19 New Canva Features That Will Blow Your Mind! [Canva Update – August 2023 ]

In the exciting world of design and creativity, Canva is a leader that helps millions of people, entrepreneurs, and businesses easily bring their ideas to life. With its easy-to-use interface and many tools, Canva has become the top choice for creating stunning graphics, presentations, and marketing materials. But that’s not all! I’m excited to share with you the latest buzz in the design sphere – the New Canva Features 2023. This update is packed with many new features and tools that will elevate your creative experience to soaring heights.

This blog post aims to explore these 19 game-changing features in-depth. From adding motion effects to applying brand colors on all pages, Canva is now equipped with everything you need to take your designs to the next level. So, let’s dive in and discover the magic that Canva has in store for us this year!

New Canva Features 2023 [August 2023]

1. Add Motion Effects

The first new Canva feature we have on our list is Motion Effects. You can now add some fun motion effects to your text, photo, or elements. Select the text/element and click on the ‘Animate’ button to find this option.

2. Name to Sticky Notes

You can now add your name to your sticky notes, making it easier to collaborate with your colleagues for sharing ideas on the whiteboard. The process is simple: select the sticky note where you wish to add your name, then click on the 3 dots and select the option ‘Add your name’ from the dropdown as shown in the screenshot.

Note: If you add new sticky notes to your whiteboard document, it will already have your name. You can remove the name by following the same process and selecting the option ‘Remove name’ from the dropdown menu.

3. Lines with Text

As the name suggests, you can add text with the line. Just double-click on the line and you will be presented with a text box, where you can add your text, change font, size, etc. to suit your needs.

4. Timer with Music

No boring timers with Canva! With this feature, you can add some fun music to your countdown timer as well. Click on the ‘Timer’ icon next to the ‘Notes’ icon. Hover your cursor on the timer, and click on the music icon to select the music.

5. Strikethrough Text

Now, you have the option to strikethrough the text along with other text decoration options. This is a simple, but definitely useful feature to have when you want to convey a myth or wrong information.

6. Import Google Docs

As the name suggests, you can now also import Google Docs to your projects in Canva.

7. TypeCraft

It is time to elevate your designs with the new app called ‘TypeCraft’. You can use this app for text customizations like bend, warp, twist, etc. to come up with some creative text effects for your designs.

8. Color Option in SmartMockups

In this new feature, we have a color option for Apparel Smartmockups. That means, while using the Apparel Smartmockup, we can change the color of the clothing as per our preference.

Note: The color option is only for Apparel Smartmockups and is available for both free and paid users.

9. Mockups App

Using the Mockups in your Canva designs just got easier! Get access to some amazing product mockups like phones, laptops, T-shirts, etc. in your Canva editor itself. You will find the ‘Mockups’ option in the ‘Apps’ section on the left sidebar.

Also, it is simple to use – select the product mockup you like, then just drag and drop your image in the mockup frame. And if you wish to edit the inserted image in the mockup, then just click on the ‘Edit’ option in the top menu bar and you will be presented with a few options to change the alignment of the image, and you can also clear the mockup as well.

Note: The Mockups App offers free product mockups i.e., all the product mockups are available for both free and paid users.

10. Interactive Charts

Now, we have two new types of Interactive charts in Canva – Tree Map Chart and Packed Circles Chart. To find the interactive charts, scroll down the left-side panel and navigate to the ‘Apps’ option. Click on the ‘Charts’ option in the ‘More from Canva’ section, and you will have a separate section for ‘Interactive Charts’.

As the name suggests, these are interactive charts i.e., you can zoom in and zoom out the groups and subgroups. These charts will be pretty amazing for the presentations. Do give it a try!

11. Creators You Follow

To find all the creators you follow in one place, select the ‘Templates’ option from the left sidebar of the Canva Dashboard, and on the templates page, you get the option ‘Creators You Follow’ in the left sidebar. Click on the option ‘Creators You Follow’, and you will find some recommended creators along with the creators you follow.

12. Increased Audio Tracks Limit

Previously, the audio track limit was set to 20 i.e., you could use only 20 audio clips in a single Canva document. Now, the limit is increased to 50, which means, you can easily add up to 50 audio clips in your project. This a helpful feature for folks who use Canva for video editing!

13. Aggregated Font weights

Another cool feature we have got in our list is aggregated font weights. It simply means that now we’ll have multiple weights for the fonts. So, you can have your text in different weights to create a more impactful design.

Just click on the small arrow icon displayed with the font name, and you will find the different weights for the same font to be used in your text.

14. Inline emojis in Canva Comments

This new Canva feature gives you the ability to communicate your thoughts with emojis. Basically, you can add your reaction to the comments with emojis, making it fun to communicate with your team members. Also, we have got an option called ‘Skin tone’, where you have a range of skin tone options to choose from. 

15. Apply Brand Colors on All Pages

Now, we have the option to shuffle our brand colors and apply them to all pages. This amazing feature is inspired by the ‘Styles’ option that we have on Canva. So, if you have a set of templates or a design document that you need to be done with your brand colors, this brilliant feature can come to your rescue, saving you loads of time and manual effort.

16. Copy Sticky Notes to Excel

If you use Canva Whiteboards, this feature is for you! This feature lets you bring your sticky notes data into your Excel worksheet. So, after a long brainstorming session, this feature can be helpful if you’d like to take the key points to an Excel worksheet. To try this out, just select the sticky notes or shapes that contain the key points, press Ctrl+C to copy and Ctrl+V to paste it on the spreadsheet. Simple!

Note: This also works with other shapes, and not just sticky notes.

17. Video Switcher

This feature allows you to convert any Canva document to a video document. In simple words, it will enable all the features that are available in Canva video documents like adding different transitions and multiple audio tracks. Click on the ‘Duration’ option and your design document will be switched to a video document where you can set the duration of each page and add other effects that you have for video documents in Canva.

Note:

1. You need to switch to ‘Thumbnail view’ in order to find the ‘Duration’ option. To do that, either press ‘Ctrl+Alt+2’ or click on the small arrow icon that we have at the bottom bar.
2. The element timing feature that we have in Canva video documents is not yet available for this feature. Let’s see if they add it here as well.

And btw if you want to learn how to order animations in Canva, I have got a free step-by-step guide for you on how to control animation sequence in Canva. So, do check that out if you haven’t already!

18. Auto Generated Captions

In this new Canva feature, Captions will be automatically generated for all videos (spoken-word videos of course!) and audio content throughout Canva. To enable this feature, go to your ‘Account Settings’ and turn ON the option ‘Captions’ that is present on the ‘Your account’ page.

Note: As of now, the captions will not appear when you download the video. In the future, maybe they bring an update to be able to customize the appearance of captions, and most importantly to be able to use it for the videos when we are downloading them 🤞

19. Translate Multiple Pages

As the name suggests, you can now translate multiple pages in Canva. A time saving feature for sure!

So, whether you’re a seasoned designer or just starting, these new Canva updates open up a whole new world of creative potential. Embrace the power of Canva and let your imagination run wild as you bring your ideas to life with ease and style.

What’s your favorite feature from the list? Let me know in the comments, and yeah, do share this news with your Canva-lover friends!

Must Read: 15+ Most Exciting New Features in Canva (March 2023 Update)