When I first started designing in Canva, I loved how everything was automatically saved in the cloud.
But over time, I realized it’s smart to back up important designs elsewhere - especially client projects or templates I plan to reuse. One of the best places to store them is Google Drive.
In this tutorial, I’ll show you exactly how to save Canva designs to Google Drive step-by-step. You’ll also learn why this simple habit can save you a lot of stress (and lost work!).
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What is Google Drive?
Google Drive is a free cloud storage service offered by Google. It lets you store photos, documents, videos, and design files safely online.
You can access them anytime, from any device - whether you’re on your laptop, tablet, or phone.
With a free Google account, you get 15 GB of free storage. You can also upgrade for more space through Google One. It’s a perfect companion for Canva users who want to organize their designs outside Canva’s ecosystem.
Why Save Canva Designs to Google Drive?
While Canva automatically saves your designs in its own cloud, saving them to Google Drive offers several benefits:
- Backup & Safety: If something happens to your Canva account or you accidentally delete a design, your Google Drive copy will still be there.
- Easy Sharing: You can quickly share the file link with your clients, teammates, or friends—without logging into Canva.
- Better Organization: Keep your designs neatly sorted in folders (like Logos, Social Media Posts, Flyers, etc.).
- Offline Access: You can download your Google Drive files to work offline when needed.
- Easy Integration: Google Drive connects seamlessly with other tools like Google Docs, Slides, and Gmail.
Personally, I’ve found that saving final Canva designs to Google Drive helps me manage my freelance design projects better. I keep each client’s designs in a separate Drive folder - making it easy to revisit and update them later.
How to Save Canva Designs to Google Drive?
Let’s go through the process in detail.
Open Your Canva Design
Log in to your Canva account and open the design you want to save. It can be a logo, presentation, social media post, or any other project.
In my last tutorial - How to embed a Canva newsletter in an email, I showed you how to create a newsletter from an email template and shared it using different methods. I am using the same newsletter design for this tutorial. See the screenshot below.
In this tutorial, I will show you how to save the above design to Google Drive using two methods.
Method 1: Download the Design & Upload it to Google Drive
In this method, we will download our Canva design to our computer and then we will upload it to our Google Drive account.
To download a design, we will open our design. I have already opened my design as mentioned in Step 1 above.
Now, in the top-right corner of the Canva editor, click the “Share” button. This is where all export and download options are available. See the screenshot below.
From the dropdown, select “Download”. A pop-up will appear where you can choose your preferred file type.
- PNG or JPG for images
- PDF Standard or PDF Print for printable documents
- MP4 Video or GIF for animated content
See the below screenshot. Choose the format that fits your design purpose. For example, I usually export posters as PDF Print and social media posts as PNG.
Click the “Download” button. Canva will process your design and automatically download it to your device (usually to your “Downloads” folder).
Now, head over to Google Drive.
- Click the “+ New” button on the left side.
- Choose “File upload” (or “Folder upload” if you have multiple files).
- Select the Canva file you just downloaded.
Your design will start uploading to Google Drive. Let see step by step how to save your Canva design to your Google Drive account.
On the Google Drive page, click on the New button as shown below.
Next, click on File upload, to upload the Canva design we downloaded to our computer in the last step. See the screenshot below.
Select the Canva design from your computer and it will be uploaded to the Google Drive. See the screenshot below.
This is how, you can save Canva design to Google Drive. Let's see another method where you make a connection between Canva and Google Drive from the Canva Editor page. Thus, without leaving Canva, we will be able to save our Canva design to Google Drive.
Important Tips: To keep things neat, you can create a specific folder in Google Drive. For example, “Canva Designs” or “Client Projects 2025.” Just click on New → New Folder, name it, and drag your file into it.
Method 2: Use the Canva–Google Drive Integration
Did you know Canva can connect directly to your Google Drive account?
Here’s how:
Click on the Share button at the top-right and click on the 'See all' option. See the screenshot below.
Now, in the search area, type the term - google drive. Then, click on Google Drive as shown below.
Next, click on the button - Connect Google Drive.
Now, select your Google account. Canva will ask for some permission. Review the permission and select the required option.
After successful integration between Google Drive and Canva, click on the Save button to save the design to your Google Drive account. See the screenshot below.
That's it, now, you'll be able to save your Canva designs to your Google Drive account. In the screenshot below, you can see that our design has been successfully save to our Google Drive account.
To view the saved design, click on the link 'View in Google Drive'. It will take you to your Google Drive account page where you can access the Canva design we just saved.
That's it, now you'll be able to save your Canva designs to your Google Drive account right from the Canva Editor. This method is super convenient if you frequently move files between the two platforms.
My Personal Tip: Whenever I finish a big project like a client’s logo kit or an eBook cover, I save both the editable Canva link and the final exported file in Google Drive.
That way, I can easily send the Canva link for future edits and the final version for printing or publishing. It keeps my workflow smooth and organized!
Tips for Saving Canva Designs to Google Drive
Below are some helpful tips that I often use while saving my designs created in Canva to Google Drive.
- Use clear filenames – Example: Brand_Logo_Final_Jan2025.png
- Group similar designs in folders – Makes searching easier later.
- Set sharing permissions – Choose between View only or Edit access before sending links.
- Back up important projects monthly – Especially if you design for clients.
- Use the Google Drive app on mobile – Quickly access or upload designs while traveling.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
If I haven't yet answered all the queries related to saving Canva designs to Google Drive, following questions and answers may help you learn more.
1. Does Canva automatically save to Google Drive?
Answer. No. Canva saves your designs in its own cloud. You’ll need to manually download and upload your files to Google Drive or use Canva’s Drive integration.
2. Can I export Canva designs directly to Google Drive?
Answer. Yes! By connecting the Google Drive app inside Canva, you can export designs directly to Drive without downloading them first.
3. Is Google Drive safe for storing Canva designs?
Answer. Absolutely! Google Drive uses encrypted connections and secure storage, making it a safe and reliable backup option for your creative work.
Wrapping Up
And that’s it! You’ve learned how to save Canva designs to Google Drive easily. Even though Canva saves everything online, having a second copy on Google Drive gives you extra security, easy sharing, and better organization.
Personally, this habit has saved me more than once when I accidentally deleted a design or needed to share files quickly with clients.
If you design regularly in Canva, I recommend setting up a dedicated Google Drive folder today. It is one of the best small productivity hacks I’ve ever implemented.
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