diff --git a/x-pack/plugins/canvas/public/app.js b/x-pack/plugins/canvas/public/app.js
index 51d60146b075f6..30bf9e90e8abc1 100644
--- a/x-pack/plugins/canvas/public/app.js
+++ b/x-pack/plugins/canvas/public/app.js
@@ -8,6 +8,8 @@ import 'ui/autoload/all';
 import chrome from 'ui/chrome';
 import './angular/config';
 import './angular/services';
+import React from 'react';
+import ReactDOM from 'react-dom';
 import { CanvasRootController } from './angular/controllers';
 
 // Import the uiExports that the application uses
@@ -24,5 +26,12 @@ import './lib/load_expression_types';
 import './lib/load_transitions';
 import 'uiExports/canvas';
 
+import { HelpMenu } from './components/help_menu/help_menu';
+
 // load the application
 chrome.setRootController('canvas', CanvasRootController);
+
+// add Canvas docs to help menu in global nav
+chrome.helpExtension.set(domNode => {
+  ReactDOM.render(<HelpMenu />, domNode);
+});
diff --git a/x-pack/plugins/canvas/public/components/fullscreen_control/fullscreen_control.js b/x-pack/plugins/canvas/public/components/fullscreen_control/fullscreen_control.js
index 7985e468d8f57b..5a4f73775f6ca7 100644
--- a/x-pack/plugins/canvas/public/components/fullscreen_control/fullscreen_control.js
+++ b/x-pack/plugins/canvas/public/components/fullscreen_control/fullscreen_control.js
@@ -25,7 +25,13 @@ export class FullscreenControl extends React.PureComponent {
 
     return (
       <span>
-        <Shortcuts name="EDITOR" handler={keyHandler} targetNodeSelector="body" global isolate />
+        <Shortcuts
+          name="PRESENTATION"
+          handler={keyHandler}
+          targetNodeSelector="body"
+          global
+          isolate
+        />
         {children({ isFullscreen, toggleFullscreen: this.toggleFullscreen })}
       </span>
     );
diff --git a/x-pack/plugins/canvas/public/components/help_menu/help_menu.js b/x-pack/plugins/canvas/public/components/help_menu/help_menu.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000000..528545360a2baf
--- /dev/null
+++ b/x-pack/plugins/canvas/public/components/help_menu/help_menu.js
@@ -0,0 +1,48 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright Elasticsearch B.V. and/or licensed to Elasticsearch B.V. under one
+ * or more contributor license agreements. Licensed under the Elastic License;
+ * you may not use this file except in compliance with the Elastic License.
+ */
+
+import React, { Fragment, PureComponent } from 'react';
+import { EuiButton, EuiHorizontalRule, EuiText, EuiSpacer, EuiPortal } from '@elastic/eui';
+import { documentationLinks } from '../../lib/documentation_links';
+import { KeyboardShortcutsDoc } from '../keyboard_shortcuts_doc';
+
+export class HelpMenu extends PureComponent {
+  state = { isFlyoutVisible: false };
+
+  showFlyout = () => {
+    this.setState({ isFlyoutVisible: true });
+  };
+
+  hideFlyout = () => {
+    this.setState({ isFlyoutVisible: false });
+  };
+
+  render() {
+    return (
+      <Fragment>
+        <EuiHorizontalRule margin="none" />
+        <EuiSpacer />
+        <EuiText size="s">
+          <p>For Canvas specific information</p>
+        </EuiText>
+        <EuiSpacer />
+        <EuiButton fill iconType="popout" href={documentationLinks.canvas} target="_blank">
+          Canvas documentation
+        </EuiButton>
+        <EuiSpacer />
+        <EuiButton onClick={this.showFlyout} target="_blank">
+          Keyboard shortcuts
+        </EuiButton>
+
+        {this.state.isFlyoutVisible && (
+          <EuiPortal>
+            <KeyboardShortcutsDoc onClose={this.hideFlyout} />
+          </EuiPortal>
+        )}
+      </Fragment>
+    );
+  }
+}
diff --git a/x-pack/plugins/canvas/public/components/help_menu/index.js b/x-pack/plugins/canvas/public/components/help_menu/index.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000000..47682169c51e03
--- /dev/null
+++ b/x-pack/plugins/canvas/public/components/help_menu/index.js
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright Elasticsearch B.V. and/or licensed to Elasticsearch B.V. under one
+ * or more contributor license agreements. Licensed under the Elastic License;
+ * you may not use this file except in compliance with the Elastic License.
+ */
+
+export { HelpMenu } from './help_menu';
diff --git a/x-pack/plugins/canvas/public/components/keyboard_shortcuts_doc/index.js b/x-pack/plugins/canvas/public/components/keyboard_shortcuts_doc/index.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000000..8ee3da4fc35a91
--- /dev/null
+++ b/x-pack/plugins/canvas/public/components/keyboard_shortcuts_doc/index.js
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright Elasticsearch B.V. and/or licensed to Elasticsearch B.V. under one
+ * or more contributor license agreements. Licensed under the Elastic License;
+ * you may not use this file except in compliance with the Elastic License.
+ */
+
+export { KeyboardShortcutsDoc } from './keyboard_shortcuts_doc';
diff --git a/x-pack/plugins/canvas/public/components/keyboard_shortcuts_doc/keyboard_shortcuts_doc.js b/x-pack/plugins/canvas/public/components/keyboard_shortcuts_doc/keyboard_shortcuts_doc.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000000..f39ffaeeb4b18e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/x-pack/plugins/canvas/public/components/keyboard_shortcuts_doc/keyboard_shortcuts_doc.js
@@ -0,0 +1,81 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright Elasticsearch B.V. and/or licensed to Elasticsearch B.V. under one
+ * or more contributor license agreements. Licensed under the Elastic License;
+ * you may not use this file except in compliance with the Elastic License.
+ */
+
+import React from 'react';
+import PropTypes from 'prop-types';
+import {
+  EuiFlyout,
+  EuiFlyoutHeader,
+  EuiFlyoutBody,
+  EuiDescriptionList,
+  EuiHorizontalRule,
+  EuiCode,
+  EuiSpacer,
+} from '@elastic/eui';
+import { keymap } from '../../lib/keymap';
+import { getClientPlatform } from '../../lib/get_client_platform';
+import { getId } from '../../lib/get_id';
+
+const getPrettyShortcut = shortcut => {
+  if (!shortcut) {
+    return '';
+  }
+  let result = shortcut.replace(/command/i, '⌘');
+  result = result.replace(/option/i, '⌥');
+  result = result.replace(/\+/gi, ' + ');
+  return (
+    <span key={getId('span')}>
+      {result
+        .split(/(\+)/g) //splits the array by '+' and keeps the '+'s as elements in the array
+        .map(key => (key === '+' ? key : <EuiCode key={getId('shortcut')}>{key}</EuiCode>))}
+    </span>
+  );
+};
+
+const getDescriptionListItems = shortcuts =>
+  Object.values(shortcuts).map(shortcutKeyMap => {
+    const os = getClientPlatform();
+    const osShortcuts = shortcutKeyMap[os];
+    return {
+      title: shortcutKeyMap.help,
+      description: osShortcuts.reduce((acc, shortcut, i) => {
+        if (i !== 0) {
+          acc.push(' or ');
+        }
+        acc.push(getPrettyShortcut(shortcut));
+        return acc;
+      }, []),
+    };
+  });
+
+export const KeyboardShortcutsDoc = props => (
+  <EuiFlyout closeButtonAriaLabel="Closes keyboard shortcuts reference" size="s" {...props}>
+    <EuiFlyoutHeader hasBorder>
+      <h2>Keyboard Shortcuts</h2>
+    </EuiFlyoutHeader>
+    <EuiFlyoutBody>
+      {Object.values(keymap).map(namespace => {
+        const { displayName, ...shortcuts } = namespace;
+        return (
+          <div key={getId('shortcuts')} className="canvasKeyboardShortcut">
+            <h3>{displayName}</h3>
+            <EuiHorizontalRule margin="s" />
+            <EuiDescriptionList
+              textStyle="reverse"
+              type="column"
+              listItems={getDescriptionListItems(shortcuts)}
+            />
+            <EuiSpacer />
+          </div>
+        );
+      })}
+    </EuiFlyoutBody>
+  </EuiFlyout>
+);
+
+KeyboardShortcutsDoc.propTypes = {
+  onClose: PropTypes.func.isRequired,
+};
diff --git a/x-pack/plugins/canvas/public/lib/get_client_platform.js b/x-pack/plugins/canvas/public/lib/get_client_platform.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000000..e64289f786d886
--- /dev/null
+++ b/x-pack/plugins/canvas/public/lib/get_client_platform.js
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright Elasticsearch B.V. and/or licensed to Elasticsearch B.V. under one
+ * or more contributor license agreements. Licensed under the Elastic License;
+ * you may not use this file except in compliance with the Elastic License.
+ */
+
+export const getClientPlatform = () => {
+  const platform = navigator.platform.toLowerCase();
+  if (platform.indexOf('mac') >= 0) {
+    return 'osx';
+  }
+  if (platform.indexOf('win') >= 0) {
+    return 'windows';
+  }
+  if (platform.indexOf('linux') >= 0) {
+    return 'linux';
+  }
+  return 'other';
+};
diff --git a/x-pack/plugins/canvas/public/lib/keymap.js b/x-pack/plugins/canvas/public/lib/keymap.js
index 88a553fe8a6ba4..ba988edf147cb3 100644
--- a/x-pack/plugins/canvas/public/lib/keymap.js
+++ b/x-pack/plugins/canvas/public/lib/keymap.js
@@ -38,36 +38,81 @@ const getCtrlShortcuts = shortcuts => {
   };
 };
 
-const refreshShortcut = getAltShortcuts('r');
-const previousPageShortcut = getAltShortcuts('[');
-const nextPageShortcut = getAltShortcuts(']');
+const refreshShortcut = { ...getAltShortcuts('r'), help: 'Refresh workpad' };
+const previousPageShortcut = { ...getAltShortcuts('['), help: 'Go to previous page' };
+const nextPageShortcut = { ...getAltShortcuts(']'), help: 'Go to next page' };
 
 export const keymap = {
+  ELEMENT: {
+    displayName: 'Element controls',
+    COPY: { ...getCtrlShortcuts('c'), help: 'Copy elements' },
+    CLONE: { ...getCtrlShortcuts('d'), help: 'Clone elements' },
+    CUT: { ...getCtrlShortcuts('x'), help: 'Cut elements' },
+    PASTE: { ...getCtrlShortcuts('v'), help: 'Paste' },
+    DELETE: {
+      osx: ['backspace'],
+      windows: ['del', 'backspace'],
+      linux: ['del', 'backspace'],
+      other: ['del', 'backspace'],
+      help: 'Delete elements',
+    },
+    BRING_FORWARD: {
+      ...getCtrlShortcuts('up'),
+      help: 'Send element forward one layer',
+    },
+    SEND_BACKWARD: {
+      ...getCtrlShortcuts('down'),
+      help: 'Send element back one layer',
+    },
+    BRING_TO_FRONT: {
+      ...getCtrlShortcuts('shift+up'),
+      help: 'Send element to front',
+    },
+    SEND_TO_BACK: {
+      ...getCtrlShortcuts('shift+down'),
+      help: 'Send element to back',
+    },
+    GROUP: {
+      osx: ['g'],
+      windows: ['g'],
+      linux: ['g'],
+      other: ['g'],
+      help: 'Group elements',
+    },
+    UNGROUP: {
+      osx: ['u'],
+      windows: ['u'],
+      linux: ['u'],
+      other: ['u'],
+      help: 'Ungroup elements',
+    },
+  },
   EDITOR: {
-    UNDO: getCtrlShortcuts('z'),
-    REDO: getCtrlShortcuts('shift+z'),
+    displayName: 'Editor controls',
+    UNDO: { ...getCtrlShortcuts('z'), help: 'Undo last action' },
+    REDO: { ...getCtrlShortcuts('shift+z'), help: 'Redo last action' },
     PREV: previousPageShortcut,
     NEXT: nextPageShortcut,
-    FULLSCREEN: getAltShortcuts(['p', 'f']),
-    FULLSCREEN_EXIT: ['escape'],
-    EDITING: getAltShortcuts('e'),
-    GRID: getAltShortcuts('g'),
+    EDITING: { ...getAltShortcuts('e'), help: 'Toggle edit mode' },
+    GRID: { ...getAltShortcuts('g'), help: 'Show grid' },
     REFRESH: refreshShortcut,
   },
-  ELEMENT: {
-    COPY: getCtrlShortcuts('c'),
-    CLONE: getCtrlShortcuts('d'),
-    CUT: getCtrlShortcuts('x'),
-    PASTE: getCtrlShortcuts('v'),
-    DELETE: ['del', 'backspace'],
-    BRING_FORWARD: getCtrlShortcuts('up'),
-    SEND_BACKWARD: getCtrlShortcuts('down'),
-    BRING_TO_FRONT: getCtrlShortcuts('shift+up'),
-    SEND_TO_BACK: getCtrlShortcuts('shift+down'),
-  },
   PRESENTATION: {
-    PREV: mapValues(previousPageShortcut, osShortcuts => osShortcuts.concat(['backspace', 'left'])),
-    NEXT: mapValues(nextPageShortcut, osShortcuts => osShortcuts.concat(['space', 'right'])),
+    displayName: 'Presentation mode',
+    FULLSCREEN: { ...getAltShortcuts(['p', 'f']), help: 'Enter presentation mode' },
+    FULLSCREEN_EXIT: {
+      osx: ['esc'],
+      windows: ['esc'],
+      linux: ['esc'],
+      other: ['esc'],
+      help: 'Exit presentation mode',
+    },
+    PREV: mapValues(previousPageShortcut, (osShortcuts, key) =>
+      key === 'help' ? osShortcuts : osShortcuts.concat(['backspace', 'left'])
+    ),
+    NEXT: mapValues(nextPageShortcut, (osShortcuts, key) =>
+      key === 'help' ? osShortcuts : osShortcuts.concat(['space', 'right'])
+    ),
     REFRESH: refreshShortcut,
   },
 };