Have you spent too much time looking for a design in Canva only to be frustrated and overwhelmed? I have, too!
I’m going to give you an effective and easy-to-implement solution to your Canva organization problems. It will make your files easy to search, organize, and find.
I recently used these steps to organize our team’s Canva files, designs, assets, and templates. Sorting everything out took several hours because we manage files for several clients, but it was worth it.
How to Create Folders in Canva
The foundation of your Canva organization will be folders. A folder should be set up for each project or client. Within that folder, you can have subfolders that pertain to how you work on that project or for that client.
To create a folder, click the button named “+Add New” the top right corner of your screen when in the Projects tab. You’ll be able to select “folder” as an option.
For example, here is my business folder in Canva. We have a separate folder for the type of social media design (YouTube Covers, Square Designs, Pinterest, Story Designs, etc.) and one folder named Assets.
For client folders, we usually have subfolders for each project and sub-subfolders for the type of design for that project (Pinterest, square, postcard, poster, etc).
Star Frequently Used Folders on Your Homepage Menu (Canva 2024 Update)
Canva’s 2024 update allows users to pin folders onto their homepage menu by starring them. Projects you’re currently working on or regularly-accessed folders can be pinned here for a speedier workflow.
It is important to note that the sections on the homepage menu are not folders and should not be used in place of them — they’re only viewable from your homepage to provide structure to the menu bar. If you were to complete a project and unpin it from your sidebar, you want to make sure you know exactly where it was later. Therefore, all of the designs and subfolders that are pinned to the sidebar should still be organized into a folder system so that they can be easily found. All of your folders can be viewed from the Projects panel.
Start Using a Naming Protocol
It is very important to name your designs appropriately. Designate a naming protocol that all members of your team will follow.
We selected a naming protocol that follows this pattern:
Client Name | Project Name | Type of Design
For example, a social media square image made for my business is named:
KJD | Subscribe to Newsletter | Square
This naming protocol means that we can search by client name, project name, and design shape or use.
You must rename your existing Canva designs and images to meet the new naming protocol. Be patient; this takes time, but your efforts will save you time in the future.
Move Existing Canva Designs & Files into Folders
The final step in organizing your Canva account is to move your current designs and uploads into your new folder system.
You can do this as you are renaming your designs, or you can move several designs at once.
To move designs or images into a folder in bulk, click the checkmark in the box on the right for each design you wish to move. Then, go to the bottom of the page and find the folder icon. Once you click that, it will ask where you wish to move the files. It’s that easy.
How to Organize Uploads
As you create designs, you must upload images, videos, and logos. These should be placed in your Assets folder.
In your Assets folders, you can create subfolders that work for you. We used one called “B Roll Photos” and one called “Brand Images.” You might create one folder for logos, one for photos, or even folders by project name + images.
How to Use Your Canva Account Now That it is Organized
Your homepage focuses on your most recently opened designs, so they won’t be organized in any particular order. Instead, I recommend that you go straight to the Projects tab and click on the Folders link at the top of the page. This gives you a birds-eye view of your folders.
Once there, you can view all of the folders in your account. This makes it easier to navigate to the folders and designs that you have organized.
Remove Unnecessary Files & Designs
You should review your Canva account and delete any unnecessary images, logos, colors, and designs on a regular basis. This helps keep your account manageable and organized.
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Tutorial Videos for Organizing Your Canva Account
These video tutorials helped me a lot as we began reorganizing our Canva account for our team. Now, when I need to find an existing design, I go straight to the folder I need and look there.
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