Sharing content
How do I share designs or folders with another user in my team?
To share a folder or design with another user, hover over the file and select the three dots in the right corner of the folder, go to share, type the email address of the intended recipient. And then select the view or edit abilities of the group for this design or folder.
You can only share with people in your immediate team (like UW Medicine). To share outside of your team, use the Share button on your design and select the collaboration link. This link can then be sent to users outside of your larger team.
How do I share designs or folders with a small 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.)
Only people in your immediate team (like UW Medicine) can be in your group. To share outside of your team, use the Share button on your design and select the collaboration link. This link can then be sent to users outside of your larger team.
To share a folder or design file 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.
Follow along with the step-by-step instructions in this video tutorial.
Can I share designs or folders with the entire team (like UW Medicine)?
You should only select Your team if you would like your designs or folders to be shared with everyone in the team.
Users designated as brand designers may create brand kits and brand templates for team-wide sharing. To request brand designer access please email alcan@uw.edu.
Note: The Student team does not have access to brand kits or brand templates at this time.
Who can see my designs?
Your designs or folders can only be seen by people who you have specifically shared your content with.
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 us.
What happens to shared content when a user leaves the UW?
Whomever creates the designs is the owner of that content, even if it has been shared. To keep content that has been shared with you, copy the file to your Canva account. That will ensure you can retain the files even if the owner deletes them.
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.
Frequently asked questions
I want to create a brand kit in my employee team?
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- 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?
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- 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?
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- 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?
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- 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?
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- 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?
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- 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?
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- 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?
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- 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.
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Follow along with the step-by-step instructions in this video tutorial.
I already paid for Canva on my own; can I get a refund?
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- 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
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- 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
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- 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
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.
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
- You must add alternate text to images posted to UW websites, email, or social media. Learn more about alt text on UW’s Digital Accessibility site.
- The process for adding alt text to images varies by platform. Refer to each platform’s help site to learn more.
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:
