10 Hidden Canva Features That Will Change the Way You Design

You're probably familiar with Canva's most popular features.

Features like the drag-and-drop interface, templates, Magic Studio, and background remover.

But what about the hidden gems?

These lesser-known tools can seriously level up your design game and make your content creation smoother. In this blog post, we’ll explore ten Canva features you might not be using—but definitely should be!

1. Color Palette Generator

Choosing the right colors can make or break your design (and your brand). Canva’s Color Palette Generator is a game-changer for effortlessly matching colors.

Here's how it works:

1. Upload an image

2. The tool will generate a color palette based on the colors in the image.

Whether it's a product photo, a landscape, or something you snapped on the go, this tool takes the guesswork out of color harmony!

Try the Color Palette Generator here.

2. Font Combinations

Fonts evoke emotion and can make or break your design. But what if you’re not an expert in typography?

Canva’s Font Combinations tool has you covered.

It suggests over 30 font pairings and teaches you a little about the anatomy of fonts, helping you make informed font-picking decisions.

Don’t worry—the jargon isn’t too heavy, but you can skip that part if it feels overwhelming!

Check out the Font Combinations tool here.

3. Text Masking (aka Font Framing)

Ever wanted to put an image inside your text for a bold, attention-grabbing effect?

That's a design technique called Text Masking or Font Framing!

It allows you to place images within letters for titles, logos, and more.

To achieve this effect in Canva, you can use letter elements (simply search letters, then filter your search to "Frames") or use the FontFrame app in Canva.

For more flexibility, I recommend using letter elements if you want to insert different images into each letter.

4. Photo Grids

When juggling multiple images, getting the layout right can be a hassle.

Canva’s Photo Grids tool solves this problem by helping you arrange images in a neat, organized grid. It’s perfect for collages, product showcases, or visual storytelling. Plus, grids are customizable—you can adjust spacing, size, and the number of images to match your design needs.

Search for "grids" in the Elements tab to explore all your options.

5. Canva Print

Yes, Canva isn’t just for digital designs!

With Canva Print, you can turn your digital creations into physical products such as business cards, posters, flyers, or custom T-shirts.

The best part?

Canva handles the printing and shipping for you.

It’s an excellent option for quick, high-quality prints when you’re short on time or don’t want the hassle of dealing with a separate printing service.

6. Charts and Graphs

Need to elevate your presentation game?

Canva makes it easy to create visually appealing charts and graphs like pie charts, bar graphs, and line charts.

You choose your chart or graph, input your data, and customize it to your brand or design.

This tool is perfect for making data-heavy content engaging and easy to understand.

7. QR Code Generator

QR codes have made a major comeback in marketing, and Canva offers an easy way to generate them.

Use the QR Code Generator app for anything from interactive flyers to invitations with a direct link to RSVP.

You can even customize the design of the QR code to fit your branding!

8. Canva Design School

Want to brush up on your design skills?

Canva’s Design School offers free courses and tutorials covering everything from color theory and typography to social media marketing.

It’s an excellent resource for both beginners and seasoned designers looking to up their game. Plus, did I mention it’s FREE?

Explore Canva Design School here.

9. Custom Dimension Designs

Most of Canva’s templates have pre-set dimensions for social media posts, presentations, or flyers.

But not everything we design fits within a template (much like our lives, right?).

Canva’s custom dimension feature lets you set dimensions for projects like unique posters or banners.

10. Content Importer

If you’ve ever wanted to edit a PDF or PowerPoint directly in Canva, the content importer is your go-to tool.

This feature allows you to upload external files, like presentations and PDFs, and work on them as if they were originally created in Canva.

This feature saves time and ensures consistency across platforms, whether you’re tweaking a client’s branding or revising a presentation.

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Incorporating these hidden features into your design workflow will unlock new levels of creativity and efficiency.

Whether you’re a beginner or a Canva pro, there’s always something new to discover.

If you found these tips helpful, subscribe to my podcast, The Creative Code, for more insights on design, creativity, and how to grow your brand using Canva!