Canva has quickly become one of the most popular online design platforms for professionals, small businesses, educators, and even beginners who want to create stunning visuals without needing advanced design skills. From social media graphics to presentations, posters, and marketing materials, Canva makes it easy for anyone to design like a pro.
One of Canva’s most powerful time-saving features is the ability to create and save templates. Templates allow you to maintain consistency across multiple projects, streamline your workflow, and ensure your brand looks professional in every piece of content you produce.
In this comprehensive guide, you’ll learn:
What Canva templates are and why they’re useful
How to create and save your own templates
How to customize existing templates
How to organize templates into folders for easy access
Pro tips for getting the most out of Canva templates
By the end of this article, you’ll know exactly how to use Canva templates to save time, stay organized, and create designs that align perfectly with your brand identity.
What Are Canva Templates and Why Should You Use Them?
A template in Canva is essentially a pre-designed layout that you can reuse for future projects. Instead of starting from scratch every time, you can make small adjustments—like changing text, swapping images, or updating colors—while keeping the overall design consistent.
For example, a small business might create a template for Instagram posts that includes their brand colors, fonts, and logo placement. Every time they post, they can use the same template, ensuring brand consistency while saving hours of design time.
Benefits of using Canva templates include:
Consistency: Keep branding uniform across all marketing materials.
Efficiency: Save hours by reusing the same design structure.
Scalability: Create multiple pieces of content quickly, perfect for social media campaigns.
Accessibility: Easily share templates with team members for collaborative projects.
Whether you’re running a business, teaching students, or just managing personal projects, templates are a game-changer.
How to Create a Template in Canva
Creating your own template in Canva is simple. Follow these steps:
1. Design your graphic – Start by creating a design as you normally would, using your preferred fonts, colors, images, and layout.
2. Save it as a template – Once you’re satisfied, go to the File menu and select Save as Template.
3. Name and tag your template – Give it a descriptive name and add tags so you can easily find it later.
4. Save – Your template is now stored in Canva and can be reused for future projects.
👉 Important Note: The ability to save designs as templates is a Canva Pro feature. Free users can still duplicate and reuse designs, but the official “Save as Template” function is limited to Pro subscribers.
Accessing Canva Templates
Canva also provides thousands of professionally designed templates across categories like business cards, presentations, resumes, flyers, and social media posts.
Here’s how to access them:
1. Log in to your Canva account.
2. Click Create a design in the top-right corner.
3. Choose the type of design (e.g., Instagram Post, Poster, Presentation).
4. Browse and select from the available templates.
Once you select a template, you can edit it however you like.
Customizing Canva Templates
One of the biggest advantages of Canva templates is flexibility. Even though templates provide a pre-built design, you’re free to modify them to suit your needs.
Here’s what you can customize:
Text – Change the font, size, and alignment to match your message.
Colors – Update the palette to reflect your brand’s identity.
Images – Replace stock photos with your own visuals.
Layout – Move or resize elements to create a unique look.
Graphics and Icons – Add new design elements to make your project stand out.
By making small adjustments, you can turn a standard template into something uniquely yours.
Saving a Customized Template
Once you’ve customized a Canva template, you can save it as a new template for future use.
1. Click on File in the top menu.
2. Select Save as Template.
3. Give it a name (e.g., “Facebook Ad Template” or “Monthly Newsletter”).
4. Click Save.
Now, your customized template will always be available in your templates folder, ready for quick edits.
Organizing Templates in Canva
If you create multiple templates, things can get messy quickly. Fortunately, Canva allows you to keep everything organized with folders.
Creating a Template Folder
1. Go to the Folders tab on the left-hand sidebar.
2. Click Create a Folder.
3. Name the folder (e.g., “Social Media Templates” or “Client Projects”).
4. Click Create.
Moving Templates into Folders
1. Go to All Your Designs.
2. Select the template you want to move.
3. Click Move at the top of the page.
4. Choose the folder and click Move.
You can even select multiple templates at once to batch-organize them.
👉 Pro Tip: Use separate folders for different platforms (Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn) or for different clients if you’re a freelancer.
Pro Tips for Getting the Most Out of Canva Templates
Batch create content – Design multiple posts in one session using templates to save time.
Use brand kits – Canva Pro lets you upload your brand colors, logos, and fonts, which automatically integrate into your templates.
Collaborate with teams – Share templates with your team so everyone maintains design consistency.
Update templates regularly – Refresh your templates every few months to keep designs modern.
Duplicate instead of overwriting – Always duplicate your template before editing so you don’t lose your original design.
Final Thoughts
Canva templates are one of the best ways to save time, stay organized, and maintain consistent branding. Whether you’re a small business owner, a content creator, or a student, templates make your design process smoother and more efficient.
By learning how to create, save, customize, and organize templates, you’ll transform the way you work in Canva. With a little setup, you’ll never have to start a design from scratch again.
FAQs About Canva Templates
1. Do I need Canva Pro to save templates?
Yes. The official “Save as Template” feature is only available to Canva Pro users. Free users can duplicate designs but can’t save them as reusable templates.
2. Can I share my Canva templates with others?
Absolutely! You can share templates with team members or clients by generating a template link.
3. How many templates can I create in Canva?
There’s no strict limit, but your storage depends on your Canva subscription. Canva Pro offers unlimited storage.
4. Can I sell Canva templates online?
Yes, as long as you follow Canva’s Content License Agreement. You must sell them as editable templates, not final graphics.
5. What’s the difference between a design and a template?
A design is a single project, while a template is reusable for multiple future projects.
6. Can I use Canva templates for commercial purposes?
Yes. Canva templates can be used for personal or commercial projects, depending on the licensing terms.
7. Can I use my brand fonts in Canva templates?
Yes, Canva Pro users can upload custom fonts and apply them across all templates.
8. Can I organize templates by team members?
Yes. You can assign folders, share access, and manage who edits or views templates.
9. Can I use Canva templates offline?
No. Canva requires an internet connection. However, you can download designs after editing for offline use.
10. Are Canva templates customizable on mobile?
Yes. Canva’s mobile app allows you to edit and save templates on the go.
