how to make presentation with canva

How to Create Presentations in Canva

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• You can easily customize templates, add graphics, and animate slides without needing extensive design skills.
• Canva’s collaboration features allow for real-time editing and sharing of presentations.
• Canva provides various export options, including PDF, PPTX, MP4, and image formats.

How to Create Canva Presentations

To create Canva presentations, you must follow a few steps. We break them down into the headings below.

Pick Up an Aspect Ratio and Template

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.

Step 1: On the left pane, click Templates .

Step 2: Choose a template from the options or search for one using the search field.

Step 3: Click Customize this template once satisfied with your choice.

Note: You can filter templates via style, theme, feature, and color. For example, you can check company, marketing, corporate, marketing, school, and other templates. 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 select a template, you can add all pages to your presentations and customize other pages.

Step 1: To select a page for customization, click on it at the bottom of the interface.

Step 2: At the bottom of the interface, click the three-dot icon for a page and select any of the available options.

Step 3: When you click on a page, 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 editing tools to customize your Canva presentation and add personal touches.

Add Graphics, Stickers, and Images

Your presentation will not seem attractive 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. You can 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 smoothly transition between pages.

Step 1: Select a slide in Canva.

Step 2: Click Animate at the top.

Step 3: Check Basic , Exaggerate , 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).

Step 1: When you create a PPT, select a slide and hit Notes at the bottom.

Step 2: Enter the notes you want to remember or discuss during a video meeting.

Collaborate and Edit in Real Time

Like Google Slides and Microsoft PowerPoint, Canva lets you share and edit a presentation in real-time. You can take your colleagues’ input and create a share-worthy presentation quickly.

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 or Download and Share Your Presentation

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

Step 1: Open a presentation in Canva and select Present at the top.

Step 2: 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.

As expected, Canva offers several options for sharing and exporting 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 .

1. Can you customize a PowerPoint presentation (.PPTX) in Canva?

Yes, you can customize a PowerPoint presentation (PPTX) in Canva. You will need to upload the presentation, edit it, customize your slides, and then download it.

2. Can you edit a Canva presentation in the Microsoft PowerPoint?

Yes, you can edit a Canva presentation using Microsoft PowerPoint. You will need to download it from Canva, open it in Microsoft PowerPoint, edit the presentation, and save your changes.

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Last updated on 27 August, 2024

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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 .

• Productivity
• Presentations

Canva Presentations: How to Create and Share Them

Canva may not be your first thought for creating a presentation. However, this popular web-based design tool offers a robust slideshow feature set. We’ll walk through how to create a Canva presentation, present it to your audience, and share it using a variety of methods.

Create a Canva Presentation

If you’ve never made a presentation with Canva, don’t worry. This online graphic design application goes beyond creating images and crafting infographics. Canva makes it super easy to create and set up a presentation for your audience.

On the Canva home page, select Presentations below the Search bar. Then, choose a slideshow size or Canva presentation template to get started.

Note : If you’re using Canva Docs , you can also convert your document to a presentation by selecting Convert at the top. Follow the prompts, and you’ll see your presentation open in the Canva editor.

Once in the Canva editor, use the menu on the left side to add slide elements. You can select or drag items like shapes, images, or text boxes onto your slides.

You can also edit or remove a slide element by selecting it and using the tools that display near the item or in the top toolbar. For example, you can change the style of text or transparency of an image.

Be sure to check out the full set of Canva presentation tools in the editor. You can add animations, insert slide transitions, use the grid view to rearrange presentation slides, and more.

Set Up the Presentation

After you tap your creativity to make an attractive and informative presentation, you can add notes, clock your speaking time, and adjust the slide durations.

Add Presenter Notes

To add presenter notes to a slide, select Notes in the bottom toolbar. Then, type your note in the panel that displays on the left. You can then move to your other slides and add notes the same way.

When you finish, deselect Notes in the toolbar.

Use the Timer

If you’d like to time your presentation, you can use the built-in countdown Timer feature. Select Timer in the bottom toolbar to display the timer. By default, the timer is set for five minutes, but you can change this using the plus and minus buttons.

Press the Play button to start the countdown, the Pause button to temporarily stop the timer, and the Reset button to restart the timer.

To close the Timer, deselect Timer in the toolbar.

Set the Slide Duration

Maybe you’re using Autoplay (described below) and would like to display particular slides for a longer or shorter time. You can adjust the slide duration for each or all slides in two different ways in Canva.

Use the Duration Slider

Expand the bottom section by selecting the Show Pages arrow. Then, choose Duration on the left to see the default timing for each slide.

Select a slide thumbnail (page) and hover your cursor over the left or right side of it to display the duration slider. Then, drag the slider in or out to shorten or lengthen the duration.

When you finish, deselect Duration in the toolbar and optionally use the Hide Pages arrow to minimize the bottom section.

Use the Timing Feature

Another way to change the duration of a slide is by using the Timing option at the top of the editor. Select a slide to see its duration and choose the current timing to enter a new duration, or use the slider to adjust it.

You can also turn on the toggle to apply the new duration to all pages (slides) in the presentation.

To close the Timing tool, deselect it in the top toolbar.

Show a Canva Presentation

The great thing about creating a presentation in Canva is that you can present from it as well. If you prefer not to download and present using a different application, you have a few options to show your slideshow directly from Canva.

When you’re ready to present or practice your presentation, select Present on the top right. You’ll then see the options below.

Present in Full Screen Mode

Choose the Present full screen option to enter presentation mode. You’ll see your presentation consume your entire screen and have controls at the bottom.

Use the arrows on the left to move through the slides and the controls on the right to zoom, interact, use shortcuts, or exit full-screen mode.

Use Presenter View

To see your notes and controls on one screen with your presentation on another for your audience, choose Presenter view .

Your screen shows the time, a count-up timer, and other controls for a countdown, AutoPlay, and the font size for your notes.

You can drag the other screen wherever needed for your audience to view.

Present and Record

Maybe you want to incorporate your smiling face into your presentation. For this, pick the Present and record option to record yourself live as the presentation plays. You can then share the whole presentation as if you’re in the same room.

Note : This feature is currently only available when using the Google Chrome web browser.

You’ll see your face appear in a circle on the bottom left of the presentation. You can use the Pause and End recording buttons at the top to control the recording as well as see your presenter notes.

When you finish, you’ll see a link that you can copy and have the option to download the recorded presentation immediately.

Use Autoplay

Like Autoplay for a PowerPoint presentation, this is one more way to present a slideshow using Canva. With Autoplay, you can start the presentation and let it play on its own. This is ideal for kiosk presentations or when you are unable to present yourself.

When you choose Autoplay , the presentation begins and moves through each slide using the Durations you set (explained earlier). You can also manually control the presentation if needed using the same tools as the Present Full Screen option.

Share a Canva Presentation

Along with or instead of actually presenting a slideshow with Canva, you can share it in a variety of ways. Whether you want to collaborate with your team, download the file to your device, or pop the presentation up on social media, Canva has you covered.

Select Share in the top right corner and then choose one of the following ways to share.

Collaborate With Others

Maybe you want to work on the final presentation with a team member or coworker. You can grant access to others and provide them with a collaboration link.

Enter the people, groups, teams, or email addresses in the People with access field. Then, open the Collaboration link drop-down menu and pick Anyone with link to provide access.

Download a Presentation

If you’d like to save your presentation to your device or download it as a Microsoft PowerPoint file, this is easy too.

Select Download and use the File type drop-down to pick PDF, PPTX, GIF, PNG, or another format.

You can then choose to flatten the PDF, include notes, or download only certain pages (slides).

Share on Social Media

Want to post your presentation directly to Facebook, Instagram, or another social media network? Select Share on social , choose the location, and follow the subsequent prompts to sign in and set up the social media post.

More Sharing Options

If you don’t see the sharing avenue you want, don’t despair because there are even more. Select More at the bottom of the Share menu.

You’ll then see sections for Share, Social, Save, Messaging, Design, and More Options giving you a ton of sharing methods. As examples, you can obtain a public link, send it to your phone, get an embed code for your blog, upload it to Dropbox or Google Drive, send it to Slack or WhatsApp, and more.

Will You Create a Presentation in Canva?

Now that you know the basics, are you going to use Canva for your next presentation? If so, let us know what you think of the tools and features. For doing even more, check out how to blur a face in a photo using Canva .

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• How to Use Canva Docs to Create Documents Online
• How to Make a Vision Board on Canva
• How to Blur the Face in a Photo Using Canva
• Is Canva Pro Worth the Cost?

Sandy Writtenhouse is a freelance technology writer and former Project, Department, and Program Manager. She turned her education, job experience, and love of technology into a full-time writing career. With all sorts of gadgets in her home and her hands, she seeks to help others make life easier through technology. Read Sandy's Full Bio

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