How to Make Canva Templates (Plus a Free Planning Guide!)

Instructions

STEP 1: GET MY FREE CANVA TEMPLATE PLANNING WORKSHEET

First, download my free Canva Template Planning Worksheet from my free library – look for Design #761. Alternatively, you can use the Save This Project form near the top of this post and the download link will be emailed to you.

In the zip folder, you’ll find my Canva Templates Reference Guide PDF with tips and tricks to help you create reusable templates. It even includes a handy worksheet where you can write down your template’s details.

Plus, there’s a “Crafted With Love” PNG you are welcome to use! I’ll show you how to use it to mark the back of a card and as the focus on a sublimation tumbler, but you can use it any way you like for personal projects.

TIP: If you’re not sure how to unzip the download file, go to jennifermaker.com/svgs to learn how. The process is similar for PDF and PNG files.

STEP 2: CREATE YOUR TEMPLATE IN CANVA

EXAMPLE 1: CREATE A FOLDOVER CARD TEMPLATE IN CANVA

CREATE YOUR 5” x 7” FOLDOVER CARD TEMPLATE

1. To get started, open your computer’s browser and go to jennifermaker.com/canva.
   NOTE: If you’re new to Canva, check out my Canva for Beginners tutorial.
2. Either sign in to your account or follow the prompts on the screen to sign up for a free account.
   NOTE: Canva does offer paid subscriptions with more tools and elements, but I’ll show you how to do everything with the free account.
3. On the Canva Home screen, click the “Create a design” button.
   TIP: Depending on your view, the button may just say “Create.”
4. Click “Custom size” to set the dimensions of your canvas.
   
   
5. In the “Units” box, click the dropdown menu and select “in” for inches.
6. To find the dimensions for a 5” x 7” portrait card template, first multiply your card’s width by two so it’s the correct size when folded in half. Enter that value in the “Width” field.
   NOTE: I’ll enter "10" in the “Width” field.
7. Then enter the card’s height in the “Height” field.
   NOTE: I’ll enter "7” in the “Height” field.
   
   
8. Then click “Create new design.”
9. Click on “File,” hover over “Settings,” and make sure “Show rulers and guides” has a checkmark beside it.
   
   
10. Then click on “File,” hover over “Settings,” and make sure “Show print bleed” has a checkmark, too.
    NOTE: This adds a ⅛” bleed area for extra ink around your canvas to prevent white edges when trimming your card after printing.
11. To add guides to help plan designs, click and drag from the left ruler until the purple measure box reads 5” (or the purple guide turns pink and snaps in the center) to set your card’s fold guide.
    
    
12. Use the same process to set guides a quarter inch from both sides of your fold guide, at 4.75” and 5.25” from the left ruler (these ones won’t turn pink and snap in place), to keep important parts of your design away from the fold.
    TIP: It can be difficult to get exact measurements for guides in Canva, so just do your best to place each guide close to the right spot. Zooming in helps!
    
    
13. Set quarter-inch guides around your canvas to keep important parts of your design away from the edges. They should be at or close to 0.25” and 9.75” from the left ruler, and 0.25” and 6.75” from the top ruler.
    
    
14. Set vertical center guides for both sides of the card, at 2.5” and 7.5” from the left ruler, to easily center items on the card’s front and back sides.
    
    
15. Once your guides are in place, go to “File,” hover over “Settings,” and select “Lock guides” to avoid shifting them by accident.
    
    
16. Visible references can help you remember important information when you use this template later on. To add a black line where your fold will be, click on “Elements” to browse Canva’s image collection.
    NOTE: Items with a crown are Canva Pro items. You’ll need to purchase them individually or sign up for a paid membership to download images using these elements.
    
    
17. Then click on “See all” beside “Shapes” to see line and shape options.
18. Click the free solid line element to add it to your canvas.
19. Select the line and click the “Stroke Style” icon to change how the line looks, and adjust the “Stroke weight” to change the line’s thickness.
    
    NOTE: I’ll choose the long dashed lines style option and set the stroke weight to 2.
    
20. Click and drag the curved Rotate arrows that appear outside the element to rotate it 90 degrees, so it's vertical.
21. Drag the vertical line over your card’s fold line to snap it to the guide.
22. Then drag the handles on both ends of the line to resize it to the same height as your card.
    
    TIP: Click the “Position” button to check the line’s height after resizing to make sure it’s the same as the card.
    
23. To add a label to help you remember a section’s purpose, click the “Text” icon in the side panel, then click “Add a text box.”
24. Type the label’s text in the box.
    TIP: To change text on the Canvas, double-click the text box and press the "Delete" or "Backspace" button on your keyboard. Then, type your new desired text in the box.
    NOTE: I’ll type “Front of Card.”
    
    
25. Use the corner Resize handles to adjust the text box’s size as needed.
26. Then click and drag the text box to move the label to the appropriate section.
    NOTE: I’ll place mine on the card's right side.
27. To create more labels easily, select the original label and click the “Duplicate” icon in the toolbar above it to create a copy.
28. Change the label copy’s text, then move the label into the appropriate section.
    NOTE: I’ll duplicate my first label, change the text to “Back of Card,” and place it on the card’s left side. I’ll also create a “Fold Line” label and place it on the card’s fold line.
    
    
29. To connect a label and a visible element, like the fold line and its label, drag a selection box over both elements and click the “Group” icon to keep them together.
    NOTE: This saves time when using the template to create a design later.
    
    
30. To add an image to your template, such as a logo, you can search for Canva elements or use a file from your computer. To use a file from your computer, click on “Uploads” in the side panel, then “Upload files.”
31. Select your file and click “Open.”
    NOTE: I’ll select the “Crafted With Love” PNG in my design files.
32. In the Uploads Panel, click the image to add it to your canvas.
33. Use the corner Resize handles to adjust the image’s size as desired.
34. Then position the image as desired, using the template guides to help with placement.
    NOTE: I’ll center my design just above the bottom margin guide on the back of the card.
    
    
35. Click the filename field at the top and replace the current name with your own so you can find your template easily later.
    TIP: I recommend including a brief description of your project, the project’s dimensions, and the word “Template” in your title.
    NOTE: I’ll change mine to “Foldover 5” x 7” Card Template by JenniferMaker.”
36. Your card template is ready to use and can be found in your Canva Projects folder whenever you need it!

HOW TO USE YOUR CARD TEMPLATE

NOTE: With a free Canva account, you can’t create a shareable template link. To keep your original file intact and reusable, avoid editing it directly. Instead, make a copy each time you want to use the template. This is the safest way to preserve your template design for future projects.

1. When you want to use your template, go to your Canva home screen and find it in your Projects tab, or look under "Recent designs."
2. Click the three dots in the top right corner, and choose “Make a copy” from the menu.
   
   
3. Click the copy to open an editable version of your template in a new tab.
   NOTE: The copy will have the words “Copy of” at the beginning of the template name.
4. Click the filename field at the top and replace the template name with a new project name.
   NOTE: I’ll change mine to “Happy Birthday Card Design by JenniferMaker.”
5. Select the “Fold Line” label and click the “Trash” icon to delete it.
   
   
6. Delete the “Back of Card” and “Front of Card” labels, too.
7. Then use free Canva tools to add text and graphics to design the front of your card.
   NOTE: I’ll create a “Happy Birthday” design with balloons, banners, and other birthday-themed graphics. You can see a quick overview of how I designed this card in the project video!
   
   
8. To add a background color to your card, click on “Elements,” browse to “Shapes,” and select a free square shape to add it to your canvas.
   
   
9. Select the element and use the color swatch in the top bar to change its color as desired.
10. Then click the “Transparency” button and adjust the slider to lighten the color.
    NOTE: I’ll set mine to 25.
    
    
11. Place the shape on the side of the card where you want to apply the background, and position it so one side is flush with the fold line.
12. Then use the shape’s handles to adjust its size so it fills up the entire area of the card where you want the background, including the bleed area.
    TIP: It’s okay if the shape extends past the canvas, as long as it doesn’t extend beyond the fold line.
    NOTE: I’ll fill up the entire right side of my card.
13. Then click the “Position” button in the top bar. Under the "Arrange" tab, select “To back” so the background is behind all of your elements.
    
    
14. To use the design, click “Share” in the top menu.
15. Then select “Download.”
    
    
16. Set the “File type” to "PDF Print."
17. Make sure the “Crop marks and bleed” and “Flatten PDF” boxes are selected.
    NOTE: Crop marks make your card easier to trim by providing guidelines, while adding a bleed prevents white spots at the edge of your card. Flattening preserves image quality by combining all the layers into a single layer, so your card looks amazing!
    
    
18. Click “Download” to save the image to your computer.
19. To print and cut the card, follow the steps from my How to Make Cards in Canva tutorial.
20. Your card is ready!
    
    

EXAMPLE 2: CREATE A 20 OZ SKINNY TUMBLER TEMPLATE IN CANVA

CREATE YOUR TUMBLER TEMPLATE

1. Use a looped measuring tape to find your tumbler’s circumference to get your template’s width. Record your measurement on a piece of scrap paper.
   NOTE: I’ll use a 20 oz. skinny tumbler, which is 9.37” wide.
   
   
2. Then measure the tumbler’s height to see how tall the template should be. Record this measurement, as well.
   TIP: If your tumbler is tapered at the top and bottom, only measure the straight edge.
   NOTE: The height of my 20 oz. skinny tumbler is 7.9”.
   
   
3. Open your computer’s browser and go to jennifermaker.com/canva.
4. Either sign in to your account or follow the prompts on the screen to sign up for a free account.
5. On the Canva Home screen, click the “Create a design” button.
   TIP: Depending on your view, the button may just say “Create.”
6. Click “Custom size” to set the dimensions of your canvas.
7. In the “Units” box, click the dropdown menu and select “in” for inches.
8. In the “Width” field, enter the measured width of your tumbler plus 0.15” to make sure your seam overlaps.
   NOTE: I’ll enter 9.52” in the “Width” field.
9. In the “Height” field, enter the measured height of your tumbler plus 0.21” to make sure your print hangs over the top and bottom edge for full coverage.
   NOTE: I’ll enter 8.11” in the “Height” field.
   
   
10. Then click “Create new design.”
11. Click on “File,” hover over “Settings,” and make sure “Show rulers and guides” is selected.
12. To create a center horizontal guide for your template to help position design elements, click and drag down from the top ruler until the line turns pink in the center of your canvas.
    
    
13. Then click and drag from the top ruler to place guides at 0.6” and 7.51” for the top and bottom edge margins to keep your elements safe from the edges.
    
    
14. To create guides for your seam overlap, first take the extra value you added to your design’s width in Step 8 and divide it by two.
    NOTE: I increased my width by 0.15”, so I’ll divide that by two to get 0.075”.
15. Click and drag from the left ruler to place guides at those measurements from the left and right edges of your canvas.
    NOTE: After doing some simple math, I figured out that I’ll need to place my left guide at 0.075” and my right guide at 9.445”.
    
    
16. To create a safe zone for text or main elements to make sure they’re visible without having to rotate your tumbler, first click on “Elements,” browse to “Shapes,” and click a free Square to add it to your canvas.
    
    
17. Select the square and click the “Position” button in the Edit bar above it.
18. Under the "Arrange" tab in the "Advanced" section, enter “3” in the “Width” field, which is the maximum visible text width for a 20 oz. skinny tumbler.
19. Then click “Middle” and “Center” under the “Align to page” section to center it on your template.
    
    
20. Click and drag from the left ruler until the pink guideline snaps into alignment with the left side of the square.
21. Then click and drag from the left ruler again until the pink line snaps to the right side of the square.
22. Select the square and click the “Trash” icon above it to delete it. And now you have a center vertical panel marking the safe area for your tumbler's text.
    
    
23. Once your guides are in place, go to “File,” hover over “Settings,” and select “Lock guides” to avoid shifting them by accident.
24. To make a tumbler template for a design with a full image background, click on “Elements” and scroll to the “Frames” section.
25. Click on the standard square frame to add it to your canvas.
26. Drag the edges of the frame so it fills up your entire canvas.
    NOTE: This will allow you to place an image into the template and have it automatically fill the background area.
    
    
27. Follow Steps 23-28 of the “CREATE YOUR 5” x 7” FOLDOVER CARD TEMPLATE” section to create section labels for your template.
    NOTE: I’ll create a label that says “Safe Area for Text/Element Placement” and place it in the center panel below the top margin.
    
    
28. Follow Steps 16-19 from the “CREATE YOUR 5” x 7” FOLDOVER CARD TEMPLATE” section to add a line to your design.
    NOTE: I’ll keep my line solid and at the default weight for my tumbler template.
    
    
29. Position the line below your label.
30. Then drag the handles on both ends of the line to resize it to the same width as the section you want to label.
    
    TIP: Click the “Position” button to check the line’s width after resizing to make sure it’s the same.
    
31. Click the left arrow “Line start” icon in the top bar and choose an arrow style to add an arrow to the left end of your line.
32. Then click the right arrow “Line end” icon and choose the same arrow style for the right end of your line.
    
    
33. Drag a selection box over both the text box and the arrow element, then click the “Group” icon to keep them together.
34. Click the filename field at the top and replace the current name with your own so you can find your template easily later.
    NOTE: I’ll change mine to “20 oz. Skinny Tumbler Template by JenniferMaker.”
35. Your tumbler template is ready to use and can be found in your Canva Projects folder whenever you need it!

HOW TO USE YOUR TUMBLER TEMPLATE

1. Follow Steps 1-4 from the “HOW TO USE YOUR CARD TEMPLATE” section to open a copy of your tumbler template and give it a new project name.
   NOTE: I’ll change mine to “20 oz Crafted Skinny Tumbler by JenniferMaker.”
   
   
2. To add a background to your design, click on “Elements” to browse Canva’s image collection.
   TIP: I recommend browsing the Photos section as you’ll find more usable images there.
3. To find an image that fits a specific design you have in mind, type a related phrase in the “Search” bar.
   NOTE: I’ll search for “field of sunflowers.”
4. When you find a background image you like, drag and drop it into the template’s background frame so it fills the canvas.
   
   
5. To change the size or position of your background image so its interesting elements are inside the template, double-click on the Frame to bring up the “Crop” menu.
   
   
6. Use the handles to resize your image as desired, then drag the photo into position.
7. When you are satisfied with your background image’s size and positioning, click “Done” to apply the changes and go back to the template.
8. If your background image’s colors look too dark or washed out, select the image on your canvas and click “Edit.”
   
   
9. Find the “Filters” section and click “See all” to open all available filter options, then click a filter you like to apply it to your image.
   NOTE: I’ll use the “X-Pro +” filter to brighten up and increase the saturation of my sunflowers.
10. Use the “Intensity” slider to adjust how much the filter affects your image.
    NOTE: I’ll keep the intensity all the way up for mine.
    
    
11. To add a logo or other image to your design, follow Steps 30-34 from the “CREATE YOUR 5” x 7” FOLDOVER CARD TEMPLATE” section to upload and place the element.
    TIP: If you want to use a file you’ve previously uploaded, look for it in the Uploads panel so you don’t have to upload it again!
    NOTE: I’ll add the “Crafted With Love” PNG I uploaded for my foldover card template.
    
    
12. Adjust the final size and position of your design to make sure it is horizontally centered and fits within the Safe Area.
13. Select the grouped “Safe Area” label and arrow, and click the “Trash” icon to delete them.
14. To use the design, click “Share” in the top menu.
15. Then select “Download.”
16. To print the design in Google Docs, make sure the file type is set to PNG.
    
    
17. Click “Download” to save the image to your computer.
18. To print the design and sublimate your tumbler, follow the steps from my Sublimation Tumblers tutorial.
19. Your tumbler is ready!
    NOTE: I used the same template and design process above to make this beautiful tumbler below, but I used text in place of the logo! Using the guidelines to make sure all of the text was visible was very helpful, especially since the text lines are different widths!
    
    

EXAMPLE 3: CREATE A PROJECT DETAILS TRACKING SHEET TEMPLATE IN CANVA

CREATE YOUR 8.5" x 11" TRACKING SHEET TEMPLATE

1. Follow Steps 1-10 from the “CREATE YOUR 5” x 7” FOLDOVER CARD TEMPLATE” section using your tracking sheet’s dimensions to set up your canvas.
   NOTE: I’ll enter "8.5" in the “Width” field and "11" in the “Height” field to create a letter-sized tracking sheet.
   
   
2. Set half-inch guidelines around your canvas to keep important parts of your design away from the edges, at or close to 0.5” and 8” from the left ruler, and 0.5” and 10.5” from the top ruler.
   
   
3. Once your guides are in place, go to “File,” hover over “Settings,” and select “Lock guides” to avoid shifting them by accident.
4. To add a placeholder for a logo or image, click on “Elements,” scroll down to “Frames” and click your desired frame shape to select it.
   NOTE: I’ll add a basic free square frame.
5. Use the corner Resize handles to adjust the frame’s size as needed, then position your frame as desired.
   NOTE: I’ll resize mine down to 1.4” square and align it in the top left corner where the margin guides meet.
   
   
6. Follow Steps 23-26 from the “CREATE YOUR 5” x 7” FOLDOVER CARD TEMPLATE” section to create a label for the logo placeholder frame.
   NOTE: I’ll create a text box with the words “Place Logo Here” on multiple lines, with bold and uppercase formatting.
   
   
7. Drag a selection box around both the text box and the frame and click the “Group” button so you can move both objects together.
8. Next, add a label with placeholder text for your project’s title.
   NOTE: I’ll create a text box with the words, “Type Title Here” on a single line, using the “Homemade Apple” typeface at size 36.
9. To add a decorative bar behind your text, click on “Elements,” scroll down to the “Shapes” section, and click a free square shape to add it to your canvas.
10. Select the square on your canvas, and use the color swatch in the top bar to change it to black.
11. Use the corner and side Resize handles to make the shape look like a thin rectangle slightly smaller than your text’s height.
    NOTE: I’ll make mine 0.45” tall.
    
    
12. Then click the “Transparency” button in the top bar and use the slider to change the value so it's easier to read the text on the bar.
    NOTE: I'll change my Transparency to 12.
    
    
13. Drag a selection box around the title’s text box and the bar, then click the “Group” button to keep the two elements together.
14. Then click the “Position” button in the Edit bar, switch to the “Layers” tab, and drag the title bar layer behind the logo placeholder layer.
    
    
15. Adjust the bar’s positioning as needed.
    NOTE: I’ll snap mine to the logo placeholder’s horizontal center.
16. To create sections for project details, select the grey title bar shape and click the “Duplicate” button to make a copy of it.
17. Select the copy and click the “Position” button.
18. Under the "Arrange" tab in the “Advanced” section, enter "3.62" in the “Width” field and "3.38” in the “Height” field to make it into a box shape.
    
    
19. Duplicate the box three times, then position the four squares evenly on your page within the margin guides.
    TIP: Use the pink guides to help line up your boxes. Mine snapped into place with a 0.25” margin around the boxes.
    
    
20. To add a details section at the bottom of your template, duplicate one of the boxes.
21. Drag the copy’s left and right handles out to the margins to form a rectangle.
22. Position the rectangle flush with the template’s bottom margin guideline.
23. Then drag the rectangle’s top edge down until it snaps into place with the same buffer amounts as the other elements, which are noted in pink ovals.
    
    
24. To create a section heading, duplicate the title bar.
25. Position the title bar copy in the top left corner of the first square, then drag its right side handle so the shape is flush with the box’s right side.
26. Click the “Transparency” button and adjust the value to 100 so the bar is solid black.
    
    
27. Then duplicate the title text and change the copy’s text to “Type Heading Here.”
28. Change the font settings as desired.
    NOTE: I’ll select the “Playpen Sans” typeface in SemiBold, change the text size to 18, and set the color to white.
29. Center the heading text inside the heading bar, then snap the text box’s left and right sides to the bar’s left and right sides.
    NOTE: If you can’t see your text, click the “Position” button, switch to the “Layers” tab, and drag the heading text layer on top of the heading bar layer.
30. Select the heading text and the heading bar, then click the “Group” button to keep them together.
31. Duplicate the group with the heading elements four times, then place the groups in the remaining box sections.
    
    
32. Next, click on the canvas, then click the “Position” button and switch to the “Layers” tab.
33. Move the logo placeholder and title placeholder to the top of the Layers list.
34. To keep an element in place in your template, select it and click the “Lock” icon above it.
    NOTE: I’ll lock each of my grey boxes in place.
35. Click the filename field at the top and replace the current name with your own so you can find your project easily later.
    NOTE: I’ll change mine to “8.5” x 11” Tracking Sheet Template by JenniferMaker.”
36. Your tracking sheet template is ready to use and can be found in your Canva Projects folder whenever you need it!

HOW TO USE YOUR TRACKING SHEET TEMPLATE

1. Follow Steps 1-4 from the “HOW TO USE YOUR CARD TEMPLATE” section to open a copy of your tracking sheet template and give it a new project name.
   
   NOTE: I’ll change my filename to “8.5” x 11” Project Tracker by JenniferMaker.”
   
2. Click the “Type Title Here” text box and enter a title for your project tracking sheet.
   TIP: Triple-click the text box to highlight all of the text inside the box.
   NOTE: I’ll type in “Project Tracker.”
   
   
3. Repeat step 2 to replace the heading text in each section of your tracking sheet.
   NOTE: I’ll name my sections “Settings & Tips,” “Favorite Materials,” “What Worked,” “What I’d Do Differently,” and “Notes.”
   
   
4. If you’d like to resize a section heading, select the text box first and use the side handles to resize it.
   NOTE: I’ll slide the right side of my “Notes” textbox to the left so only a little space remains on both sides of the text.
5. Then select the black bar and use its side handles to resize it to match your text box.
6. To add a logo or other image to your design, follow Steps 30-34 from the “CREATE YOUR 5” x 7” FOLDOVER CARD TEMPLATE” section to upload the element.
   NOTE: I’ll use the “Crafted with Love” PNG logo I uploaded for my foldover card template.
7. Delete the placeholder text, then drag the image into the placeholder frame to fill it.
8. If you need to adjust the image’s placement in the frame, double-click the image to open the Crop Panel, then resize and reposition the image as needed.
   
   
9. If the frame cuts off part of your image, you can click the image in the Uploads panel to add it to your canvas instead. Then, resize and position the image over the placeholder frame and delete the frame and its label.
10. If you need to reposition the title text and bar, select their group and click the “Unlock” button, then position as needed.
11. To change the color of your title bar, select it, click the “Unlock” button if needed, and then click the color swatch in the top bar to choose a new color.
    NOTE: Your color will appear lighter if you applied a transparency to the bar.
12. Do the same to change the color of the heading bars and section boxes as desired.
    
    
13. To use the design, click “Share” in the top menu.
14. Then select “Download.”
15. Set the "File type" to "PDF Print."
16. Make sure the box next to “Flatten PDF” is selected.
    NOTE: Flattening a PDF in Canva combines all your layers into one flat image. This helps to preserve your design’s appearance for printing.
    
    
17. Click “Download” to save the image to your computer.
18. Open your file in Adobe Acrobat to print your project.
    NOTE: If you need help printing your project from Adobe Acrobat, check out my How to Make Cards in Canva tutorial for instructions!
19. Your project tracker is ready!
    

STEP 3: SHOW IT OFF

Now you know how to make Canva templates so you can easily make multiple projects of the same type!