---
title: Instance state
created_at: 1/31/2026
updated_at: 1/31/2026
keywords:
  - instance
  - state
  - session
  - TLInstance
  - preferences
  - debug mode
  - grid mode
  - focus mode
  - pen mode
  - readonly
  - cursor
status: published
date: 1/31/2026
---

Instance state is the per-tab state that tracks your current session. It includes which page you're viewing, whether the grid is visible, if debug mode is on, and transient interaction state like the current cursor.

Unlike document state (shapes, pages, assets), instance state belongs to a single browser tab and isn't synced between collaborators.

```tsx
import { Tldraw } from 'tldraw'
import 'tldraw/tldraw.css'

export default function App() {
	return (
		<div style={{ position: 'fixed', inset: 0 }}>
			<Tldraw
				onMount={(editor) => {
					// Enable grid mode and debug mode
					editor.updateInstanceState({
						isGridMode: true,
						isDebugMode: true,
					})
				}}
			/>
		</div>
	)
}
```

## Reading instance state

Use [Editor#getInstanceState](?) to access the current instance state. The returned object contains all session properties:

```typescript
const instance = editor.getInstanceState()

// Check modes
instance.isGridMode // true if grid is visible
instance.isDebugMode // true if debug overlays are shown
instance.isFocusMode // true if UI is minimized
instance.isPenMode // true once a direct-display stylus (e.g. Apple Pencil) is used
instance.isToolLocked // true if tool stays active after creating shapes
instance.isReadonly // true if editing is disabled

// Current state
instance.currentPageId // which page is active
instance.cursor // cursor type and rotation
instance.isFocused // whether the editor has focus

// Screen information
instance.screenBounds // viewport dimensions
instance.devicePixelRatio // display scaling factor
instance.isCoarsePointer // true for touch input
```

The result is reactive. When you access it inside a `track` component or `react` callback, your code re-runs when the state changes:

```tsx
import { track, useEditor } from 'tldraw'

const DebugIndicator = track(function DebugIndicator() {
	const editor = useEditor()
	const { isDebugMode, isGridMode } = editor.getInstanceState()

	return (
		<div>
			Debug: {isDebugMode ? 'on' : 'off'}, Grid: {isGridMode ? 'on' : 'off'}
		</div>
	)
})
```

## Updating instance state

Use [Editor#updateInstanceState](?) to modify instance properties:

```typescript
// Enable grid mode
editor.updateInstanceState({ isGridMode: true })

// Enable multiple options at once
editor.updateInstanceState({
	isDebugMode: true,
	isToolLocked: true,
})

// Toggle a mode
const { isGridMode } = editor.getInstanceState()
editor.updateInstanceState({ isGridMode: !isGridMode })
```

Changes take effect immediately. By default they are not added to the undo stack; pass `{ history: 'record' }` as the second argument to record them. When using a `persistenceKey`, some properties persist across sessions (see [Session persistence](#session-persistence) below).

Note that `currentPageId` cannot be changed through `updateInstanceState`. Use [Editor#setCurrentPage](?) instead.

## Available properties

### Mode flags

These boolean flags control major editor behaviors:

| Property       | Description                                                                                           | Persists |
| -------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | -------- |
| `isGridMode`   | Show grid overlay on the canvas                                                                       | Yes      |
| `isDebugMode`  | Show the debug panel (current tool state, debug menu)                                                 | Yes      |
| `isFocusMode`  | Minimize the UI to just the canvas                                                                    | Yes      |
| `isToolLocked` | Keep current tool active after creating a shape                                                       | Yes      |
| `isReadonly`   | Prevent document edits, except for shapes whose util allows editing in readonly                       | No       |
| `isPenMode`    | Set automatically when a direct-display stylus (e.g. Apple Pencil) is used; touch is ignored while on | No       |
| `isFocused`    | Whether the editor currently has keyboard focus                                                       | No       |

### Display state

Properties that track the current display environment:

| Property           | Description                                                                                      | Persists |
| ------------------ | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | -------- |
| `screenBounds`     | Viewport position and dimensions (x, y, w, h)                                                    | No       |
| `devicePixelRatio` | Display scaling factor (e.g., 2 for Retina)                                                      | No       |
| `isCoarsePointer`  | Indicates touch or low-precision input is active; mirrors `tlenvReactive`                        | No       |
| `isHoveringCanvas` | Whether pointer is over the canvas (null if no hover support)                                    | No       |
| `insets`           | Whether the container is inset from the document edge on each side, `[top, right, bottom, left]` | No       |

### Navigation state

| Property        | Description                                            | Persists |
| --------------- | ------------------------------------------------------ | -------- |
| `currentPageId` | ID of the currently active page                        | Yes      |
| `openMenus`     | Unused by the SDK; open menus are tracked by `tlmenus` | No       |

### Interaction state

Temporary state used during user interactions:

| Property          | Description                                                  | Persists |
| ----------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------ | -------- |
| `cursor`          | Current cursor type and rotation                             | No       |
| `brush`           | Selection brush bounds during drag selection                 | No       |
| `zoomBrush`       | Zoom brush bounds during zoom-to-area                        | No       |
| `scribbles`       | Active scribble animations (eraser trails, etc.)             | No       |
| `isChangingStyle` | Set after a style change; resets after 1s or on pointer move | No       |
| `cameraState`     | Whether the camera is `'idle'` or `'moving'`                 | No       |

### Shape creation

Settings that affect newly created shapes:

| Property              | Description                         | Persists |
| --------------------- | ----------------------------------- | -------- |
| `opacityForNextShape` | Opacity applied to new shapes (0-1) | No       |
| `stylesForNextShape`  | Style values applied to new shapes  | No       |
| `duplicateProps`      | State for smart duplicate offset    | No       |

### Collaboration

Properties for multiplayer features:

| Property             | Description                                | Persists |
| -------------------- | ------------------------------------------ | -------- |
| `followingUserId`    | ID of user being followed, or null         | No       |
| `highlightedUserIds` | IDs of users whose cursors are highlighted | No       |
| `chatMessage`        | Current chat message being composed        | No       |
| `isChatting`         | Whether chat input is active               | No       |

### Custom data

| Property           | Description                              | Persists |
| ------------------ | ---------------------------------------- | -------- |
| `meta`             | Arbitrary JSON data for your application | No       |
| `exportBackground` | Include background color when exporting  | Yes      |

The "Persists" column shows what a `persistenceKey` saves between sessions. Separately, when you call `loadSnapshot`, a wider set of instance properties (screen bounds, pointer type, readonly, and the mode flags above) is preserved from the existing store rather than overwritten by the snapshot; see [TLSessionStateSnapshot](?).

## Common patterns

### Focus mode

Focus mode hides most of the UI for presentation or distraction-free editing:

```typescript
editor.updateInstanceState({ isFocusMode: true })
```

### Grid mode

Show a grid overlay to help with alignment:

```typescript
editor.updateInstanceState({ isGridMode: true })
```

The grid respects the camera zoom level. You can customize the grid appearance by overriding the `Grid` component via the `components` prop.

### Debug mode

Debug mode shows the debug panel: the current tool state path, an optional FPS counter, and the debug menu:

```typescript
editor.updateInstanceState({ isDebugMode: true })
```

### Tool lock

When tool lock is enabled, the current tool stays active after creating a shape instead of returning to the select tool:

```typescript
editor.updateInstanceState({ isToolLocked: true })
```

Custom tools should check this property to decide whether to return to select after completing their action. See [Tools](/sdk-features/tools#Tool-lock) for implementation details.

### Cursor customization

Set a custom cursor type and rotation:

```typescript
// Use the setCursor helper
editor.setCursor({ type: 'cross', rotation: 0 })

// Or update directly
editor.updateInstanceState({
	cursor: { type: 'grab', rotation: 0 },
})
```

See [Cursors](/sdk-features/cursors) for the full list of cursor types and rotation handling.

### Detecting touch input

Check `isCoarsePointer` to adapt your UI for touch:

```tsx
const { isCoarsePointer } = editor.getInstanceState()
const buttonSize = isCoarsePointer ? 48 : 32 // Larger touch targets
```

The value updates automatically when the user switches between mouse and touch.

## Session persistence

When you use a `persistenceKey` on the [Tldraw](?) component, some instance properties persist across browser sessions. Properties marked "Persists: Yes" in the tables above are saved and restored, along with each page's camera and selection.

Temporary state like cursor position, selection brushes, and scribbles always resets when the page reloads. `currentPageId` is restored only if that page still exists in the document.

## Instance state vs page state

Instance state ([TLInstance](?)) is global to the editor: there's one instance record per browser tab. Page state ([TLInstancePageState](?)) is per-page and tracks selection, hover, editing, cropping, and focused group for that page. See [Selection](/sdk-features/selection).

```typescript
// Instance state: global to the editor
const instance = editor.getInstanceState()
instance.currentPageId // which page is active
instance.isGridMode // applies to all pages

// Page state: specific to the current page
const pageState = editor.getCurrentPageState()
pageState.selectedShapeIds // selection on this page
pageState.editingShapeId // shape being edited on this page
pageState.hoveredShapeId // shape under cursor on this page
```

When you switch pages, the instance's `currentPageId` changes, but each page retains its own selection and editing state.

## Related articles

- [Cursors](/sdk-features/cursors) — Cursor types and rotation handling
- [Readonly mode](/sdk-features/readonly) — Disable editing with `isReadonly`
- [Focus](/sdk-features/focus) — Editor focus state with `isFocused`
- [Tools](/sdk-features/tools#Tool-lock) — Tool lock behavior with `isToolLocked`
- [User preferences](/sdk-features/user-preferences) — Global preferences that persist across editor instances

## Related examples

- **[Focus mode](https://github.com/tldraw/tldraw/tree/main/apps/examples/src/examples/editor-api/focus-mode)** — Enable focus mode to minimize the UI.
- **[Custom grid](https://github.com/tldraw/tldraw/tree/main/apps/examples/src/examples/ui/custom-grid)** — Use `isGridMode` with a custom grid component.
- **[Read-only](https://github.com/tldraw/tldraw/tree/main/apps/examples/src/examples/configuration/readonly)** — Disable editing with `isReadonly`.