To copy and edit a design in Canva, you first make a duplicate of the existing design from your projects. Once copied, the new design can be opened and edited independently without changing the original.
Copying a Design from Your Projects
Making a copy is a simple process that allows you to reuse a design as a template or create variations without altering your finished work. Follow these steps to duplicate a design from your Canva home screen:
- From the home screen, tap Projects and look for the design you want to duplicate. Your projects contain all your saved designs, uploads, and folders.
- Tap the More icon on the thumbnail of the design you want to duplicate. This icon is usually represented by three dots (...).
- Tap Make a copy. This action instantly creates an exact duplicate of your selected design.
The duplicated design will appear in the same tab or folder as the original, typically labeled with "Copy of" followed by the original design's name.
Editing Your Copied Design
Once you have successfully created a copy, you can easily open it and begin editing.
- Locate the copied design in your Projects section.
- Tap on the copied design's thumbnail to open it in the Canva editor.
Now you can freely edit the elements within the copied design. You can change text, swap images, add or remove graphics, adjust colors, and rearrange layouts. All modifications will only apply to this new copy, leaving your original design untouched. This is particularly useful for A/B testing different versions of a design, creating seasonal variations, or simply starting a new project based on a previous template.
Editing works just like it does for any other new design you create in Canva. Simply click on the elements you wish to modify and use the tools in the editor toolbar.
