Canva licensing explained

Canva offers a library of amazing content to use in your designs, including photos, icons, illustrations, video, audio, fonts and templates. By using one (or more) of these in a design, you’re bound by specific agreements. What are they? And how do they apply to you? These are two of our most commonly asked questions — so… in this video we’ll attempt to answer them (and others) in the most jargon-free way.

💡 WHAT YOU'LL LEARN:
► How to use Pro elements in your design
► What to write when you credit an I.P. holder
► How to use stock photography with people in it
► Whether you can trademark a logo designed in Canva
► What rules apply when you sell Canva designs
► How to use music in commercial videos

⏳ TIMESTAMPS
00:00 Intro
00:26 What you'll learn today
01:16 How to obtain a license for a specific premium asset in Canva?
02:15 When is it necessary to credit someone for your work in Canva?
03:02 Can peoples' photos be used to promote services?
04:23 When is it possible to use people's photos for testimonial images?
05:32 Can I use my Canva logo as a trademark?
07:18 Can I sell the designs I produce on Canva?
09:31 Can you advertise or remix Canva music?
10:40 Is it allowed to print others' artist work with Canva?
11:17 Wrapping up

Matt is an educator and writer specializing in visual communication and creative thinking. Having worked for private and public education providers, conferences, magazines and film, he’s found his spiritual home at Canva. He is constantly seeking ways to bring industry professionals into education to democratize design, and firmly believes that if more people understood the Design Thinking Process, we’d have a better world.

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⛏ PLAYLISTS FOR YOU TO DIG DEEPER:
► Try our "Canva for Beginners" Free Course:
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► Check out our Canva step-by-step tutorials for freelancers and small businesses:
► Learn from our brand ambassadors, the Canva Certified Creatives (CCCs):
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About Canva:
Canva is the world’s most inclusive design platform that lets anyone design anything and publish anywhere. Canva can help you express ideas, unleash your creativity and achieve your goals. Available in 100 languages and on any device, start with one of Canva’s 615,000 templates and see where your creativity takes you.

[hazwanjani]

I love this direction of content from Canva! The direct answers explained in a casual and easy to understand and absorb manner. The idea of explaining directly through users enquiries are just brilliant! It would be great if the Canva Team can create this kinds of content in a weekly manner.

[sofiahamilton]

This was the best explanation video by a company I've ever seen. Not only did I learn what I needed I also thoroughly enjoyed the experience. My appreciation for Canva just grew on the back of this. Thank you Canva team!

[phamp]

I have been a Canva Pro user for years, and Canva is an awesome tool. After watching this video, I'm confused about EXACTLY what you can and can't do with the Pro designs. I have a very simple question: besides lots of great features, what are we, as Pro users paying for? I thought that by being a Pro user and paying a subscription, we were paying for the right to use the Pro designs - NOT AS IS, but to modify and use them. Is that not the case? I also assumed that a portion of our subscription payments was going to the creators for the right to use the designs, is that true, or not? Anytime a company's terms and conditions are confusing and have so many caveats, I don't want to deal with them because it is too complicated. I would appreciate further clarification. Thanks.

[thymeparzival]

This was helpful, thanks for putting the effort into making this fun to watch. I would love to see a Canva course dedicated to this topic for business owners who are serious about integrating Canva into their workflow.

[kimbilious]

I've been having a lot of fun with the AI Text to Image (Beta) but am confused about the rules for using those images for merch vs ads etc. Overall, this video is exactly what I've been needing for months, but I feel like it only scratches the surface, perhaps just being the most asked questions, but as someone often confused by the legalities and such, I'd love another video with even more info! Thank you!

[LetsTalkMortgagePro]

I’ve used Canva for almost 10 years and recommend it to everyone. Y’all are awesome.

[isafankids]

Great video! Could you make another video going more into use canva pro for selling products, specially digital downloads, templates, travel guides, etc?

[DetourShirts]

I didn't hear anything about print on demand... or maybe I missed it... If we have Canva Pro can we use graphics to create a design that we can then sell on Print on Demand sites?

[wjquick]

More! As many of these videos as y'all can manage - I want to make sure I"m compliant since I"m new to Canva.

[TeamRonDi]

You are becoming one of my favorite YouTubers Matt 🤓
Keep it up Canva Design School!
^Ron.

[jeggzzzz]

This is great! I wish more companies do this for their software services. Follow up to the first question though (which I'm sure is probably somewhere in the comments already): do we need to stay pro to keep using a pro design or can we continue to use the pro design even when the pro sub lapses? Essentially, if we made it while we were pro, we're okay even if the design continues to be used outside of a pro sub? Thanks guys! :)

[kimothystewart]

I am in the process of creating a children's book in Canva. This includes creating the graphic pages using a mixture of graphics through Canva Pro (I have a pro account). Will I be able to print and sell this book? Is there something in the acknowledgements page that I need to add?I wasn't 100% clear on the rules around this as some parts of the page say yes and some say no :) Overall this video was very helpful though!

[ceedify]

I am a Canva user, I have heard from other groups that some free graphic elements in Canva is not for use commercially and that a stolen image was being used inside Canva. For designers who uses Canva images for their work, how sure that the graphics in Canva will not put them in hot seat.

[fernandquill]

This is a fantastic breakdown, thank you Canva! It's a great video especially where showing examples of what is and isn't allowed. I'll be sharing this with my students 😍

[anngeisheimer]

Thanks so much! A video on the allowed uses of fonts for selling books, merchandise, etcetera would be super helpful.

[christinedempsey]

Hi. I'm still confused about using Pro elements in selling my digital products. I am NOT selling templates. I am selling digital products, like planners and journals, as PDF files that are flattened and not editable by the end user. I want to use Pro elements in my own compositions, change the colors, put them on background with text around them, and other elements incorporated into the overall layout. Is this allowed? It seems that this would be allowed, but some people in groups I am in are saying I cannot use ANY Pro elements in any digital products I am selling, at all, end of story. I am very confused by this and want to get a definitive answer from Canva. Can I use Pro elements in digital printable products sold as PDFs that cannot be edited by the end user? Thank you!

[Finch.]

So, I want to start a small business selling things. Just to be completely sure, these are the things that I am allowed to do right?:
- Use images from Canva on mugs/notebooks/T-shirts to sell as long as I change the color and add some text to make it more unique and personalized.
- Use the AI generator and sell those generated images as long as I make my prompt VERY specific so that it will be original
-Mix and match several different logo designs I get inspiration from until I come up with something that looks different enough to trademark and call my own?
- Use designs as they are for YouTube videos as long as I don't take credit for the images/videos in question.

Did I get everything right??

[mindfulhealthwellnessretreat]

Thank you so much for this very helpful video! I just want to triple check that if I want to create digital downloads (i.e. a planner, a template, or an eBook) as long as I (a) make my own edits to an already existing Canva template and (b) use only the free graphics, fonts, and colors, I am legally allowed to sell the digital downloads to customers... is that correct? Absolutely LOVE you all so much!!! Thank you so much for all that you do!!

[richardpascarelli]

I created a video using Canva audio, YouTube claims it's copyrighted and demonetized my video. How do I solve this?

[carriemason]

This is great. Thanks for the clarification which has tormented me for almost 2 years now. Yes, if you could give direct explicit examples of how to use digital files for resale. Also, the new Ai Text to Image needs come super clarification. The actual examples you showed in this video were great since this is visual media. Whenever there are updates videos like this will save everyone including your time and effort and frustration. More, please! :) Thank you for listening and acting which is rare these days and people will love you and be loyal to you!