How to Download Canva Designs For Free in a Few Easy Steps
Learn how to download designs from Canva in just minutes, in just a couple of simple steps using a desktop or the mobile app!
Have your professional-looking designs ready to go but cannot figure out how to download your design file from Canva? Good news! We are here to help! We are a huge fan of Canva and find it much easier to navigate than other programs like Adobe Photoshop. Once you get the hang of it, it’s actually very easy to use and is a user-friendly platform while still offering a range of features.
Setting Up and Logging Into Your Canva Account
Before you can access any design elements, projects, templates, etc. you must log into your account.
The first step is to go to Canva and log in.
If you haven’t created an account yet, go to Canva and click ‘Sign up.’ You can use your email, Facebook, or Google account for a quick registration process. Once you sign up, Canva sends a confirmation email; just click the link to activate your account.
Remember, without being logged in, you won’t be able to download your designs or access any templates you may have bought elsewhere.
Once you are logged in, you will see your dashboard. From here you can navigate to the Canva file you would like to download and it will take you to the Canva editor.
Navigation
Recent designs is what automatically appears on the dashboard. If you don’t see what you are looking for, use the menu on the left hand side, click projects, then you will see all of your files.
How to Download Your Canva Design
Once you’ve completed your new design, look towards the top right corner of the screen of your screen. Click the Share button. Then click download.
Now you will need to choose the correct file format in which you would like to download, from the dropdown menu. If needed, select a few or all of the pages.
Then click Download. After the download is complete, locate the file in your ‘Downloads’ folder or the location you’ve set for downloads and save it in the desired location on your device.
Download Settings
You can also click save download settings if you are download multiple graphics that are the same format without having to change that option every time.
How Do I Download Individually From Canva?
If you would like to download specific designs within the same project, click Share in the top-right corner. Then click download.
Choose the file format that is appropriate.
Click the select pages drop-down menu. Normally all the the designs are checked. Uncheck the boxes of the graphics that you do not want to download. Sometimes it’s easier to uncheck the select all box, then go and re-check the number of pages, if you only need a couple.
Choose the download’ option as you normally would.
This feature is available on the online platform as well as the Canva app.Â
Using the Mobile App
The steps to downloading your Canva project on a mobile device is essentially the same, however, you will not see the “Share” button. Instead it will be a symbol with an up arrow.
The symbol with the arrow pointing down will auto download, and will not give you the options to choose pages.
Then the menu will come up from the bottom with a download button.
After clicking download, you will be able to change the file format, choose the pages to download, and download to your device.
Selecting the Right File Format
Canva offers a variety of different formats in which you can download and several different options based on what plan you choose. Here’s a brief description of each format and recommendations for different scenarios:
PNG (Portable Network Graphics):
PNG is a lossless image format, making it great for high quality graphics with sharp edges, transparency, and detailed images. It supports a wide range of colors. This format supports transparency and is ideal if your design has no background or you’re overlaying it on another image.
Best for: Logos, illustrations, graphics with transparent background.
JPG (Joint Photographic Experts Group):
JPG is a compressed image format that supports millions of colors. It is suitable for photographs and images with gradients. It keeps file sizes small, which is perfect for web use where loading speed matters. But remember, JPG doesn’t support transparent backgrounds and may lose some quality with high detail designs. There’s also the option to change the size of the image and it will show you how much storage it takes up by adjusting the sliding bar.
Best for: Photographs, images with smooth color transitions.
MP4 (MPEG-4 Video):
MP4 is a video format that supports both video and audio. It is commonly used for multimedia presentations and video content.
Best for: Animated presentations, video content, basically anything that are not static images.
SVG (Scalable Vector Graphics):
SVG is a vector graphic format that is scalable without loss of quality. It is great for logos and illustrations. These are also the type of files that are associated with cutting machines, such as Cricut and Sihoullette. In order to download SVGs, you must have a Canva pro account.
Best for: Logos, icons, scalable graphics.
PDF Standard:
PDF (Portable Document Format) is a versatile format that maintains the layout of a document across different platforms. Standard PDFs are typically suitable for digital viewing.
Best for: Documents, digital brochures, online viewing.
PDF Print:
Similar to the standard PDF file but optimized for high-quality print output. It maintains the highest resolution and is suitable for printing and great for marketing materials.
Best for: Print-ready documents, brochures, posters, business cards.
GIF (Graphics Interchange Format):
GIF is a format that supports animation and a limited color palette. It is suitable for simple animations.
Best for: Simple animations, memes, graphics with a limited color range.
Recommendations:
- For logos and graphics with transparency, choose PNG.
- For photographs and images with gradients, choose JPG.
- For scalable graphics, logos, and icons, choose SVG.
- For video files, choose MP4.
- For print-ready documents, choose PDF Print.
- For online documents, choose PDF Standard.
- For simple animations, choose GIF.
Always consider the specific requirements of your project and the platform where the content will be used when making your file format selection.
Canva Free vs Canva Pro: Is It Worth It?
Currently at the time of me writing this, the paid subscription is $14.99 when paid on a monthly basis. You do get a free trial and a reduced rate if you join as a yearly member. We recommend to check Canva’s pricing page for the most up to date rates.
What You Get Access To As a Free User
You may be wondering if you need the paid plan, and honestly that depends what you are using the graphic design tool for and how many features you want access to. Here’s a high level overview of what free Canva users get.
- Over 1 million free stocks videos, Canva images, graphics, and audio
- Over 1000 free fonts (cannot upload your own fonts)
- More than 8000 Canva templates
- Can export as PNG, PDF, and JPG (the only file type you cannot download as a free user are SVGs; you also cannot download PDF print-ready files as CMYK)
- Presentation and social sharing mode
- Access to AI Design Tools (there are limits to this)
- 5GB of cloud storage
- Upload your own images
Additional Features for Canva Pro Users
There are Canva pro features you can check out, these are the ones that stand out the most. As always, it includes everything in the free version of Canva as well.
- Over 4 million stocks videos, photos, graphics, and audio (includes free and premium options)
- Over 1000 free fonts (you can upload your own fonts)
- More than 60,000 Canva templates
- Can export as any file format without restrictions (including transparent background for png file and the ability to compress the file size)
- Presentation and social sharing mode
- Access to AI Design Tools (there are limits to this, but has more than the free plan)
- 1TB of cloud storage
- Background remover
- Collaboration abilities for teams and small businesses to easily share work designs.
Our Favorite Canva Pro Features
We love not being limited in what we can download. The transparent background feature is a life saver, along with the other filters like background blur, and the extra wide range of templates we have access to.
Tips for Error-Free Downloads
Internet Connection
Encounter an error while trying to download your Canva design? Check your internet connection first, as a stable connection is key. Sometimes a simple refresh can solve the issue. If that doesn’t work, clear your browser’s cache to remove any temporary glitches that might be affecting the download process.
Web Browser
Next, ensure that your browser is up to date as an outdated browser may lack the necessary components to interact properly with Canva’s features. If you are still having trouble, try switching to a different browser. Some users find that certain browsers work better with graphic-intensive websites.
Also, double check that your pop-up blocker is not interfereing with your download.
File Size
If the problem persists, inspect the file size of your design. Large files, especially those with high-resolution images, lots of elements, or Canva videos, can take longer to download or might fail altogether. If necessary, reduce the file size by optimizing images or removing non-essential elements.
Check the Elements
If you are a free Canva user, you will not be able to download premium elements, photos, fonts, etc. In this case, remove or replace any premium elements to enable download. You will know if these are premium because they will have the Canva watermark over top.
Support
Lastly, contact Canva’s support team if none of these steps resolve the problem and you need further assistance. They are usually prompt and very helpful.
Common FAQs About Canva
Sometimes locating your Etsy files can be tricky too! Learn how to download your files from Etsy and what to do if you can’t figure it out!
