To make a calendar in Canva, select Templates on the homepage, search for calendar and choose Customize this template, or add a table to a blank design by typing /table and setting 7 columns. Type your dates and events into the cells, give each month its own page, then download or print it.
A calendar is one of those designs that looks simple until you try to line up thirty-odd boxes by hand. Canva saves you that pain in two ways: calendar templates with the grid already built, and tables you can drop onto any page and fill in. I use calendars for content plans, class timetables and a branded desk calendar to give to clients, and the method differs a little for each.
Start from a calendar template
- On the Canva homepage, select Templates from the side bar.
- Search for calendar. Add a word like monthly, weekly, planner or content to narrow it.
- Select a template to preview it, then Customize this template.
- Check the template's dates match the month and year you need. Many templates are built for one specific year, so edit any day numbers that don't line up.
- Replace photos, colours and fonts with your own.
- Duplicate the page for each extra month and update the month name and dates.
That fourth step is the one people skip. A beautiful template with the 1st on the wrong weekday is worse than no calendar at all, so check every month against your phone's calendar before you print.
Build a calendar grid with a table
If you want full control, build the grid yourself with a Canva table:
- Open a design at the size you want, such as A4 or a custom size.
- Type /table anywhere on the page. Canva lets you set the number of rows and columns: 7 columns for the days of the week, plus enough rows for the weeks.
- Or go to Elements, find the Tables section and pick a table.
- Double-click a cell to type in it. Put the day names in the top row.
- Add the dates. Leave cells blank before the 1st and after the last day.
- To add or remove rows, select the table, click the more icon and choose Add row, or hover over a row and use its more icon to delete it.
- Format borders, colours and cell sizes so the weekends or key dates stand out.
Canva lets you paste data from a spreadsheet into a table when you're using canva.com on a desktop. So if you've already got a content plan in Google Sheets or Excel, copy the cells across rather than retyping them. Canva says importing data straight into tables isn't available yet, so copy and paste is the route.
Which calendar format suits which job
| Calendar | Best starting point | Download as |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly wall or desk calendar | Template, a page for each month | PDF Print |
| Social media content calendar | Table on a wide page | PDF Standard or PNG |
| Weekly class or opening hours | Table with 7 columns | PNG for social, PDF for print |
| Event or launch countdown | Template or simple grid | PNG |
The date-shifting catch with calendar templates
Here's the bit nobody warns you about. Canva tables don't know they're a calendar. If you add or remove a row in the middle, the dates don't move along by themselves the way they would in a calendar app. Each month is just text in cells. So when you reuse a template for a different year, or duplicate January to make February, you have to retype the day numbers in the right columns.
The quickest way I've found is to type the dates for one month in a spreadsheet laid out with seven columns, copy the block, and paste it into the Canva table. It's much faster than clicking into thirty cells and far less likely to go wrong.
Getting a printed calendar right
For a calendar you'll print, turn on File, then Settings, then Show margins and Show print bleed before you add photos. Canva adds 0.125 inches (3.175 mm) of bleed on every side of trimmed products, so stretch your header photos to the bleed line and keep the grid inside the margins. If the calendar is going to be bound or hung, leave extra space at the top or side for the binding.
Download as PDF Print and tick Crop marks and bleed if your printer asks, or select the Print button in the editor to order through Canva Print, choosing material and delivery as you go.
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Content calendars for your marketing
For a social media content calendar, I'd skip the pretty template and use a plain wide table: dates down the side, platforms across the top, and a short note in each cell. Colour-code the cells by content type, such as promotional, educational or behind the scenes, so you can see the balance at a glance. Share it with your team as a Canva link, or download a PDF for clients who just want to see the plan.
What I'd do
For anything printed, I'd start with a template and check every date. For a working plan, I'd build a simple table and paste my dates in from a spreadsheet. Either way, proof it on paper before a big print run, because a wrong date is the mistake people remember. My Canva review covers where Canva fits for small business planning. For more on formatting the grid itself, see my guide to adding a table in Canva.
Frequently asked questions
Does Canva have calendar templates?
Yes. Select Templates on the homepage and search for calendar, then choose Customize this template.
How do I make a calendar grid in Canva?
Type /table on your page and set 7 columns and enough rows for the weeks, or add a table from the Tables section in Elements.
Do Canva calendar dates update automatically?
No. Dates in a Canva table are typed text, so you need to edit them for each month or year.
Can I paste a spreadsheet into a Canva calendar?
Yes, on desktop at canva.com you can copy cells from a spreadsheet and paste them into a Canva table.
How do I print a calendar from Canva?
Download as PDF Print with crop marks and bleed for a printer, or select the Print button to order through Canva Print.
