Canva is best known for being a design platform. For people like me who have no design background, Canva is a godsend! I have been using it to create various forms of visual content for my blogs and for my social media and it is just amazing!
Canva started as a purely design platform and over time it added various new functionalities including the one I am interested in today: Canva Doc. This is Canva’s word editor. Doc has been around for some time now. I have tried it when it was first released and I did not like it at all. It was pretty basic and lacking in numerous practical features.
However, with the recent round of new features Canva seemed to have finally listened to the concerns of its users especially regarding Doc and has added some helpful features. More specifically the columns and page break features. In fact, if it was not for the the page break feature I would have never bothered with this review in the first place.
Before, Canva Doc was a run-on document with no pages. With the introduction of the page break feature, you can now divide your document into several pages which is great but not enough because the pages are not numbered. Hopefully Canva would soon add the ability to number pages.
I have been experimenting with Canva Doc’s new features and thought the entire editor is worth covering here in Educators Technology. I have also created a video tutorial explaining the different things you can do with Canva Doc.
Let me be clear, Canva Doc, I believe, is nothing like Google Docs or Word; it is way behind them in terms of features and functionalities. I would definitely not use Canva Doc for heavy writing assignments or any extensive writing project. That being said, the editor does offer numerous features that make it a good option especially for those of you who love using Canva ecosystem.
Canva Doc Features
Let me walk you quickly through some of the features provided by Canva Doc and how to use them to build your own documents.
When you fist access Canva Doc, you can either start your document from scratch, or choose a pre-built template. There are several pre-designed templates to choose from, click on the one you like then customize it the way you want.
Simply click on Templates on the left hand side and browse through the collection there. There are various beautiful and professionally designed templates to use. Select the one you like and click to edit it to your liking.
Aternatively, you can build your document from scratch. Start by adding a header. I personally like to use predesigned visuals for the header. Click on Templates on the left hand side and scroll down to find headers. Click on the one you are interested in to add it to your document. Once added, right click on it and select ‘Set as header’.
You can double click on the visual to open it in the designer platform and from there you can edit it the way you want. I wish Canva enabled us to edit the visual right inside the document without having to move on to the designer platform but for now that is how you can do it.
Next, you can add your headings: Click on + icon and select Heading 1 (H1), then click to add your text under the heading. You can add Heading 2 (h2) and so on. Headings provide structure to your document and help you easily navigate its content. The ‘Outline’ feature found at the bottom of the document in Canva Doc enables you to see the different headings and sub-headings you added to your document.
Besides headers and headings, Canva Doc allow you to add different types of content. These include body text using the font type and size of your liking. You can also right click to add ‘hilight blocks’ to draw attention to particular parts or information in your document. For instance, you can add a visually appealing block on one of the following: Info, warning, error, basic, note, or success.
Magic Write
magic Write is Canva’s AI-powered tool that enable you to generate text based on your prompts. For instance, you can use it to generate an outline for your document, produce content to populate your document, create summaries, explain concepts, etc. You can write your prompt and let Magic Write does the rest.
Another practical way to use Magic Write is to help you overcome writer’s block and streamline your creative flow. You can start an idea and ask Magic Write to continue writing. You can always (and you should) edit AI-generated content before using it in your document.
Columns
Columns are one of the exciting new features Canva has added to its Docs! With just a single click, you can now divide your document into columns, giving it a more organized and visually appealing layout. Personally, I love using this feature to create a newspaper-like feel—it’s perfect for newsletters, announcements, or even creative classroom projects.
Related: Best Canva AI Features
Charts and Tables
The ability to easily create and insert tables and charts into your document is another powerful feature I like about Canva Doc. Simply click on the + icon and select table to add a table. You can customize the table as you want. You can add or delete columns and add your own text.
Likewise, you can easily create visual representations of your data using various charts including pie charts, bar charts, and line charts. The process is as simple as filling in your data or uploading your CSV file and click on generate to have your chart inserted anywhere in your document. Very practical and time-saving.
Other things you can add into your document using the + icon include a drop-down menu, date, dividers, quote templates, checklist, and more.
Here is a video tutorials explaining the different features of Canva Doc
Final thoughts
As I mentioned earlier, Canva Doc, although not as powerful as Google Docs or Word, it does have its unique features that make it worth trying out. You will definitely love the easy of use and simplicity of the editor. Plus its integration with Canva’s ecosystem means that you can easily create and insert designs right into your document. Give it a try and share with us your feedback on our social media platforms.
