I made this video to walk you through how to download your designs from Canva, including which file types to use depending on where you’re publishing the content.
Whether you’re exporting a YouTube thumbnail, a PDF guide, or a transparent logo, Canva makes it pretty easy — but a few settings can trip people up, especially if you’re new to the platform or dealing with large files.
Step 1: Finish your design
Before exporting, make sure:
- You’ve double-checked spelling
- Nothing’s cut off at the edge
- Colors, fonts, and spacing look good on both desktop and mobile
I always recommend zooming out to 50% and doing a final scroll-through.
Step 2: Click “Share” and then “Download”
In the top right of Canva, hit “Share”, then click “Download.”
This opens the export settings where you choose:
- File type (PNG, JPG, PDF, MP4, etc.)
- Pages (if you have multiple)
- Size and quality
Step 3: Choose your file format
Here’s what I usually go with:
- PNG: best for social media graphics and thumbnails (higher quality)
- JPG: slightly smaller files, great for blog images
- PDF (Standard): for digital guides, resumes, printables
- PDF (Print): high-res for printed flyers, posters
- MP4 or GIF: for Canva animations or video intros
- SVG (Pro only): for vector logos
If you need transparent backgrounds (like for logos), be sure to tick the box — but note that’s only available to Pro users.
Step 4: Adjust settings
For images, you can scale the size (e.g. 2x for retina displays). For PDFs, you can flatten or compress the file.
I walk through these settings in the video and explain which ones to skip if you’re optimizing for web performance.
Step 5: Click “Download” and save
Canva will compile your design and either download it automatically or give you the option to save to Google Drive, Dropbox, or your desktop.
Bonus tip: Keep your downloads folder organized by naming files clearly (e.g. ebook-cover-v2.png or april-pin-templates.pdf).
Are you downloading designs for print, web, or both right now?