To make a flyer in Canva, select Templates, search for flyer, preview one and choose Customize this template, then swap in your own text, photos and colours. Turn on margins under File, then Settings, keep text out of the red danger zone, and download as PDF Print for printing or PNG for sharing online.
Flyers still work for local businesses: a stack on a café counter, one through every door on the street, a digital version pinned in a community Facebook group. Canva's flyer templates get you most of the way in minutes. The skill is in cutting the template back to what your flyer needs to say, and making two versions, one for paper and one for screens.
Make a flyer from a template
- On the Canva homepage, select Templates from the side bar.
- Type flyer in the search bar, adding your industry if you like, such as flyer yoga class.
- Select a template to preview it, then Customize this template to open it in the editor.
- Replace the headline, photos and colours with your own. Delete any section you don't need.
- Go to File, then Settings, and select Show margins.
- Move all text, your logo and contact details inside the broken margin line.
- Download, or select Print to order copies through Canva Print, which lists flyers among its products.
What to put on a flyer, in order
| Part | What it does | Keep it to |
|---|---|---|
| Headline | Says what's in it for the reader | One line |
| Offer or event details | What, when and where | Three short lines |
| Proof | A short testimonial or a star rating you've earned | One quote |
| Call to action | Phone, website or QR code | One clear route |
| Logo | Tells them who it's from | Small, in a corner |
Templates often come with five boxes of filler text. Resist filling them all. A flyer is skimmed, not read, so a short headline and one clear next step will beat a full page of copy.
Margins versus the red danger zone
This distinction is the one that saves reprints. Canva's margins are a layout guide you switch on while designing. The danger zone, shown in red, is different: Canva calls it a live print check, and red means an element is close enough to the trim line to be cut off, even if it's sitting inside your margins. It appears during the print preview, and when you design via Canva Print, Canva can also highlight elements that are too close to the edge as you work.
So a phone number tucked neatly inside the margin can still flash red. If it does, move it in. And if you can't find Show margins at all, Canva says some older templates and document types don't show it: try a newer template or start from a blank design.
Two versions: print and screen
| Version | Download as | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Printed flyer | PDF Print (300 dpi, crop marks and bleed if the printer asks) | Sharp text and clean edges |
| Email attachment | PDF Standard or JPG | Smaller file that opens anywhere |
| Social media or WhatsApp | PNG or JPG | Shows as an image in the feed |
If your flyer's going in an email, Canva's Limit size option lets you cap a PNG or JPG download at a file size you set in KB. It only works when you download a single page, so pick This Page or Custom first. A small file means people will open it on their phones instead of giving up while it loads.
Double-sided flyers
For a two-sided flyer, add a second page to the same design and put the back on it: a map, opening hours, a menu or extra detail. Keep the front for the headline and offer only. When you download for a printer, include both pages in one PDF Print file. For online sharing, you'll usually only want the front, so use the Select pages dropdown in the download panel to grab just that page.
Handing out flyers that get a response
Design is only half of it. Think about where each flyer will be picked up and what the reader needs at that moment. A flyer on a gym noticeboard can carry a tear-off strip or a QR code, because people stand there for a minute. One pushed through a letterbox needs the offer in the headline, because it's heading for the recycling bin otherwise. I'd also add a simple way to tell which flyer brought someone in, such as a short code word to mention when booking. It's the easiest way I know to see whether the print run was worth doing.
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Small details that make flyers work
- Put the date in words and numbers, such as Saturday 4 May, so nobody gets the wrong day.
- Use a QR code only if it points somewhere useful, like a booking page, not your homepage.
- Print one copy at home first and read it at arm's length.
- Use the same colours and fonts as your website so the flyer feels familiar when people look you up.
My take
Templates are a brilliant starting point, but I'd always delete half of what's on them. One headline, one offer, one way to respond. Make the print and screen versions at the same time so you're not redoing it later. For more on getting the most from the tool, read my Canva review. And if your flyer needs a scannable link to a booking page, follow my steps for making a QR code in Canva.
Frequently asked questions
Where are flyer templates in Canva?
Select Templates on the homepage side bar and search for flyer, then choose Customize this template.
What's the danger zone on a Canva flyer?
It's Canva's red print check. Red means an element is close enough to the trim line to be cut off, even inside your margins.
What file should I use to print a Canva flyer?
PDF Print, which Canva describes as 300 dpi with options for bleed, crop marks and a CMYK colour profile.
How do I make a Canva flyer small enough to email?
Download as JPG or PNG and use Limit size to set a maximum file size in KB. It works for single-page downloads.
Can Canva print flyers for me?
Yes. Canva Print lists flyers among its products. Select the Print button in the editor to order.
