Canva is one of the most popular online graphic design tools, offering a variety of features to create professional-looking designs with ease.
Among its many capabilities is the option to create tints—lighter versions of a color achieved by adding white.
Tints can transform your designs by introducing soft, pastel tones or adding depth and dimension without changing your main color palette.
Understanding Tints in Canva
What Are Tints?
A tint is a lighter variation of a base color, created by mixing the original color with white. In Canva, you can make tints by adjusting the brightness within the color picker tool. The more brightness you add, the lighter your tint will appear.
Why Use Tints in Your Designs?
Tints are not just for aesthetic appeal—they help create:
Visual depth by adding highlights and soft gradients
Consistency in branding while still offering variation
Balance between bold and subtle elements in your designs
A Quick Note on Color Theory
To make the most of tints, it helps to understand basic color theory:
Complementary colors (opposite on the color wheel) create high contrast and vibrancy.
Analogous colors (next to each other) produce harmony and cohesion.
Using tints of these color relationships can elevate your visual design while maintaining a professional look.
How to Create a Tint in Canva
Follow these simple steps to create and save your tints:
1. Select Your Base Color
Choose a color from Canva’s palette or input a HEX code for an exact match. Apply this color to your text, shape, or background.
2. Adjust Brightness or Opacity
To lighten your color:
Click the color swatch in the toolbar
Use the brightness slider to create a lighter tone
OR
Lower the opacity to soften the color effect
You can preview your tint in real time to ensure it matches your design vision.
3. Save Your Tint
Once you’re happy with your tint:
Go to the Styles tab
Click Add Style
Name your new tint for easy access in future projects
Creative Ways to Use Tints in Canva
Apply Tints to Text
Highlight keywords or headings by applying a lighter shade of your brand color.
This draws attention without overwhelming the reader.
Use Tints in Shapes & Icons
Creating a unified look is easier when you apply tints to design elements.
This technique works especially well for infographics, charts, and decorative icons.
Build a Custom Color Palette
Designers often use multiple tints of the same color to keep layouts fresh while staying on-brand.
In Canva, you can save multiple tints as swatches and apply them consistently across projects.
Conclusion
Learning how to create tints in Canva is a quick yet powerful way to add depth, variety, and style to your designs.
By adjusting brightness, saturation, or opacity, you can create a wide range of lighter shades that enhance text, shapes, icons, and entire layouts.
Whether you’re building a brand palette, creating a social media graphic, or designing a presentation, tints can give your work a polished, professional edge.
