Canva For Beginners

March 11, 2025 /

Canva is a free-to-use online graphic design tool that students can use to create various types of designs, including infographics, marketing flyers, and short videos. This is a quick overview of Canva. This will provide you with general instructions for first-time users of Canva. So, if you are new to this design tool, please continue reading. 

Step 1: Setting up Your Account 

  • Go to https://canva.com and click “Sign up”. 
  • You can create an account in multiple ways:
    • Sign up with your email address or work email address. 
    • Sign up/log in directly using a Facebook, Google, or Apple account. 

If you choose to sign up with your email, you will receive an authorization code from Canva sent to your email address. You can set a password in Account settings later. 

Step 2: Finding and Customizing Templates 

If you want to find a pre-made template:

  • Navigate to the Templates page using the buttons in the left column on the screen. 
  • Use the search bar to find templates. 
  • Save your favorite templates for later use. 
  • Select “Customize this template”. 

If you want to create your own template:

  • Navigate to the Home page using the buttons in the left column on the screen.
  • Choose a media type, such as a flyer, instagram post, or presentation.
  • Open the editor by clicking on your preferred media type.

You can easily find thousands of inspirations from the templates provided by Canva, but sometimes, it is overwhelming to browse through all of them. The best tip is to search for the right keywords. You can follow the structure below: style + theme + topic + category. 

Step 3: Customizing Your Own Designs 

  • Add or edit text. 
  • Choose and edit elements. 
  • Upload your own media. 

For beginners, the variety of elements may be overwhelming. But one of the most effective tips is to “keep it simple.” Don’t overload your design with too many elements, as it can confuse the visual message of the images.

Step 4: Download and Share Your Designs 

To share files: 

  • Press the share button in the top right corner.
  • Type in the recipient’s email address and determine their level of access. 
  • Click “Send” or choose “Copy link”. 

To download the design: 

  • Press the share button in the top right corner.
  • Click Choose your preferred file types and select the pages you want to download.
  • Once the download is finished, the Download tray status will appear as “Complete”. 

On Canva, designs are automatically saved. To organize your designs into separate folders, you can select “Save to your folder”. For printing, PDF is best for both documents and print designs. You can save an individual page of your design, a range of pages, or the entire design. 

If you need any assistance with Canva, require templates from a Canva Pro account, or need advice to enhance your design, the STA desk can help you! You can contact STA desk by emailing sta-help@trincoll.edu or visit us during our open desk hours.