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Canva

NEW user

canvanew

Students: create your UW Canva log in

Step 1: Go to canva.com.

Step 2: Click “Log in” in the top right corner.

Step 3: Choose “Sign up with your work email.”

Step 4: Enter your UW email address.

Step 5: Select “Log in with SSO.” You will be directed to the UW SSO page.

Step 6: Enter your UW NetID and password.

Step 7: Complete two-step authentication (Duo) to log in.

Employees: create your UW Canva log in

Step 1: Go to the Canva for Design software page on the UW-IT UWare catalog.

Step 2: Click “Get started.”

Step 3: Complete the form. Select the team that aligns most closely with your work. This allows you access to your department’s logos and branded assets.
(Note: It may take up to 2 days to register your SSO in Canva)

Step 4: Once your NetID is registered, log in to Canva using SSO.

Step 5: Enter your UW NetID and password.

Step 6: Complete two-step authentication (Duo) to log in.

Troubleshooting log in

 

EXISTING user

canvaexist

Using a shared NetID

Due to SSO restrictions, shared UW NetIDs will no longer be supported. If you’re using a shared UW NetID, contact help@uw.edu with the individual NetID you would like the content to be transferred to before you sign up for your new UW Canva enterprise account.

Step 1: Select primary content owner NetID.

Step 2: Send email with NetID to help@uw.edu. (Note: It may take up to 5 days to make this change in Canva)

Step 3: Package all projects and design in your existing Canva account into one folder to prepare for content transfer.

Step 4: UW-IT sends confirmation of NetID transfer.**

Step 5: Go to “Employees: create your UW Canva log in” section and follow the instructions

** (Note: DO NOT set up a UW Canva log in until you receive confirmation of the NetID transfer. If you have already set up a UW Canva log in and you have authorized content to transfer from your shared Net ID account, this will replace all existing content in the UW Canva account with the content previously in your shared NetID account. If you have already created a UW Canva account, please inform help@uw.edu when placing your shared NetID request so they can provide the correct instructions.)

Students: log in to UW Canva

Step 1: Go to SSO log in for UW Canva.

Step 2: Enter your UW NetID and password.

Step 3: Complete two-step authentication (Duo) to log in.

Employees: create your UW Canva log in

Step 1: Go to the Canva for Design software page on the UW-IT UWare catalog.

Step 2: Click “Get started.”

Step 3: Complete the form. Select the team that aligns most closely with your work. This allows you access to your department’s logos and branded assets.
(Note: It may take up to 2 days to register your SSO in Canva)

Step 4: UW-IT sends confirmation of NetID transfer.

Step 5: Once your NetID is registered, log in to Canva using SSO.

Step 6: You will be directed to the UW SSO page.

Step 7: Enter your UW NetID and password.

Step 8: Complete two-step authentication (Duo) to log in.

Transfer content to your new UW Canva account

If you have an existing Canva account and you want to transfer content from your current account to your new UW team, follow the instructions in the Help Center Article to copy them over. If you decide not to transfer the content, you can still access it by using the “team switcher” in the top right corner of your screen under your account identification image.

Pro tip: Package all projects and designs into one folder to ensure a speedy content transfer.

Screenshot of template transfer You Tube video

 

https://youtu.be/Qk0_A2byyog?si=AGw7EUnVR4xsyynP

Request a refund of your paid Canva account

If you are currently paying for a Canva account, you can request a refund or cancel your existing contract after you have set up your new UW account. 

Step 1: Go to the Canva Support page.

Step 2: Complete the form. (Canva may contact you for more information in order to complete this transaction.)

Step 3: Your account will be downgraded to Canva Free, to allow access to files as needed. 

Troubleshoot log in

 

FAQs

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Best practices

Double check your template’s purpose

It may not always be apparent, but Canva templates are designed for specific purposes and environments. Be sure to choose a template that matches your needs, and avoid using print templates for digital or social media posts, and vice versa.

Remember that sometimes less is more

Your audience’s attention span can sometimes be short, especially on social media. Keep content brief and to the point.

Check your spelling and grammar

  • Check the spelling, grammar, and style of your document.
  • Please refer to the UW Editorial Guide for writing guidelines.
  • Ensure the information in your publication — including phone numbers, email addresses, and dates — is accurate.
  • Add alt text to your images

Using UW brand elements

Under the brand kit in your Canva toolbar, you will find many UW branded resources like the block W logo, brand color palette, and more. These assets can easily be added to your Canva designs. To learn more about how to use UW Brand elements in your designs, we recommend reviewing the materials and information provided at the following links:

Frequently asked questions

I want to share designs with a small group of people, how do I do this? 

    • You need to create a group. Under settings, go to team settings then to Groups. Use the button “Create a group.” Name the group. Then type in the email addresses of the members of this group. Push “create group.” (You may create as many groups as you need or want.) To share a folder with a group use the three dots in the right corner of the folder, go to share, select the group or type the group name. And then select the view or edit abilities of the group for this folder.

I want to create a brand kit in my employee team? 

    • Brand kits can be created by team admins. If you need to create a brand kit and want to be a team admin, email us at uwbrand@uw.edu.
    • Brand kits are shared with everyone on the team.

I want to create a brand kit in my student team? 

    • Currently, we are not allowing brand kits in the student team. However, we are working with Canva on a solution to allow this in the future.

Can the “University” see my designs? 

    • No, the University can only see the admin functions for UW Canva. We cannot see your designs or your account unless you specifically share your content with a Canva admin.

Will everything be lost when someone leaves the UW? 

    • No, Canva accounts may get downgraded to free, but designs and information will remain in the account. The University in partnership with Canva has limited, but some, ability to recover files from defunct users.

Who gets access to a Canva for Campus licenses?

    • By default, all students that can login via SSO will have access to Canva. Student access is contingent on using SSO, which is required. All UW employees can request a license via IT.

How does employee access differ from student access?

    • Staff/faculty have access to Canva Enterprise and has all available features and functionality built in. Campus administrators maintain the staff/faculty team and often set brand guidelines and templates in Canva so that proper branding is used across the campus.
    • The student team is a self-serve team that gives students premium features so that they can use Canva in their coursework and clubs.

Do student employees need to be in the staff/faculty team? If not, are there circumstances when it is best to add them?

    • A student employee can utilize their student premium license and collaborate with other staff/faculty members through the Collaboration Link. However, if they require access to brand assets and will frequently use Canva for student employee projects, it is advisable to include them in the staff/faculty team.
    • Students who are not employees in Workday, cannot join an employee team.

I have already been using Canva. What happens to my content?

    • If you wish to transfer content from your current team to your new UW team, you can refer to the instructions provided in this Help Center Article to copy them over.

I already paid for Canva on my own; can I get a refund?

    • Yes! If you have already paid for a Canva Pro or Canva Teams licenses, please log a support ticket with Canva’s Customer Happiness Team, here. Canva has agreed to provide a refund on unused paid accounts. Meaning if you paid for Jan-Dec of 2025, and you moved to the UW Canva account in April, you could get a refund on your previous account for April-Dec.
    • Please let the happiness team know you are part of the UW Canva for Education account and are requesting a refund of your unused paid account. Be sure to mention University of Washington in your request.

Where can I learn more about how to use Canva?

License details

    • Named User Licenses are assigned to individual users. A license cannot be assigned to a shared UW NetID.
    • A usage audit will take place twice a year. Your license will be revoked if you have not logged in during that period.

Restrictions

    • Use Canva only for university-related purposes (academic, research, etc.). If you are unsure whether your survey questions contain or request sensitive data, contact the UW Privacy Office for guidance.
    • Personal use is prohibited.
    • Follow legal, regulatory, and university policies when collecting survey data.
    • Please review UWs measures to protect information through measures described in the UW Administrative Policy Statements 2.2 University Privacy Policy and 2.6. Information Security Controls and Operational Practices. Contact the UW Privacy Office if unsure