How to Make a Video in Canva (Step by Step)

You don't need editing software or a spare weekend to make a decent short video. If you can drag a clip onto a timeline, you can build a promo, a how-to or a social post in Canva, in the same place you already make your graphics.

Below is the route Canva's help centre gives, from starting a video to downloading it, plus the one-click option for when you'd rather not start from a blank timeline.

Starting a new video design in Canva

The help centre gives two ways in:

• From the homepage, select Video, or select Create then Videos, and choose a video design type.
• Start from a ready-made design: select Templates, search for one, and select Customize this template.

Pick the shape that matches where the video will live. A vertical format suits phone-first feeds, and a wide one suits a website or a video channel.

Adding clips and photos to your Canva video timeline

Select the plus button in the timeline and choose Uploads, Stock videos, Stock photos or Blank. You can also drag files from your computer straight onto the timeline. Canva's help says the thick main track plays clips back to back with no gaps, and that you can drag media to an upper track to layer it. Clips on higher tracks appear on top of those on lower tracks.

If an upload fails, Canva's help says the file may be in an unsupported format, and it names Apple ProRes as one example. Try exporting the clip from your phone or camera app in a more common format.

Trimming and splitting clips in the Canva video editor

Cutting is where a video starts to feel professional. Per Canva's help:

1. To trim, select the element in the timeline and drag the left handle to change when it starts, or the right handle to change when it ends.
2. To split, select the element and move the playhead to the spot you want.
3. Select More and choose Split, or press S.

Splitting gives you two segments you can edit or delete separately, which is the quick way to remove a long pause or a stumble. You can zoom the timeline for precision, using the Zoom control at the bottom of the editor.

Adding music, text and transitions in a Canva video

• Audio: select the Add Audio button in the timeline. Canva's help lists the music library, sound effects, your own uploaded audio or an AI-generated voice, and says you can add more than one audio track.
• Text: open the Text tab, select Add a text box, then edit the words directly on the canvas.
• Transitions: select a clip in the main track, choose More, then Add transition, and adjust the duration and direction in the panel.

Canva's help adds that transitions aren't available in page mode, and that older designs keep a page-based structure. If your editor looks different from these steps, that's the likely reason.

Making a Canva video in one click with Magic Video

If you'd rather not build everything by hand, Canva's Magic Video makes a 60-second multi-scene vertical video from 1-10 clips or photos. The steps in Canva's help are: from the homepage open Video and pick a design type, open the Templates tab in the editor, type a prompt, upload your clips or photos, then select Generate. You can preview and edit the result afterwards.

Uploaded videos need to be under 10 minutes long, and the help notes that auto-framing isn't supported yet, so some crops may come out differently from what you expected. Canva's help says Magic Video is included with all Canva versions, including the free one.

Downloading your finished Canva video as an MP4

When you're happy, preview it, then select Share and Download and choose MP4 Video. Canva's help lets you set Quality to 480p, 720p, 1080p or 4K, with 4K on desktop only, and choose All, This Page or Custom pages. A Canva Free account can download MP4s up to 30 minutes long at a maximum of 1920 by 1080 pixels.

If you've used licensed audio and plan to post on social media, the help says to verify your licence before downloading, to avoid copyright claims. That's worth ten seconds, especially for business accounts.

Canva video ideas for small business owners and creators

• A short intro for a service page that shows who you are and what you do.
• A how-to clip with text on screen so it works with the sound off.
• A behind-the-scenes montage of photos with a music bed.
• A testimonial quote card that fades between customers.

Once it's done, you can add captions on YouTube using my guide to adding subtitles to a YouTube video, and the upload steps are in how to upload a video to YouTube. If you'd like a wider view on what to make, my Instagram video marketing tips are a good companion, and my Canva review covers who the tool suits.

If the Canva video editor looks different or won't play

• Canva's help says the updated video editor is rolling out gradually, so you may not see it yet.
• If an error icon appears on an exported video, follow Canva's My video won't playback steps.
• Uploaded 4K clips are downscaled to 1080p, according to Canva's help, so don't expect more detail than that from them.
• If a clip won't upload, convert it to a more common format first.

For anything else, Canva's help centre can look at your account and file.

Frequently asked questions

How do I make a video in Canva?

Select Video on the homepage, choose a design type, add clips to the timeline, trim and split them, add audio and text, then choose Share, Download and MP4 Video.

Can Canva make a video for me automatically?

Canva's Magic Video makes a 60-second multi-scene vertical video from 1-10 clips or photos after you type a prompt and select Generate.

How do I cut a clip in the Canva video editor?

Select the element, move the playhead to the cut point, then choose More and Split, or press S. Drag the handles to trim the start or end.

What quality can I download a Canva video in?

Canva's help lists 480p, 720p, 1080p and 4K, with 4K available on desktop only.

Why can't I upload my clip to Canva?

Canva's help says the file may use an unsupported format, such as Apple ProRes. Convert it to a more common format and try again.