product presentation canva

How to Create the Perfect Professional Presentation in Canva

You may not need Microsoft PowerPoint! Canva can help you make professional presentations in half the time.

These days there's a lot of options for creating workplace presentations, ranging from old-school classics like Microsoft PowerPoint to relative newcomers like Google Slides. Another platform that you can use to create a presentation is Canva.

As a template design site where you can craft beautiful documents, Canva makes the act of creating presentations as simple as Google Slides---perhaps even simpler. Here's how to design a workplace presentation in Canva.

Step 1: Launch Canva

If you don't have an account with Canva yet, check out our rundown on what the site is and what it's good for . If you already have an account, log in and go to your homepage.

Under  Create a design , click  Presentation .

You can also look for  Presentation in the search bar, under the sign that says  Design anything .

After you click on  Presentation , you'll be taken to a blank workspace. Like all Canva's workspaces, you'll see a collection of pre-made templates along the left-hand side.

If you want to create a presentation from the ground up, you can. We've already got a great tutorial on how to create a resume from scratch using Canva , and it uses very similar principals.

If you're creating this presentation for work, however---and you're short on time---then it's probably best to go with a template.

Canva divides these templates based upon their stated purpose, ranging from creative applications to pitch decks. For this tutorial, let's go to the  Professional Presentation section, as it has templates that are well suited for our purpose. Pick one that you like.

Once you click on a design, you'll see a bunch of different pages displayed along your sidebar. Each of these pages has a slightly different layout, but they all use similar elements and color schemes.

Step 2: Pick a Page Design, Change Your Text

The great thing about Canva is that there's no order in which these individual pages have to be arranged. You can use one or several designs multiple times, back-to-back, or never use them at all.

To apply a design to your first page, simply click on your blank workspace so the page is active. Then click on one of the premade designs sitting to the left. Canva will automatically load it into the page and you can begin modifying.

For this tutorial, I've decided to pick a design that would work well as a title page. By clicking on the individual text boxes within this page, I can erase the placeholder text and put down my own.

If you want to further adjust the size, color, weight, and spacing, you can do so in the  Text editing box, seen here highlighted in red.

Step 3: Adjust Your Visual Elements

Having the right text---but not too much text---is one of the most important things you can consider when you're putting together your presentation. Making sure the visual elements match up is really important too.

In Canva, you can keep or delete however many graphic elements you want. You can also move them around.

To  Delete an element, click on it so its bounding box shows up. Press Delete .

To  Move an element, click and drag it around the page.

If you want to change the color of an element, go to the color swatch icon at the top of the screen. You can pick a color swatch from the premade palette, or you can choose a custom color with the color picker by clicking on the  + .

Step 4: Add Page Notes

One of the last things that you'll want to add to your page is your presentation notes. Notes are not required, of course, but they can help you remember what you're going to say, especially if you're presenting in front of a group.

To add notes in Canva, go to the top right-hand corner of your page and click on the  Add notes icon, seen here in red. When you do, another pop-up box will emerge.

Start typing your notes into the box. There's a word limit, of course, but we doubt you'll run over it. When you're done, click  Save .

Step 5: Add a New Page

The whole point of slideshows is that you're showing off a series of pages. If you just had one page, for example, it would technically be a poster, so chances are high you'll want to add more.

After you finish your first page, go to the bottom of your workspace and click on  +Add a new page . Canva will add another page to your presentation.

If you want to switch this page to a different style, go to the page designs on the left-hand side of your screen. Click on the one that you want.

Once you create more than one page, you might want to label them to keep your workspace organized.

To label your pages, go to the top left-hand corner of your active page where you see the dotted line. Click on it and start typing. From there you'll be able to enter a new title.

If you're not happy with this new page at all, you can delete the whole thing. At the top right-hand corner of the page, you'll see a trash can icon. Click on it.

Did you hit delete by accident, or have you changed your mind? No worries: just use the  Undo button in the top left-hand corner of your workspace.

Step 6: Add a Graph

One of the best features about Canva is its ability to easily insert graphs into your presentation. It then allows you to customize those graphs to your needs.

To add a graph, find a page design that has a graph in it. Once that page is applied to your presentation, double-click on the graph inside that page so its bounding box lights up.

In the left-hand toolbar, you'll see your graph controls emerge. At the top of those controls is a dropdown menu showing you what type of graph you're using. Beneath that is a list of items, along with their values.

To change the name of these items, click on each individual box and start typing. To change the values, click on the box and insert the appropriate number.

Every time you change these values, Canva will automatically update your graph in real time, so you can see how it looks.

If you want to change the style of the graph you're using, click on the dropdown menu and choose another. Canva will automatically change the appearance of your graph while keeping your values intact.

Finally, you can also adjust the color of your graph.

Make sure your graph's bounding box is active, then go to your Edit controls in the top left-hand corner of your screen, seen here in red. Start experimenting with them to get the right effect.

Step 7: Check Your Presentation and Add Transitions

As you wrap things up, you'll want to check your presentation for errors. You might also want to add transitions between your pages.

To add transitions, go to the  Present button at the top right-hand corner of your screen. Click on the icon.

When you click on that icon, Canva will open up a dropdown menu where you can pick the Transition style that you want.

After you choose your  Transition style , you can also choose your  Type . Type allows you to control the speed at which your presentation plays.

When you have all these things squared away, click on the blue  Present button to watch your slideshow play out. It will take you to a full-screen version of it, where you can scan for errors.

When you're done checking your presentation for errors, press the  Escape key to exit out of the window. Make any changes that you need to---if applicable---then finalize the design.

Step 8: Download Your Presentation for Work

Once your presentation is finished, you're ready to download. To download your presentation---or use it in another format---click on the dropdown menu beside the Present button.

Most of these options are free-to-use with a basic account, but for those that aren't, you'll see a gold "crown" symbol beside it. There's also a ton of options, ranging from downloading the file, emailing it to your coworkers, or embedding the file on another platform.

And that's it. You're done.

Ace That Slideshow Presentation

Now that you've seen how to put together a workplace presentation in Canva, you can start exploring. There's a lot of customization options, so it's best if you fiddle with those settings yourself.

Looking for other things you can design? Here's how to create a cover letter with Canva .

How to Create Presentations in Canva

Parth Shah is an evergreen freelance writer covering how-tos, app guides, comparisons, listicles, and troubleshooting guides on Android, iOS, Windows, Mac, and smart TV platforms. He has over five years of experience and has covered 1,500+ articles on GuidingTech and Android Police. In his free time, you will see him binge-watching Netflix shows, reading books, and traveling.

Canva recently introduced new tools to create docs, whiteboards, videos, websites, and presentations. As such, you no longer need to rely on traditional software solutions like Google Slides, PowerPoint, or Keynote to create an upcoming business presentation. You can easily create presentations in Canva using its familiar suite of editing tools.

Canva offers real-time collaboration, several export options, a present tool, AI add-ons, and much more to make a professional PPT. Canva also lets you make instant presentations with pre-filed slides. Without further ado, let’s get started.

Pick Up an Aspect Ratio and Template

Before you start, make sure to pick a relevant aspect ratio for your presentation. If it’s a traditional PPT, go with a 16:9 aspect ratio. If you plan to show your PPT on mobile, use the 9:16 aspect ratio.

Tablet users can start with a 4:3 aspect ratio. Canva also offers some ready-to-use templates to get started. We highly recommend starting with a template to save some time.

You can also filter templates via style, theme, feature, and color. For example, you can check company, marketing, corporate, marketing, school, and other templates. Most templates are free to use, while some may require a Canva Premium subscription.  

Under templates, you also find an option to create instant presentations. You can enter a prompt and check Canva’s suggestions to get started.

Customize a Page With Editing Features

Once you pick up a template, you have the option to add all pages to your presentations. You can click ‘Apply all pages’ and check every slide at the bottom. You can always select a slide and hit delete to remove it from your presentation.

Canva lets you change every aspect of the template with different text styles, filters, and image editing tools. You can change color, tweak transparency, copy style, and more.

We suggest spending some time with editing tools to customize your Canva presentation and add some personal touches.

Add Graphics, Stickers, and Images

Your presentation will not seem as interesting without graphics, stickers, images, and videos. Unlike Google Slides or PowerPoint, you don’t need to import media files to Canva to complete your slides. You can easily add relevant elements from the sidebar.

Step 1: Open a slide in your Canva presentation.

Step 2: Select Elements from the sidebar. Add graphics, icons, stickers, tables, videos, and more.

Step 3: You can explore the AI image generator and turn your creative ideas into images and videos with a single click.

You can add simple descriptions and even turn generated images into videos. Canva also offers a long list of graphics packs in several categories. The possibilities are endless here. It’s up to you to make a compelling slide using useful tools.

Tweak Page Animation

Once you create a page, tweak its animation to make a smooth transition between pages.

Step 1: Select a slide in Canva.

Step 2: Click Animate at the top.

Step 3: Check basic, exaggerated, photo movement, and other animation types from the left sidebar.

You can also tweak the animation intensity, which is great.

Add Presenter Notes

Do you plan to present your Canva PPT on a video conference? You can add notes to each slide so they appear during the Presenter view (more on that later).

When you create a PPT, select a slide and hit Notes at the bottom. Enter your notes that you want to remember or talk about during a video meeting.

Collaborate and Edit in Real Time

Similar to Google Slides and Microsoft PowerPoint, Canva lets you share and edit a presentation in real time. You can take inputs from your colleagues and create a share-worthy presentation in no time.

Step 1: When you are done making changes to your presentation, click Share at the top.

Step 2: Enter people, groups, or your team. Expand the collaboration link menu and select Anyone with the link.

Step 3: Expand the permission menu and select Can edit.

You can also share a link with view or comment-only permission. Select the Copy link and share it with your co-workers.

Enable Presenter View

Presenter view is a thoughtful touch from Canva to give presentations over a Google Meet or Teams call.

You can open a presentation in Canva and select Present at the top. Click Presenter View and check two windows opening up on your computer.

One window shows your presentation with notes open on the sidebar. Another window displays the current slide you are sharing with others over a call.

Download and Share Your Presentation

As expected, Canva gives several options to share and export your presentation. When you complete your presentation, click Share in the top-right corner and expand Download.

You can convert a presentation to PDF, PPTX (Microsoft PowerPoint compatible), MP4, JPG, PNG and SVG formats. Check our dedicated post if you wish to print your Canva presentation .

Use Canva Like a Pro

Canva has done a solid job, granting users access to rich tools to create a convincing presentation. We can’t wait to see how the Australian startup enhances our PPT experience with AI features in the future. Speaking of which, we would love to see a feature similar to ‘Design Ideas from Microsoft PowerPoint’ on Canva. Do let us know if you use Canva for presentations in the comments below.

Was this helpful?

Last updated on 07 January, 2024

The above article may contain affiliate links which help support Guiding Tech. However, it does not affect our editorial integrity. The content remains unbiased and authentic.

The article above may contain affiliate links which help support Guiding Tech. The content remains unbiased and authentic and will never affect our editorial integrity.

DID YOU KNOW

More in Internet and Social

What Does Back up and Sync Mean in Google Photos on Android and iOS

How to Add or Remove Non-Steam Games From Your Steam Library

Join the newsletter.

Get Guiding Tech articles delivered to your inbox.

How to Use Canva Presentations

Make visually appealing presentations that'll stand out among others using Canva.

Canva, a graphic design platform, is gaining a lot of traction as a design tool. Its basic premise – it’s just as easy to use for non-designers. You don’t need to be an expert in graphic designing to use Canva, and that is one of the main reasons behind its popularity.

With design becoming one of the hottest commodities for just about every field, Canva makes it accessible to everyone. Whether you’re an entrepreneur, a marketer, influencer, or a blogger, you can use Canva to make fetching content for social media, posters, graphics, design your own business cards even. If you’ve got even a little eye for design, Canva can help you cut down on the costs of hiring professional designers.

But did you know you can also use it to make just as engaging and stimulating presentations? Whether you want to make presentations for a professional environment or personal use (like a birthday surprise), Canva Presentations have got you covered. Let’s dive right into it!

Getting Started

Canva offers a web app you can immediately start using on your desktop without having to download anything. Unfortunately, the web app is your only option as there is no desktop app. So you need an internet connection to work with Canva as it stores all your work on its servers.

Canva also has a mobile app for iPhone and Android, which you can use on the go. But when getting started, using the web app is the best course of action.

Go to canva.com and create a free account. Click the ‘Sign Up’ button to create a new account.

You can sign up with your Google account, Facebook account, or your email address.

Canva has a freemium structure, so you can use it for free with limited features or get a Pro or Enterprise subscription for complete access. It also offers a 30-day free trial to its Pro features, so you can try it out before deciding whether you want to convert to a paid user.

Now, from the Canva home page, click the ‘Presentations’ button under the Design anything banner. If you can’t find the option, you can also search for ‘Presentation’ from the search bar.

There are plenty of size options to choose from when creating a presentation. Let’s stick with the standard size ‘1920 x 1080 px’ here.

One of the things that makes Canva so easy to use for everyone is the sheer number of templates. The assortment of templates in existence ensures that you’ll find something to match your needs. But if not, you can also start with a blank slate and create your presentation from scratch.

For this guide, we are selecting a template for the presentation. Before selecting a template, you can see what it has to offer by clicking the three-dot menu and selecting ‘Preview this template’.

Click ‘Use this template’ to select the template if you like it or go back and select another.

Editing the Presentation

The template will load into the editing interface. Canva has an eerily easy editing interface. Let’s navigate the interface first. Below the slide is the thumbnail view where you can see all the slides in thumbnails side by side.

To turn off the thumbnail view, click the on/ off toggle (arrow).

Click the grid view button to switch views.

The grid view is helpful when there are a lot of slides in your presentation. Using grid view, you can get an overview of them all. You can also rearrange the slides by dragging and dropping slides into a new position. Click the ‘Grid View’ button again to switch back.

Click the ‘Notes’ option to add notes to the presentation that you can use for reference while presenting.

The name of the presentation can be edited from the top-most toolbar.

Now, on the left is the toolbar that houses all the tools for editing the design elements in the presentation.

When you’re using a template, almost all of the elements can be selected and edited. You can delete an element, change color, font (for text). To select an element, hover over it. The part of that element will be highlighted in blue. Click it to select it.

Another toolbar will appear above the slide with editing options specific to the element you have selected. Depending on the element, you can change it’s color, font, font size.

When you click the color option, a palette for document colors will appear above, followed by available default colors. For free users, only limited color options are available. If you have a Brand Kit (available only for Canva Pro users), that palette will also appear here.

Click on the ‘Elements’ option on the left toolbar to add elements like photos, videos, graphics, audio, charts, etc. to your presentation.

To add photos, videos, or audio from your computer, click the ‘Uploads’ button. Then, click the ‘Upload media’ button to select content. Any media you previously uploaded will also be available here.

You can also add animations to individual elements or the entire page. Select an element and click the ‘Animate’ button.

‘Element animations’ will open. To switch to page animations, click the ‘Page Animations’ tab.

Presenting your Presentation

Once your presentation is complete comes the main part – presenting it. Canva offers a lot of options for your finished presentation. You can present it right from Canva or publish or download it for various platforms.

To publish it elsewhere or download it, click the ‘three-dot’ menu on the top-right corner.

A list of options will appear. You can download it onto your computer, or as a PowerPoint presentation, share a link to the presentation, publish it as a website, embed it on your website, and much more. You can also record it while presenting with a voiceover.

To present straight from Canva, click the ‘Present’ button.

Click the drop-down menu below ‘Type’ and select how you want to present it.

There are three options to choose from: ‘Standard’ – where you present at your own pace, ‘Autoplay’ – where the presentation advances automatically, and ‘Presenter View’ – where you can view your notes and upcoming slides, but the rest of the people cannot. Presenter View is best used when you’re presenting on a projector.

After selecting the type, click the ‘Present’ button.

Bonus Tips for your Presentation

While presenting the presentation on Canva, you can add special effects to enhance the performance with some keyboard shortcuts. All you need to do is press the associated key with each effect to bring it into action. Press the same key to stop it. You can also press multiple keys to add 2 or more special effects. With these effects, your presentation is bound to stand out to your audience and be memorable.

Drumroll : Add a drumroll before a slide by pressing the key ‘D’ before a big reveal.

Confetti : Add a shower of confetti to celebrate something with the key ‘C’ .

Countdown : Add a countdown from ‘1-9’ by pressing one of the keys.

Quiet : Bring a 🤫 emoji to screen to hush your audience with the ‘Q’ key.

Bubbles : Press down the ‘O’ key to bring bubbles on the screen.

Blur : Build tension and add drama to the atmosphere by blurring the screen with the key ‘B’.

Presentations are a huge part of professional life, whether you’re presenting to your clients, doing a webinar, promoting your brand, to name a few. With Canva, you can make presentations that’ll leave a long-lasting impact but won’t take long to make.

11 Ways GPT-4o is a Game Changer

How to Use Gemini Code Assist in VS Code

How to Code Using AI

Get all the latest posts delivered straight to your inbox., member discussion.

How to Fix "Premium Images Can't Be Exported On Their Own" Error in Canva

How to Use Magic Switch in Canva to Instantly Convert Your Designs

How to Use Soundraw AI Music Generator in Canva

How to Use Magic Studio in Canva to Transform Your Ideas into Videos

How to Make Artistic QR Code in Canva using Mojo AI

Small Business Trends

How to create a canva presentation.

Canva is a great business tool that can be used to create presentations. It’s especially popular among business users who need to create slideshows quickly and easily.

This article will show you how to create a presentation in this powerful creative tool which is free for all registered.

Can Canva be Used for Presentations?

Yes, Canva can be used for presentations by both individuals and small teams and any large business seeking an integrated tool to create high-quality visuals for their brand.

With a library of built-in templates and easy drag-and-drop tools, Canva makes it simple for anyone to make their own design with beautiful visuals.

Why You Should be Making Presentations on Canva

Canva isn’t only to create and download designs like a logo or icons. Canva also has presentation tools to add visual interest to your slideshow designs.

Here are four more reasons:

• Simplicity. Canva is free and easy to use. Canva pro is free during their 30-day trial.
• Saves time. You can create professional-looking presentations in minutes.
• Customization. There are thousands of templates and designs to choose from.
• Easy to share. You can easily share your presentations with others and on social media.

How to Create Presentations on Canva: A Step By Step Guide

Let’s get into how to create a presentation using Canva. Businesses usually include their own logo in their presentations to keep their brand consistent.

If you haven’t already, consider creating a custom logo to include in your own presentations.

Canva has millions of elements and images, allowing you to experiment with a different layout and color schemes at any time.

Step 1: Access Canva Through Your Computer

Signup for or login into your Canva account and navigate to presentation templates.

Step 2: Select a Template to Customize

Find a presentation template you’d like to use, then click the “Customize this template” button.

Step 3: Customize Your Presentation Slides

Remove images from your Canva design presentation as needed by clicking on the image and hitting the backspace or delete button on your keyboard.

You can add new images throughout your entire presentation from the “Uploads,” “Elements,” and “Photos” sections.

Step 4: Add or Remove Text and Modify Fonts

Click on any text you want to remove or modify. To delete text, simply click on backspace or delete on your keyboard.

You can add text from the “Text” section. To change the font of any text in your presentation, click the word to modify, click on the font box, then choose a new font from the list.

Step 5: Add More Slides

You can add a new blank slide by clicking on the + at the bottom of your screen. To add a new slide with the same design, click on the three dots then on “Duplicate Page.”

Step 6: Download Your Presentation

To download your presentation, click on the “Share” button at the top right of your screen. Then click the “Download” link, then the “Download” button.

Canva Presentation Templates

Here are five of the best presentation templates available in the Canva library.

Blue Modern Corporate Presentation

This template by Vunira is great for a corporate presentation or for anyone in sales.

Beige Brown Abstract Organic Class Syllabus Blank Presentation

Logo and Art bring us this education-themed template which is great for teachers or college professors.

Tri-Colored Borders Real Estate Listing Presentation

Here’s a professional-looking template that’s perfect for anyone in the real estate industry.

Blue and Yellow Simple Human Illustrative Investing Finance Tips

If you’re in the finance industry, then this template is for you!

Blue White Professional Modern Healthcare Service Proposal

Braderlayout Studio brings us this professionally designed template for anyone in healthcare.

How do You Present a Canva Presentation?

We’re about to discuss how to present a Canva presentation in presented mode to your audience.

• Start presenting. To begin your presentation, click on “Present.”

How to Add Video Footage to a Canva Presentation

Adding video to your Canva presentation is simple to do if you follow these steps:

Canva Presentations Vs. Powerpoint Presentations

What is Canva like compared to Powerpoint?

Unlike PowerPoint, which has been plagued by lackluster design and lack of creativity, Canva presentations are packed with stunning visuals and easy-to-use tools that allow you to create truly beautiful presentations.

Best of all, you don’t need any design experience to create a Canva presentation.

Just pick one of the many professionally-designed template presentation ideas and start customizing it to your own needs.

Tips on Creating Canva Presentations

Here are four tips to help you create amazing looking presentations in Canva:

• Use templates. Canva’s templates are created by professional designers. They’re easy to use, time-saving, and can be customized in a flash.
• Make use of the Brand Kit. With Canva’s Brand Kit, you can upload your logos, set the colors and fonts that match your brand and create layouts with your company’s design guidelines in mind.
• Stay consistent. Choose one or two fonts and colors and stick to them throughout your presentation. This will help create a sense of cohesion and professionalism.
• Create a presentation that moves. Use Canva’s animation feature to add movement to your presentation and make it more engaging.

Can you convert a Canva presentation to Powerpoint?

Converting your Canva designs into PowerPoint presentations is super easy.

All you have to do is click the three dots at the top right corner of the screen, then select “Microsoft PowerPoint.”

Your presentation will be converted automatically into a .pptx file, and you’ll be ready to rock ‘n’ roll.

Image: Envato Elements

© Copyright 2003 - 2024, Small Business Trends LLC. All rights reserved. "Small Business Trends" is a registered trademark.

Check out our new Consent management feature here

• Case Studies
• Book a Demo

How to Create a Canva Template for a Digital Product Presentation

In today's digital age, visuals play a vital role in captivating and engaging audiences. Whether you're showcasing a new product or presenting important information, having a well-designed digital product presentation is essential. Canva, a popular graphic design tool, offers a wide range of templates that can help you create professional-looking presentations with ease. In this article, we will explore how to create a Canva template for a digital product presentation, step-by-step.

1. Introduction to Canva and its Template Features

Before we dive into the process of creating a Canva template, let's first understand what Canva is and why it is an ideal choice for digital product presentations.

Canva is an intuitive and user-friendly online design platform that enables users to create stunning graphics, presentations, social media posts, and more. With a vast library of templates and a drag-and-drop interface, Canva makes designing accessible to both professionals and beginners.

But what sets Canva apart from other design platforms? Well, one of the key advantages of Canva is its template feature. Templates provide a starting point and save significant time in the design process. Canva offers an extensive collection of pre-designed templates, specifically tailored for various purposes, including digital product presentations. These templates are well-crafted, visually appealing, and designed by professionals, eliminating the need for starting from scratch.

Now, let's take a closer look at the benefits of using Canva for digital product presentations.

What is Canva?

Canva is an innovative online design tool that has revolutionized the way people create visual content. Whether you're a seasoned designer or a novice, Canva provides a seamless and enjoyable design experience. With its intuitive interface and user-friendly features, you can unleash your creativity and bring your ideas to life.

But Canva is not just limited to creating graphics for social media or presentations. It offers a wide range of design options, including posters, flyers, business cards, and even animated videos. The possibilities are endless!

Benefits of Using Canva for Digital Product Presentations

Using Canva for your digital product presentations comes with a multitude of benefits. Firstly, Canva's template feature allows you to jumpstart your design process. Instead of starting from a blank canvas, you can choose from a vast collection of professionally designed templates. These templates are not only visually appealing but also optimized for digital presentations, ensuring that your content looks polished and engaging.

Another advantage of Canva is its drag-and-drop interface, which makes designing a breeze. You can easily add text, images, shapes, and other elements to your presentation with just a few clicks. No coding or design skills required!

Furthermore, Canva offers a wide range of customization options. You can personalize the templates to match your brand identity by changing colors, fonts, and layouts. This allows you to create a cohesive and consistent visual experience for your audience.

Overview of Canva's Template Library

Canva's template library is a treasure trove for designers and non-designers alike. With thousands of options to choose from, you're sure to find a template that suits your specific needs.

Whether you're launching a new product, presenting a company overview, or running a marketing campaign, Canva has got you covered. The template collection includes a diverse range of styles, colors, and layouts, ensuring that you'll find a design that aligns with your brand and message.

Moreover, Canva regularly updates its template library with fresh and trendy designs. This means that you'll always have access to the latest design trends, keeping your digital product presentations up to date and visually appealing.

So, why spend hours creating a presentation from scratch when you can leverage Canva's template library to create professional and captivating digital product presentations in a fraction of the time?

Understanding the Key Elements of a Digital Product Presentation

Creating an effective digital product presentation goes beyond just the visuals. It requires careful consideration of the key elements that make up a successful presentation.

When it comes to designing a digital product presentation, there are several important factors to take into account. Let's delve deeper into these elements to gain a better understanding of how they contribute to the overall success of your presentation.

Defining the Purpose and Target Audience

Before starting your design process, clearly define the purpose of your digital product presentation. Are you aiming to introduce a new product, educate your audience, or generate sales? Understanding your objectives will help you tailor your message and design accordingly.

Moreover, it is crucial to identify your target audience. Consider their preferences, interests, and needs when designing your template. By doing so, you can ensure that your presentation resonates with your intended audience and effectively communicates your message.

For instance, if you are presenting a new fitness app, you may want to target health-conscious individuals who are looking to improve their physical well-being. By understanding your target audience, you can create a presentation that speaks directly to their needs and desires.

Identifying the Core Message and Call to Action

Every digital product presentation should have a clear and concise core message. What is the main idea you want to communicate to your audience? Craft a compelling message that highlights the unique selling points of your product and captivates your audience's attention.

Furthermore, a call to action (CTA) is essential. A CTA prompts your audience to take a specific action, such as making a purchase or signing up for a newsletter. Make sure your CTA stands out and is easily distinguishable within your template.

Consider incorporating persuasive language and compelling visuals to encourage your audience to take the desired action. For example, if you are promoting a new e-commerce platform, your CTA could be "Shop Now" or "Start Your Free Trial." By making your CTA clear and enticing, you can increase the chances of conversion.

Selecting the Right Visuals and Graphics

The visuals and graphics you choose can greatly impact the overall look and feel of your digital product presentation. Canva provides a vast library of stock images, icons, illustrations, and shapes that can enhance your template. Select visuals that align with your brand and effectively convey your message.

When selecting visuals, consider the emotions and associations they evoke. For instance, if you are presenting a travel app, using vibrant and captivating images of exotic destinations can create a sense of wanderlust and excitement in your audience.

Additionally, consider the use of charts, graphs, and infographics to present data or information in a visually appealing and easy-to-understand manner. This can help to support your key points and make your presentation more impactful.

By incorporating visually appealing elements, you can capture your audience's attention and leave a lasting impression. Remember, the right visuals can make a significant difference in how your digital product presentation is perceived.

Exploring Canva's Template Options for Digital Product Presentations

Now that we have a solid understanding of the key elements of a digital product presentation, let's dive into exploring Canva's template options specifically designed for this purpose.

Navigating Canva's Template Library

When you log into Canva, you will be greeted with a dashboard that showcases various design options. To access templates specifically for digital product presentations, simply click on the "Presentations" tab. From there, you can explore the diverse collection of templates, tailor-made to suit your needs.

Filtering and Searching for Relevant Templates

The size of Canva's template library can be overwhelming, but fear not. Canva offers convenient filtering and search options to help you find the most relevant templates. You can filter by categories, industry-specific templates, or even search for keywords related to your product or theme.

Evaluating Template Designs and Layouts

When exploring template options, take your time to evaluate the designs and layouts. Consider the overall aesthetic, the font choices, and the color schemes. Look for templates that closely align with your brand and the message you want to convey. Remember, you can always customize elements to further match your branding.

Customizing a Canva Template for Your Digital Product Presentation

Now that you have selected a suitable template for your digital product presentation, it's time to customize it to make it truly yours.

Importing and Editing Text Content

The text content of your digital product presentation is crucial for conveying your message effectively. Canva allows you to easily import your own text, edit existing text, or even add new text elements to the template. Ensure that your text is concise, easily readable, and visually appealing. Pay attention to font styles, sizes, and colors to maintain consistency and enhance legibility.

Modifying Images and Graphics

In addition to text, you may want to modify the images and graphics within your template. Canva provides intuitive editing tools that allow you to crop, resize, or apply filters to images. You can also replace stock images with your own visuals to create a unique and personalized look.

Adjusting Colors, Fonts, and Backgrounds

Canva allows you to customize the colors, fonts, and backgrounds of your chosen template. This allows you to align the visual elements with your brand identity. Make sure to select colors that are visually appealing and harmonize well with your overall design. Consistent font choices and backgrounds can create a cohesive and polished look.

Storing Templates in the HIVO Platform

In addition to Canva's inbuilt features, consider using HIVO, a robust digital asset management system. HIVO enables you to store, organize, and share all your Canva templates in a centralized platform. With HIVO, you can easily collaborate with team members, ensure version control, and streamline your digital product presentation process.

In conclusion, creating a Canva template for a digital product presentation is an effective way to enhance your visuals and engage your audience. By following the steps outlined in this article, you can design eye-catching templates that effectively convey your message and capture the attention of your target audience.

Home Blog Design How to Use Canva and PowerPoint for Presentations

How to Use Canva and PowerPoint for Presentations

Creating the perfect presentation design is a challenge that speakers often aim to achieve, only to find themselves lacking graphic design knowledge. Although high-tier options like Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Illustrator help users worldwide to put their ideas into pixels, the reality is they are not user-friendly interfaces for people outside the graphic design industry, namely business professionals, marketers, and educators. Hence, the need to find an alternative for making powerful graphics to use in our presentations – and here’s where Canva comes into the picture.

This web-based graphic design tool has quickly become the preferred choice of teachers, social media influencers, and small business owners due to its free-tier plans and pro plans at a convenient subscription-based fee. 

In this article, we will see how to use Canva presentation in PowerPoint and how to export Canva to PPT, to create visually appealing presentations.

Table of Contents

Canva vs. Microsoft PowerPoint: Pros and Cons for Presenters

Designing with canva, how to export a canva presentation to powerpoint, how to use canva-made graphics in powerpoint, final words.

Although presenters often see Canva as an alternative to PowerPoint, the reality is that they differ in one single aspect: Canva is a graphic design tool, whereas PowerPoint is a presentation design software. Some of the tools available in PowerPoint are not there in Canva, and vice versa.

Going into more technical aspects, here are the Pros and Cons of working with either software as a presenter.

Pros of Canva as a Presentation Tool

User-friendly interface.

Canva’s drag-and-drop feature makes it easy for non-designers to create presentations by using its library of shapes, graphics, text styles, and other resources.

Wide Range of Templates

It offers a vast library of Canva templates, which can be easily customized in their online editor, saving time on design. There’s a con associated with this point, which we shall discuss later.

Magic Studio for Canva was released mid-Q3 this year with the idea of powering designs with AI tools. This tool is available in Canva search features and in the editor at the bottom right corner, which features the list options:

• AI text generation
• Suggested graphics to match your design
• Suggested photos to match your design

Collaboration Feature

Allows multiple users to simultaneously work on the same presentation, which is great for small team projects. Compared with PowerPoint, it does not require all users to be Premium to collaborate online.

Web-Based Platform

Being an online platform, it allows users to work from any device with Internet access without needing software installation. This particularly helps users with legacy computers who cannot install current versions of Microsoft Office. 

Integrated Stock Library

Provides access to a broad selection of stock photos, illustrations, and icons within the platform. Just like with the Canva templates, there’s also a con to this point.

Customization Options

Users can upload images and fonts, enabling brand consistency across presentations. Note: The upload fonts feature is only available for Canva Pro users.

Photo Editing and Animation Features

Canva lets users tweak their graphics with simple-to-use controls. These options help us to adjust opacity, apply photo filters, add animation effects, add bevels and shadows, and more.

Cross-Platform Compatibility

Can export presentations to various formats (as a PDF document, as a video presentation in MP4 format, or even as images), making them viewable on different devices and platforms. The export options allow us to post directly into social media, create printables, post to the web, etc. While some export formats require an upgrade to a Canva Pro subscription (like the ability to export to SVG format), the basic export features are enough for simple presentations and beginners.

Cons of Canva as a Presentation Tool

Limited offline functionality.

Requires an internet connection for full functionality, which can be a limitation in areas with poor connectivity, for business people working on an airline flight, while using Airplane mode, or for people traveling in other zones without Internet access.

Fewer Animation and Transition Options

Unlike PowerPoint, the available options for animations and transitions are limited. Users can find this reiterative, which may be unappealing to using these effects in our presentations. 

Premium Content

Although the Canva library is extensive in terms of assets, the reality is that most of these elements are only available for premium users. This applies to templates, shapes, images (mostly), and exporting options. Resizing the graphics you create in Canva to repurpose your design is only available to premium users.

Template Overuse

Popular templates can be overused, making presentations look similar to many others. This is of particular interest to business professionals, as people tend to easily associate some designs as being made with Canva.

Design Decisions

Unlike using a PowerPoint template , you have to work your way with Canva content, as the PPT templates tend to be quite generic and do not offer tools for data representation. Consequently, you have to know how and where to introduce those elements on your own rather than working with a presentation template that already assigned the space for such graphics.

Lack of Advanced Multimedia Integration

Integrating complex multimedia elements like videos is not as seamless as in some desktop applications. You won’t find options to link to source elements; you need to upload the content to your personal Canva library and manually add the resource to the slide. Presenters can also lose third-party integrations via plugins for some multimedia resources.

Pros of PowerPoint as a Presentation Tool

Widespread use and familiarity.

PowerPoint is the leading market tool for presentations, making most audiences and presenters are familiar with it at a basic operational level. This can help us to outsource technical issues quickly rather than aiming to use web-based interfaces to share Canva-created content.

Offline Access

PowerPoint can be used offline, which is ideal for people traveling, areas where the Internet connection is unreliable, or simply because we want to focus on creating the slides rather than facing distractions via the Internet.

Integration with Other Microsoft Office Tools

Seamlessly integrates with other Microsoft products like Excel and Word, making it easy to import data and documents. This is ideal for creating complex graphics for data representation, where the content can be synced, importing databases, working with Gantt Charts in software like Microsoft Project, and more.

Also, Microsoft PowerPoint has the same text editing capabilities as Microsoft Word – a striking contrast with Canva’s limited features.

Templates and Design Options

This is PowerPoint’s forte: the capability of using third-party presentation templates, like the ones provided by SlideModel . Users can buy pre-designed slide decks from professional vendors and ease the need to make design-related decisions. On top of that, Microsoft already includes some basic templates with its 365 subscription.

Advanced Features

Offers a broad range of features, including detailed animations and transitions, which can enhance presentations. For example, the ability to work with SVG graphics allows presentation designers to make pixel-perfect presentations without losing image quality. This is available to all users, unlike Canva, which requires a subscription to unlock certain elements.

Multimedia Capabilities

Supports embedding of various multimedia elements like audio, video, and images directly into presentations. You can use hyperlinks to embed content or work with third-party plugins for specific tasks.

Extensive Support and Resources

As a long-established tool, users can find tutorials everywhere, support communities, and additional resources available online.

Cons of PowerPoint for Presenters

Some features can be complex to use, and the interface may be overwhelming for new users. In particular, this is linked to editing PowerPoint Shapes and graphs, working with Slide Master , applying advanced animation effects and so on.

Unlike Canva or Google Slides, PowerPoint requires purchasing Office 365 or a standalone license.

Heavy Files

PowerPoint files, especially those with multimedia content, can become large and difficult to share via email. As a side effect, those heavy files can be complicated to handle in computers that lack sufficient RAM and processing power. Moreover, they require significant free disk space on your PC.

Time-Consuming

Creating a high-quality presentation with custom animations and graphics can be time-consuming. That’s the reason why we highly recommend users work their way with PowerPoint templates, and mix and match designs to create a unique slide deck .

Learning Curve

Users need to invest time in learning the software to fully utilize its advanced features. This applies to both acquiring the knowledge and practicing the skills you learned. And still, for some users, it feels frustrating not to achieve results relatively quickly. 

In this section, we will learn how to use Canva to create graphics for a product presentation. The idea is to create placeholder graphics containing images of a product; then, we will export that content to continue creating our presentation in PowerPoint.

After creating our Canva account, we find ourselves at the Home screen. Go to Templates, and you will see something similar to this UI. 

We can go straight to the Presentations (16:9) option or use the search bar to locate the template we want. In this case, we will opt for that scenario and search “Product.”

The images that show a little crown at the low right corner are premium templates, which means we cannot use them with a free account. We will pick a template that fits the needs of our presentation by clicking over it. At the contextual window that opens, select Customize this template .

The Canva builder may take a bit to load, especially if your internet connection is slow. You will find yourself with a window like this one, opened at the Design tab, which offers alternatives for other templates similar to the one you chose.

The Styles tab allows us to quickly change the layout, altering color themes and fonts. Sometimes, that can suit our needs immediately; sometimes, it requires extra work to customize to our preferences.

We can click on any element in this design and customize its content. Depending on the element type, the options are available for us. For this presentation, we will change the text and images, and alter font color at the button to make it stand out.

Next, it’s time to replace the images. We can drag and drop the image into Canva, or we can go to the Uploads button and add the content from there.

In this case, we’re using DALL-E-generated images for this product presentation, you can also use illustrations, photos, videos, or Midjourney illustrations . Once the images are uploaded, drag and drop them to replace the images in the placeholder areas. To complete this design, we removed the shape that came with the template – you can add a new shape by going to Elements > Graphics .

Learning how to use Canva for PowerPoint is pretty straightforward. Download your Canva design as a PowerPoint presentation, which you can do by accessing your design and going to the top-right corner to locate the button Share . Click on it, and then click on Download .

Under File Type , we will select PPTX , as it’s PowerPoint’s native format. Click on Download , and wait for the process of downloading the file to be completed. Depending on the graphic assets included, it can take a while.

At this point, don’t be surprised if you’ll be prompted to upgrade your Canva plan (if you don’t have a premium account). The reason is that Canva will charge you for exporting what they call premium graphics, and since most of the Canva presentation templates use premium graphics, this will be a limitation when exporting your Canva slides to PowerPoint. 

A simple workaround is removing the premium graphics before exporting from Canva to PowerPoint. Although, take in mind this may affect the overall design of your presentation.

As you can see below, the PowerPoint file is entirely editable. Something to consider is that unless you have the font installed on your computer, PowerPoint will reassign to a generic font.

Remember the design we created before? Well, it’s time to use that image as part of a marketing deck presentation , which will represent a social media post to be used by the marketing team to promote the brand.

The first step is to download the design we created as PNG. We can close Canva after that.

We opened our PPT template, which is the Annual Marketing Plan PowerPoint Template , and customized the PowerPoint theme colors . Go to Insert > Pictures > This Device .

Select the image we created in Canva and upload it here. We will add some image shadow effects via Shape Format, and a textbox below that describes what the image is about.

And that’s how easily we can use graphics from Canva in our PowerPoint presentations. Remember, it’s best to work with PNG images rather than JPG to reduce file size and preserve image quality.

You can invite others to collaborate on your design by sharing a link to the editable design or by adding them via email as team members on your Canva account.

Canva uses standard cloud storage security measures to protect your data, but like any online platform, it’s important to use a strong password and follow good security practices.

There are two methods for this. You can upload a PPT template into Canva via the Canva Homepage by clicking on Projects , and then go to the Uploads folder. Drag and drop or click on Upload, as we’ve seen before. Once imported, you must click on that file to open it in the Canva editor. The second method is on the editor: go to the Uploads button and upload your PPT file as if it were an image or another media asset.

Yes, you can use SlideModel presentation templates in Canva. As a SlideModel subscriber, you can download .pptx files to import into Canva presentations. This way, you can enjoy the creative slide templates and graphics provided by SlideModel in your Canva presentations

Unfortunately, no, as Canva doesn’t have the same toolset to enable editing functions. That also applies to changing color, so we highly recommend you work with a final PPT file before switching to Canva.

Objects like charts, SmartArt, 3D objects, and WordArt aren’t supported in Canva and won’t be rendered if you upload a slide that contains them.

Yes, all users can download Canva presentations to PPTX format. In case the original Canva design isn’t a presentation file, like a banner or social media post, you won’t be able to resize for that output unless you have a premium account.

Yes, the file must be smaller than 70 MB, and you can import up to 300 slides.

Canva and PowerPoint can collaborate as complementary tools to help presenters overcome the limitations of each individual tool. It takes a while to create your desired workflow, but once that’s accomplished, you can elevate the quality of your PowerPoint or Google Slides presentations with Canva. 

We don’t advise using Canva as an alternative to PowerPoint as the current state-of-the-art indicates it won’t support data representation or other PowerPoint stellar tools that make part of most PPT templates. 

Like this article? Please share

Design, Microsoft PowerPoint Filed under Design

Related Articles

Filed under PowerPoint Tutorials • May 31st, 2024

How to See Notes in PowerPoint

Optimize your presentation slides by knowing how to see notes in PowerPoint. Instructions for slide design and Presenter View modes.

Filed under Business • May 31st, 2024

How to Create an Appealing Report Presentation (Guide + Templates)

Discover the elements that make any kind of report presentation stand out. Recommendations for slide deck content and PPT templates.

Filed under PowerPoint Tutorials • May 28th, 2024

How to Circle Something in PowerPoint

Mark important areas in your presentation slides by learning how to circle something in PowerPoint. Instructions with shapes, handmade, and slideshow.

Leave a Reply

20+ Best Canva PowerPoint (PPT) Style Presentation Templates

Canva is like the Swiss army knife of online design tools. There’s virtually nothing you can’t do with this online graphic design tool.

In addition to using Canva to make social media graphics, logos, flyers, and documents you can also use Canva to create presentation slideshows.

We handpicked some of the best Canva presentation templates for making professional-looking slideshows for all kinds of projects. Believe it or not, these templates are just as good as PowerPoint templates .

2 Million+ PowerPoint Templates, Themes, Graphics + More

Download thousands of PowerPoint templates, and many other design elements, with a monthly Envato Elements membership. It starts at $16 per month, and gives you unlimited access to a growing library of over 2,000,000 presentation templates, fonts, photos, graphics, and more.

Business PPT Templates

Corporate & pro.

Maximus Template

Minimal PPT Templates

Clean & clear.

Modern PPT Templates

New & innovative.

Mystify Presentation

Explore PowerPoint Templates

You can start customizing these Canva slide templates with just one click to present them directly via Canva or download them as PDF, GIF, or even as a video. Check out the templates below.

Modern Company Profile Canva Presentation Templates

When creating business profile presentations for corporate companies and small businesses, you need to keep your slide designs simple and professional. That’s exactly what this Canva presentation represents. It features a clean and professional slide design with a fully customizable layout, animations, and transitions

Yellow & Black Company Profile Canva PowerPoint Templates

If you’re making a company profile slideshow for a modern business, marketing firm, or creative agency, it’s okay to go beyond the traditional design standards. You can use lots of colors and shapes to give your presentation a more attractive feel. This Canva slides template is perfect for that type of company profile presentation.

Doodle Pitch Deck Canva Presentation Slide Templates

With this Canva presentation template, you can make a creative-looking pitch deck slideshow to present your startups, brands, products, and ideas. It comes with a minimalist slide layout featuring doodle-themed objects and elements. This is a paid template but it has one of the most unique slide designs we’ve seen.

Minimalist Travel Plan Canva PowerPoint Templates

This Canva slideshow template is perfect for travel influencers and agencies. You can use it to create minimal and stylish travel plan presentations to highlight the entire journey of your travels. The great thing about using Canva to make the presentation is that you can download this as a video to share on social media.

Business Plan Proposal Presentation Canva PPT Templates

The bold color, creative shapes, and modern design come together to give this Canva presentation a very professional look and feel. It’s great for making more attractive business plan slideshows and business proposal presentations. There are more than 15 slide designs in this template.

Minimalist Elegant Portfolio Canva Presentation Templates

You can use this Canva presentation template to showcase your portfolio like a true professional. It’s designed with photographers in mind but you can use it to create portfolio presentations for designers and artists as well. The template uses a minimal black-and-white design across all slides with space for adding images.

History Class Education Canva PowerPoint Templates

This Canva slide template comes filled with beautiful colors and creative illustrations to help you design more interesting educational slideshows. It’s especially ideal for creating history-themed slideshows for your school presentations. There are more than 20 slides in this template with fully customizable layouts.

Digital Marketing Presentation Canva Presentation Templates

With this presentation template, you can make simple yet professional-looking slideshows for all kinds of digital marketing presentations. It comes with a technology-themed slide design with lots of stylish shapes, images, and objects to give you a head start in your presentation design. The slides include animations and transitions as well.

Playful Education Presentation Canva PPT Templates

The playful and fun design of this Canva presentation template makes it the perfect slideshow for creating educational lessons for kids. There are lots of colorful slides in this template with customizable layouts. Each template has adorable animal characters to make them appeal to children too.

Beige Creative Portfolio Canva PowerPoint Templates

If you’re a freelancer or creative professional looking for the perfect portfolio presentation to promote your skills and services, this Canva slide template is for you. It features a stylish beige color theme with beautiful fonts and a content layout that instantly grab attention. Of course, you can customize the colors, fonts, and images to your preference as well.

Modern Technology Presentation Canva PPT Templates

This Canva presentation template comes with a modern design for making presentations on technology-themed topics. It’s especially great for giving presentations on artificial intelligence, metaverse, and other innovative tech topics. The template includes lots of creative shapes, illustrations, and elements too.

Illustrated Business Marketing Canva Presentation Template

Using this Canva template, you can create a stylish marketing plan to showcase your process for marketing campaigns. It features a dark color theme that allows you to easily highlight specific parts of your slideshow. The template has lots of space for including images, icons, and illustrations.

Comparison Chart Presentation Canva PowerPoint Templates

Whether you want to compare the pricing plan, create product comparisons, or even compare your product to competitors, this Canva presentation template has lots of different comparison chart slides for you to choose from. They have beautiful designs and are also easily customizable.

Photo Collage Business Presentations Canva Slide Template

This presentation template is made for welcoming new employees and team members to your company. It’s great for creating a casual and friendly onboarding presentation for new employees. The template has lots of colorful and modern slides with photo collages to make each slide more effective.

Modern Digital Marketing Canva PowerPoint Templates

You can use this Canva slide template to create playful slideshows for your digital marketing presentations. It features colorful and cute slide layouts with lots of abstract shapes, creative objects, and icons. The template is especially great for making marketing campaign slideshows for feminine and fashion brands.

Back To School 3D Presentation Canva Slide Template

This is one of the most creative presentation templates on our list. It features cool 3D illustrations throughout all of the slides to make each slide more fun and attractive. This Canva slide template is made for school and educational presentations, especially for making back-to-school slideshows.

Geometric Digital Marketing Plan Canva Slide Template

Creating a marketing plan presentation for the next year won’t take too much time when you have this Canva slide template at your side. It includes 10 different slide layouts that you can fully customize to your preference to make a modern presentation for digital marketing agencies.

Casual Fashion Presentation Canva PPT Template

The elegant and stylish slides of this Canva presentation template make it most suitable for creating slideshows for high-end fashion brands and luxury businesses. It’s great for showcasing your latest product lineups as well as for promoting your company.

Elegant Portfolio Canva Presentation Template

This Canva slide template is perfect for freelancers, designers, photographers, and many other types of professionals for making portfolio presentations that stand out from the crowd. It features elegant slide layouts with beautiful colors, stylish fonts, and shapes. There are 10 unique slides in the template.

Social Media Report Canva PowerPoint Templates

A must-have presentation template for social media marketing agencies. With this template, you can create modern and attractive social media reports to accompany your marketing campaigns or even show the results of your marketing efforts. The template has lots of colorful slides with stylish layouts.

Creative Marketing Agency Presentation Canva PPT Template

You can use this Canva slide template to create clean and modern slideshows for your marketing-themed presentations. The template features bright colors with minimal slide layouts to effectively highlight your content above all else. There are 10 unique slide designs included as well.

Blue Pie Chart Presentation Canva Slide Template

Charts and graphs are an important part of every business presentation. With this Canva slide template, you’ll get access to some useful pie chart slides to use in your presentations. Each slide features a different pie chart design with fully customizable elements.

If you’re looking for an affordable way to make a presentation using a free app, Google Slides is another great alternative you can use. It’s free and works online. Explore our Google Slides templates collection to find a cool theme design.

Canva steps up its enterprise push with new products and UX - and a teamwork play

Fast-growing visual design vendor Canva rolled out the latest phase in its enterprise push with the launch of new products and an updated user experience at its flagship Canva Create event in Los Angeles last week. Enterprise-friendly features include a dedicated Canva Enterprise offering with enhanced security and admin features, integration to business data sources such as Salesforce, tailor-made tools and templates for marketing, HR, sales, and creative teams, and improved support for collaborative editing.

The offering is pitched at all kinds of knowledge workers, not just those in creative and marketing roles. Canva believes that a growing demand for visual content in enterprise communications will encourage organizations to adopt its platform for everyday content creation, replacing the traditional document-centric tools they currently use. Duncan Clark, Canva's Head of Europe, tells us:

Whether you are a salesperson making a pitch, or a marketing person making a campaign, or you're an HR person explaining how the organization works to your colleagues, everyone expects you to communicate visually. However, to do that inside of an organization is a very fragmented and confusing experience. Even just the different tools that are used for different parts of the design journey inside enterprises adds a lot of expense and a lot of headaches in terms of training and onboarding your staff... We're also seeing enterprises struggling with fragmentation around AI and around workflow tools. Just to get your day-to-day work done inside a company these days, you're often working with dozens of different tools, all of which have their own price, all of which have their own user experience, and not all will be interoperable. What we're trying to do is to remove all that fragmentation and create a single, unified experience that allows anyone in any part of the organization to create visual content quickly and efficiently.

FedEx, with more than 5,000 users on Canva across marketing, HR and communications, is one of a growing cadre of enterprise customers. Others include Expedia, which saved 160 design hours per week having rolled out a new system for design creation, and Salesforce, which after using Canva to unify its global branding saw a two-thirds reduction in the cost of creating each design. Although the bulk of Canva's 185 million monthly active users and more than $2.3 billion in annualized revenue comes from individual accounts, having first launched a business suite eighteen months ago the company now has more than 130,000 teams using its products in companies with more than 1,000 employees, and has already signed its first million-dollar enterprise deals. Clark says:

What we're seeing time and time again, is that if you want to cut through organizational complexity, consolidate cost and increase efficiency, then the Canva offering of a unified integrated experience adds a huge amount of value... Content creation is very, very fragmented in most enterprises, with dozens of tools used across them, which is expensive, inefficient, and also raises issues around IP, if you keep putting your content into lots of different tools.

More than just design

The business suite therefore extends well beyond traditional design tools, with document creation, whiteboards, data visualization and a video presentation recorder among those included. This sets it apart from Adobe, which is the dominant enterprise vendor in the design space, but which focuses more on design as part of the marketing function rather than broader use cases. Clark explains:

We feel that visual communication is a critical skill now inside organizations, and the demand for it is at an all-time high. That demand for visual communication actually is completely wall-to-wall across the organization. Obviously marketing is an area that has a strong design focus, and we are one of the most widely used marketing tools in the world. But we see that same need for high-quality visual content in all aspects of work, whether it's highly visual documents, whether it's sales pitches, or whether it's internal reports. What we're doing this week is introducing several products that supercharge, in the enterprise, our ability to help people produce visual content and to collaborate well together.

New capabilities introduced last week include:

• A new Canva Enterprise subscription for organizations with multiple teams or teams of more than 100 people. It includes customizable brand management with approval workflows, an admin console to manage permissions, enterprise-grade user access and identity management, and indemnification for AI-generated output from Canva's AI tools.
• An updated Canva app with a customizable dashboard, a quick action toolbar, a new sidebar location for featured team assets, and streamlined commenting.
• Canva Courses, where content can be organized as a set of lessons for training or information purposes.
• Canva Work Kits, customizable collections of templates and resources tailored to specific functions within the enterprise, beginning with sales, HR, marketing and creatives.
• New features for collaborative editing such as AI-suggested edits, document outlines for navigating larger documents and a more organized commenting experience.
• Bulk creation of multiple versions of a design with variable elements such as images, text, and graphics uploaded via an Excel or CSV file.
• Data autofill to bring data into variable fields in Canva documents from Salesforce and from MLS (Multiple Listing Software) sources, which allows bulk personalization of designs.
• Record voiceovers and video commentary to accompany presentations, documents, designs and screenshares.
• Integrations that allow ads for Google, Meta and Amazon to be created in Canva from ready-made templates and have automated checks to make sure they match the target platform's requirements before final submission directly to the ad platform.
• New AI features include creation of graphics from a text prompt, applying layouts and styles to a design, or transforming a design from one format to another, such as turning a whiteboard into a document or a presentation into a website. There are enhancements to image and video editing and a new feature that rewrites content in your own personal tone of voice.

Affinity acquired by Canva

There was also an update to Affinity, the high-end professional design suite acquired by Canva in March this year for a reported $380 million. The Affinity range was created from scratch by long-established UK-based software publisher Serif, with the first releases of Affinity Designer and Affinity Photo coming out in 2014 and 2105 respectively, while Affinity Publisher followed in 2019. Popular for its affordable perpetual licensing model, which Canva committed to retain following its acquisition of Serif, Affinity had reached more than 3 million paying customers prior to the acquisition. Clark says:

What we saw as an amazing opportunity when we met Affinity was to combine our two products into an overall offering that empowers every kind of designer to get their work done... Our vision is that you will be able to draft assets, such as vector graphics and highly edited photos on Affinity. You'll then be able to scale those assets to your entire organization on Canva.

A new v2.5 update to the Affinity suite adds new editing features such as variable font support, a stroke width tool and a QR code tool. Most notable is the addition of native Windows support for ARM64 chips, such as Qualcomm's Snapdragon X Elite laptop processor, which means that the Affinity range now offers native ARM support across Mac, Windows and iPad machines, enhancing its reputation for high-speed design and editing. This complements Canva's existing tools with an offering that's proving popular with professional designers. Clark adds:

It's a highly interoperable, integrated experience, which actually is very similar to what Canva has tried to do for the 98% of people who don't have design training. So there was a philosophical alignment there, in addition to them having that advantage of, compared to some competitors, of having created something from scratch with an architecture that was designed to work that way.

When I met with Canva's leadership a year ago, I was impressed by their relentless execution . There's been no let-up in the year since, adding Affinity to challenge arch-rival Adobe in high-end design and now launching a dedicated enterprise offering that provides the level of administration tooling, compliance controls and security that these buyers demand — plus many other features designed to appeal to this segment.

There was more going on behind the scenes at Create, where a "cringe-worthy rap and breakdance performance" did its job of getting noticed, even meriting a mention in the 'whiffs' section of my colleague Jon Reed's review of the week in enterprise tech . "Haters gonna hate," commented co-founder and COO Cliff Obrecht in a LinkedIn post , going on to note: "Think it’s got like 50m + views. Now everyone knows about canva enterprise." Meanwhile, meetings were said to be taking place in backrooms at the event to start preparing for an IPO on the New York Stock Exchange, although it may take another year or more before a listing comes to fruition. Canva was valued at $26 billion in a secondary stock sale earlier this year.

What I find most interesting about Canva's enterprise offering is that its ambitions are far wider than Adobe's. Whereas its larger rival takes a marketing-centric view of the enterprise — or a document-centric view if you look at the Acrobat side of its business — Canva is aiming to persuade knowledge workers across the enterprise to consolidate all of their communications and team workflows on its platform. Its press release last week — which walks the talk by being presented not in Word, HTML or PDF, but as a Canva document — positions its new products as "poised to redefine the way millions of people work," and includes this quote from co-founder and CEO Melanie Perkins:

We democratized the design ecosystem in our first decade and now look forward to unifying the fragmented ecosystems of design, AI, and workflow tools for every organization in our second decade.

With most enterprises currently looking for ways to consolidate a growing multiplicity of teamwork tools onto more manageable platforms — what diginomica calls the Collaborative Canvas of digital teamwork — this mission statement is bound to resonate.

But is visual design the common factor that will nail enterprise communications, or does it only look that way if all you have is a visual design toolbox to hammer home your messages? There are many vendors out there claiming to offer a unifying platform for enterprise communications and teamwork. Many of them come from a document-centric or messaging-centric heritage. Some of them, like Canva's Australian compatriot Atlassian, see workflow as central (and I'm inclined to agree with them). Others, such as Zoom's Workvivo subsidiary, who I spoke to following its deal to take on enterprise migrations from Meta Workplace , start from communications and the employee experience.

My take is that Canva's going to have to add more substance in these other facets of teamwork around its core strengths in visual design if it's going to become a solid platform for knowledge workers — or else build closer alliances with players that have complementary strengths. But it's also the case that enterprise teamwork and collaboration continues to evolve at a rapid pace and is likely to change dramatically as some of the baggage of its document-centric origins start to fall away. Graphics and video are going to become more important and that opens up opportunities that players with strengths in those areas can seize. In other words, Canva's bold strategy could yet pay off. Watch this space.

Canva launches a proper enterprise product — and they mean it this time

Back in 2019, Canva , the wildly successful design tool, introduced what the company was calling an enterprise product, but in reality it was more geared toward teams than fulfilling true enterprise requirements. On Thursday, the company changed that, announcing a new enterprise version that is truly geared toward the needs of larger organizations.

That includes the types of features that you would expect in this kind of product, including single sign-on, enhanced security offerings and tools for managing larger groups of users that IT would expect. It also offers centralized brand management and dedicated support.

Cam Adams, co-founder and CPO at the company, says in 2019, they were looking at moving from supporting mostly individual users to supporting small teams from between five and 100 users. Over the intervening years, they began seeing much larger organizations using Canva, and recognized that they needed a product more geared toward the requirements of these larger companies.

“We now have cohorts with up to 5,000 people using Canva inside an enterprise, and because of that, there’s a new type of Canva enterprise product that we’ve needed to ship to meet the needs of those larger groups. And that’s what we’ve actually done with Canva Enterprise,” Adams told TechCrunch.

This version is trying to address three specific problems Canva saw as it moved into larger organizations.

For starters, design isn’t confined to one group anymore. It spans multiple departments and industries. Secondly, there are myriad AI tools and Adams says he’s seeing CIOs becoming increasingly wary of “AI tool creep.” And finally, there is a workflow component. As more departments are involved in the design process, and as AI becomes more prominent, it requires a tool that can handle not just back-end user management, but also moving work across these different constituencies.

“We’re no longer just thinking about empowering every person. We’re really thinking about the second decade of Canva being about empowering every organization. And when we think of enterprises, we’re really looking at bringing all that fragmentation together into the one platform,” he said.

The prior version of the product is becoming a proper teams product and will cost $100 per seat per year with a three-person minimum. The enterprise pricing starts at $300 per seat per year, but with negotiated volume-based discounts available.

The Australian company was founded in 2012 and has raised more than $560 million, most recently at an astonishing $26 billion valuation, per the company. It boasts over 180 million monthly users worldwide.

More TechCrunch

Get the industry’s biggest tech news, techcrunch daily news.

Every weekday and Sunday, you can get the best of TechCrunch’s coverage.

Startups Weekly

Startups are the core of TechCrunch, so get our best coverage delivered weekly.

TechCrunch Fintech

The latest Fintech news and analysis, delivered every Tuesday.

TechCrunch Mobility

TechCrunch Mobility is your destination for transportation news and insight.

Binit is bringing AI to trash

Early attempts at making dedicated hardware to house artificial intelligence smarts have been criticized as, well, a bit rubbish. But here’s an AI gadget-in-the-making that’s all about rubbish, literally: Finnish…

Temasek, Fidelity buy $200M stake in Lenskart at $5B valuation

Temasek has previously invested in Lenskart, and this new funding follows a $500 million investment by the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority last year.

French startup ten ten finds viral success and controversy in reinventing walkie-talkies

Less than one year after its iOS launch, French startup ten ten has gone viral with a walkie talkie app that allows teens to send voice messages to their close…

Featured Article

Unicorn-rich VC Wesley Chan owes his success to a Craigslist job washing lab beakers

While all of Wesley Chan’s success has been well-documented over the years, his personal journey…not so much. Chan spoke to TechCrunch about the ways his life impacts how he invests in startups.

Trump takes off on TikTok

Presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump now has an account on the short-form video app that he once tried to ban. Trump’s TikTok account, which launched on Saturday night, features…

Iceland’s startup scene is all about making the most of the country’s resources

With fewer than 400,000 inhabitants, Iceland receives more than its fair share of tourists — and of venture capital.

Kobo’s new e-readers are a sidegrade most can skip (with one exception)

Kobo put out a handful of new e-readers a few weeks back: color versions of the excellent Libra 2 and Clara, as well as an updated monochrome version of the…

Unity co-founder David Helgason’s next act: Gaming the climate crisis

In an interview at his home near Reykjavík, the entrepreneur-turned-VC shared thoughts on his ventures and the journey that led him from Unity to climate tech, a homecoming of sorts.

Fisker collapsed under the weight of its founder’s promises

Welcome back to TechCrunch’s Week in Review — TechCrunch’s newsletter recapping the week’s biggest news. Want it in your inbox every Saturday? Sign up here. Over the past eight years,…

What is AI? We’ve put together this non-technical guide to give anyone a fighting chance to understand how and why today’s AI works.

President Biden vetoes crypto custody bill

President Joe Biden has vetoed H.J.Res. 109, a congressional resolution that would have overturned the Securities and Exchange Commission’s current approach to banks and crypto. Specifically, the resolution targeted the…

Industries may be ready for humanoid robots, but are the robots ready for them?

How large a role humanoids will play in that ecosystem is, perhaps, the biggest question on everyone’s mind at the moment.

VCs are selling shares of hot AI companies like Anthropic and xAI to small investors in a wild SPV market

VCs are clamoring to invest in hot AI companies, and willing to pay exorbitant share prices for coveted spots on their cap tables. Even so, most aren’t able to get…

Deal Dive: How (Re)vive grew 10x last year by helping retailers recycle and sell returned items

The fashion industry has a huge problem: Despite many returned items being unworn or undamaged, a lot, if not the majority, end up in the trash. An estimated 9.5 billion…

You can no longer use Tumblr’s tipping feature 

Tumblr officially shut down “Tips,” an opt-in feature where creators could receive one-time payments from their followers.  As of today, the tipping icon has automatically disappeared from all posts and…

AI training data has a price tag that only Big Tech can afford

Generative AI improvements are increasingly being made through data curation and collection — not architectural — improvements. Big Tech has an advantage.

This Week in AI: Can we (and could we ever) trust OpenAI?

Keeping up with an industry as fast-moving as AI is a tall order. So until an AI can do it for you, here’s a handy roundup of recent stories in the world…

General Catalyst-backed Jasper Health lays off staff

Jasper Health, a cancer care platform startup, laid off a substantial part of its workforce, TechCrunch has learned.

Live Nation confirms Ticketmaster was hacked, says personal information stolen in data breach

Live Nation says its Ticketmaster subsidiary was hacked. A hacker claims to be selling 560 million customer records.

Inside EV startup Fisker’s collapse: how the company crumbled under its founders’ whims

An autonomous pod. A solid-state battery-powered sports car. An electric pickup truck. A convertible grand tourer EV with up to 600 miles of range. A “fully connected mobility device” for young urban innovators to be built by Foxconn and priced under $30,000. The next Popemobile. Over the past eight years, famed vehicle designer Henrik Fisker…

Hugging Face says it detected ‘unauthorized access’ to its AI model hosting platform

Late Friday afternoon, a time window companies usually reserve for unflattering disclosures, AI startup Hugging Face said that its security team earlier this week detected “unauthorized access” to Spaces, Hugging…

Hacked, leaked, exposed: Why you should never use stalkerware apps

Using stalkerware is creepy, unethical, potentially illegal, and puts your data and that of your loved ones in danger.

Mill’s redesigned food waste bin really is faster and quieter than before

The design brief was simple: each grind and dry cycle had to be completed before breakfast. Here’s how Mill made it happen.

Google admits its AI Overviews need work, but we’re all helping it beta test

Google is embarrassed about its AI Overviews, too. After a deluge of dunks and memes over the past week, which cracked on the poor quality and outright misinformation that arose…

Startups Weekly: Musk raises $6B for AI and the fintech dominoes are falling

Welcome to Startups Weekly — Haje‘s weekly recap of everything you can’t miss from the world of startups. Sign up here to get it in your inbox every Friday. In…

a16z-backed ZeroMark wants to give soldiers guns that don’t miss against drones

The product, which ZeroMark calls a “fire control system,” has two components: a small computer that has sensors, like lidar and electro-optical, and a motorized buttstock.

Pitch Deck Teardown: RAW Dating App’s $3M angel deck

The RAW Dating App aims to shake up the dating scheme by shedding the fake, TikTok-ified, heavily filtered photos and replacing them with a more genuine, unvarnished experience. The app…

‘ThreadsDeck’ arrived just in time for the Trump verdict

Yes, we’re calling it “ThreadsDeck” now. At least that’s the tag many are using to describe the new user interface for Instagram’s X competitor, Threads, which resembles the column-based format…

Hackers steal $305M from DMM Bitcoin crypto exchange

Japanese crypto exchange DMM Bitcoin confirmed on Friday that it had been the victim of a hack resulting in the theft of 4,502.9 bitcoin, or about $305 million.  According to…

Disrupt 2024 early-bird prices end at midnight

This is not a drill! Today marks the final day to secure your early-bird tickets for TechCrunch Disrupt 2024 at a significantly reduced rate. At midnight tonight, May 31, ticket…