play videos and keep them in sync for everyone](https://www.pactto.com/help/video-playback.md): Click the round play button on a video or select it to use the controls (timeline, Play, speed, volume, time format); during Spotlight, play, pause and seeking are shared by everyone in the session.
- [Follow a screen share when one or more people present](https://www.pactto.com/help/multiple-presenters.md): When someone shares their screen you are asked Follow {name}'s screen share?; click Follow, or click their camera tile with the yellow Presenting badge, to view their screen full size. Several people can share at once.