Canva's AI video generator is three different tools: Magic Video turns 1 to 10 of your own clips or photos into a 60-second video, Image to Video animates one image into a 5-second clip, and Video Clip in Canva AI makes an 8-second clip with sound, or 6 seconds without, from a text prompt. As of October 2026 you'll find Magic Video under Video on the homepage, Video Clip in Canva AI, and Image to Video in the Edit menu of any image.
The catch: same name, very different rules
Search for Canva's AI video generator and you'll find tutorials that seem to contradict each other. They're usually describing different tools. Each one takes different input, makes a different length of video and treats your AI allowance differently (source: Canva Help Center).
Magic Video is included with every Canva plan, including Free. Image to Video is a premium feature that counts toward your AI usage. Video Clip is listed as an Ultra AI tool, the tier that uses the most allowance. And there's a fourth, older route: Magic Media's Text to Video in the editor, which makes 4-second videos.
There's one more wrinkle. When you work through Canva AI on the homepage, Canva decides for you whether to make a Magic Video or a Video Clip, based on your prompt and what you attach.
| Tool | You give it | You get | AI allowance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Magic Video | 1 to 10 clips or photos, plus an optional prompt and style | A 60-second multi-scene vertical video with templates, transitions and music | Included with all plans, including Free |
| Image to Video | One image, with Smart or Custom motion | A 5-second clip with no audio | Premium feature, counts toward AI usage |
| Video Clip | A text prompt and an optional reference image | 8 seconds with audio, or 6 seconds without | Ultra AI tool |
| Magic Media Text to Video | A text prompt in the editor | A 4-second video | Premium AI tool |
How to make a Magic Video from your own footage
- From the homepage, select Video and choose your video design type.
- In the editor, open the Templates tab in the side panel.
- Type a text prompt to guide the video.
- Select Upload and choose 1 to 10 clips or photos from your device.
- Optionally choose a Style from the dropdowns.
- Select Generate, then select the result to preview, edit and download it.
You can also go to Home, select Canva AI, type something like 'Make a video from these clips', upload your media and press Enter. Magic Video is available in English, Spanish, Portuguese, Indonesian, Dutch, French, Italian and German, but not in Simplified Chinese, Thai or Hindi.
- Uploaded videos must be under 10 minutes long.
- Auto-framing isn't supported yet, so some clips may be cropped in ways you don't expect. Fix the crop in the editor afterwards.
- Templates depend on your location, and templates with pop music only appear in some countries because of licensing.
- 4K content (3840 x 2160) is supported, though playback may vary while Canva optimises it.
- Replacing media updates the current template but doesn't create a new layout. Start a fresh generation for that.
- PDFs and Brand Kit assets aren't supported as attachments.
How to animate a photo with Image to Video
- Open your design and select the image.
- In the toolbar, select Edit, then Image to Video under Tools.
- Choose Smart for automatic motion, or Custom to describe the motion you want, for example 'make the image dance'.
- Select Generate 5 second video. The clip is added to the editor automatically.
- Select Generate again if you'd like a different result.
Image to Video is fussier than it looks. Canva lists these limits:
- The image needs to be at least 256 x 224 pixels (57,344 pixels in total), with an aspect ratio of up to 5:1.
- Premium media such as stock photos isn't supported, and neither are transparent backgrounds.
- Faces don't fully animate, so facial motion may not look right.
- Some generations currently come out as 3-second clips instead of 5.
- It's not available in China, and it's off by default for Canva Education students until a school admin turns it on.
- Clips have no audio, so add music or sound effects afterwards.
How to generate a Video Clip from a prompt
- From the homepage, select Canva AI, then Video clip.
- Describe what you'd like to see, such as a foggy forest at dawn.
- Optionally attach a reference image to guide the style or composition.
- Select the download icon, or Use Canva Editor to add text, trim or overlay music.
Prompts work in English only, Canva saves every clip automatically, and you can't manually change the audio in clips that have sound. Using Video clip from the homepage also lets you set Style, Aspect ratio, Framing and Lighting. Canva AI isn't available yet inside video designs in the editor, so this one starts from the homepage.
Canva's prompt tips for video are worth following, since every clip comes from the top tier of your allowance: put the main subject or action first, describe the camera movement, use brackets or parentheses around details you don't want missed, and mention emotion early, for example 'an excited crowd'.
Quality tiers for AI video
Video has its own tier rules. Standard isn't supported for videos, so Canva switches you to Premium automatically. Premium and Ultra both work, and Ultra is the one that supports audio.
Want AI doing the heavy lifting in your marketing?
I build the systems that handle the boring 80 percent, so you get your week back. Done properly, with the human kept in.
The sibling guide to this one is the guide on how to trim a video in Canva.
My verdict on Canva's AI video tools
If you've got your own clips, Magic Video is the one I'd start with, because it's included on every plan and does the trimming and sequencing for you. I'd use Image to Video to add a bit of movement to a product shot, and keep Video Clip for the moments a short cinematic opener is worth the allowance. For the hands-on side of editing, my guide on making a video in Canva picks up where these tools stop. If your video needs narration, Canva's text to speech tools can add it, and the AI photo editor is where Image to Video lives.
Frequently asked questions
Can I change the length of an Image to Video clip?
No, it's fixed at 5 seconds. You can combine several clips or extend your design in the editor.
Does Image to Video crop my picture?
No. The video keeps your image's original layout and aspect ratio.
Why didn't my Magic Video generate?
Canva says it may be a temporary server issue. Try again with the same media, then try different clips, and check every clip is under 10 minutes. There's also an hourly limit that resets every hour.
My Video Clip isn't showing. What should I do?
It may still be generating. Canva says to wait up to 2 minutes for it to finish.
