Add, duplicate, and delete elements

Elements are the building blocks of every Canva design. Start by adding, duplicating, or deleting the ones you need to bring your ideas to life.

What are elements in Canva

In Canva,

elements are pre-made design assets you can use to build or enhance your design. These include:

Graphics and icons
Photos and videos
Shapes, lines, and frames
Charts, stickers, and audio clips

Find elements in Canva

From the editor side panel, go to the
Elements tab.
To find elements from the Canva library:
1. Under Browse categories section, scroll through and select an element category.
2. To view all available elements for each category, select See all.
To create new elements via Canva AI:
1. In the Search bar, describe the element you want to create. Learn more about AI prompting here.
2. Select the Generate
  dropdown to choose an element type.

Refine your search

Select the + (plus) icon to customise or personalise your results:
- Upload – Attach files from your device.
- Add from Canva – Use files from Your designs or Uploads.
- Import – Add files from Google Drive, Dropbox, or OneDrive.
- Styles - Change the visual style of elements to match your design (e.g., doodle, sketch, icon, or 3D).
- AI quality – Adjust the quality of AI-generated results. To learn more about adjusting AI quality, check out Set the quality of Canva AI-generated content.
Select the
filter icon (Show filters) to filter search based on:
- Colour – Choose a colour from the options
- Orientation – Square, vertical, or horizontal
- Price – Free or Pro (Pro or paid elements are marked with a crown icon)
- Cut-out – Show images with transparent backgrounds
Select Apply to confirm or Clear all to reset filters.
Choose between Search or Generate:
- Select Search to browse Canva’s library. You can also browse suggested categories like Graphics, Photos, and Videos.
- Select Generate to create new elements using AI.

Add elements to your design

Select any element to add it to your design.
Drag and drop to reposition or resize.

You can also add content from other tabs like Text, Uploads, Photos, Videos, and Apps.

Duplicate an element

Select the element you want to duplicate.
To select multiple elements, hold Shift on your keyboard, and select to add other elements to the selection.
Right-click, then select
Duplicate.

You can also use these keyboard shortcuts:

Mac: Cmd+D
Windows: Ctrl+D

Duplicating elements helps you maintain consistent layouts across your designs.

Delete elements in your design

Click the element you want to delete.
To select multiple elements, hold Shift on your keyboard and click to add other elements to the selection.
On the floating toolbar that appears above or below the element, click
Delete. You can also press Backspace (Windows) or Delete (Mac) on your keyboard.

You can always undo an accidental deletion with Cmd/Ctrl + Z or by hitting the

Undo button.

Upload your elements to a design

If you want to use your own graphics or files, you can upload them directly to Canva. Uploads are great for using brand logos, photography, or other proprietary visuals. The difference between Elements and Uploads is:

Elements are Canva’s built-in or AI-generated assets.
Uploads are your own files or media.

From the editor, go to
Uploads.
Select Upload files, then choose items from your device.
Select or drag them into your design.

Generate elements with Canva AI

From the editor, go to the
Elements tab.
Enter a prompt in the Search elements field.
Select Generate.

Choose element type

Control what Canva AI creates by selecting an element type.

Select the Generate
dropdown to choose a different element type. This changes what Canva AI creates.
Choose from element types such as Images, Code, Videos, Shapes, and more.
(Optional) Attach files using the + (plus) icon to guide generation.
Review the generated results and click one to add it to your design.
To create more design variations:
1. Hover on the AI-generated results and click on
  More icon.
2. Select Regenerate all images.

For AI Image generation

Be descriptive: "Golden retriever puppy playing in autumn leaves, warm lighting, professional photography"
Specify style: "flat design icon of a coffee cup" or "realistic photo of a modern office"
Include details: Colors, mood, perspective, composition

For AI Video generation

Describe motion: "Camera slowly pans across a busy city street at sunset"
Include environment: "Underwater coral reef with tropical fish swimming"
Specify mood: "Peaceful, slow-motion waves on a beach"
Mention duration needs: “A 60-second video for reels”

For Canva Code generation

State functionality: "Interactive quiz with multiple choice questions"
Describe interaction: "Button that reveals hidden text when clicked"
Include specific features: "Pricing calculator with slider for quantity"
Mention styling preferences: "Modern, minimal design with blue accent color"

Search for more elements by the same artist

If you’d like to see more from an artist, check the details of any of their elements.

From the
Elements, hover your mouse cursor over an element.
Click on the
More icon that appears on the element thumbnail.
Select View more by artist to load other elements from the same creator.

Using multiple elements from the same artist helps you keep a consistent visual style.

You can also embed different types of media. See Embed media on designs for more details.

Planning to use these images for editorial purposes (e.g. inclusion in a published news article or commentary)? Learn how to give credit to our element creators.

Learn more about the Canva editor

Get the most out of the Canva editor by learning about its different parts and features. Select the image below to get started.

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