How to Convert a Canva Design to Word

Canva can save a file in Word format only when the design is a Canva Doc: select Share > Download and choose DOCX. For every other kind of design, such as a flyer, resume or poster, download it as PDF Standard and then open that PDF in Word with File > Open, which turns it into an editable Word document.

Applies to: Canva on the web (Free and paid plans) and Word for Microsoft 365, Word 2024, Word 2021, Word 2019 and Word 2016 on a computer. Checked against Canva Help Center and Microsoft Support on October 7, 2026.

Which method should you use?

Canva and Word build pages in different ways. Canva places every text box, shape and photo at a fixed spot on a canvas, while Word flows text from line to line and page to page. Because of that, there is no single button that turns any Canva design into a perfect Word file. The right method depends on what you need to do with the document afterward.

What you need	Best method	What you get in Word
Edit the text of a flyer, resume, letter or other design	Download as PDF Standard, then open the PDF in Word	Editable text; the layout may shift
Keep the design looking exactly the same	Download as PNG or JPG, then insert the picture	A picture that looks right but can’t be edited as text
Save a Canva Doc as a Word file	Download as DOCX from Canva	A Word document made by Canva itself
Pull only the wording out of a design	Transform the design into a Canva Doc, then download as DOCX (paid plans)	The text of the design in a Word document

Before you start

• Finish your edits in Canva first. It is much easier to fix a typo in the original design than in the converted copy.
• Microsoft documents PDF conversion for the desktop versions of Word listed above. The steps below are written for Word on a Windows PC.
• Keep the original Canva design. Downloading does not change or remove it, so you can always download again if the Word copy does not turn out well.

Convert a Canva design to Word through a PDF

This is the method to use when you want text you can edit in Word. It works for any design type and on the free Canva plan.

1. Open your design in Canva and select Share at the top of the editor. A menu opens.
2. Select Download. Canva shows the download options.
3. Choose PDF Standard as the file type. Canva describes this type as suited to documents with text, illustrations and graphics, saved at 96 dpi. PDF Print is the 300 dpi version meant for printing, with options for crop marks and bleed, which you don’t need for a Word conversion.
4. If the design has several pages, choose which ones to include: All, This Page or Custom.
5. Select Download. The PDF is saved to your computer, usually in the Downloads folder.
6. Open Word and go to File > Open.
7. Find the PDF and open it. You may need to select Browse to reach the folder where it was saved.
8. Word tells you that it is going to make a copy of the PDF and convert its contents into a format that Word can display. Select OK. The original PDF is not changed.
9. Review the converted document, fix anything that moved, and then save it. When you save, choose the Word document format so the file ends in .docx rather than .pdf.

Microsoft’s instructions for this step are in its article on editing a PDF in Word.

What to expect from the conversion

Microsoft says this conversion works best with PDFs that are mostly text. A plain letter, report or simple resume usually comes through in good shape. A design built from overlapping shapes, photos and decorative text is harder, because a PDF stores where each item sits on the page but not how the items relate to each other. Word has to guess which pieces are headings, lists or tables.

According to Microsoft, the converted document may not match the original page for page, and lines and pages can break in different places. These items are known not to convert well:

• Page colors and page borders
• Tables that use cell spacing
• Frames
• Font effects such as glow or shadow, which arrive in Word as pictures instead of text
• Audio, video and other active PDF elements

In practice, that means a Canva design with a colored background, drop shadows on headings or text placed over a photo will need the most cleanup.

Insert the design into Word as a picture

Use this method when the look matters more than editing, for example a certificate, an invitation or a cover page. The design will appear exactly as it does in Canva, but Word treats it as one image, so you can’t change the wording.

1. In Canva, select Share > Download.
2. Choose PNG or JPG as the file type. Canva recommends PNG for graphics and JPG for photographs, and JPG gives a smaller file.
3. Select Download.
4. In Word, click where the design should go, then select Insert > Pictures > This Device.
5. Select the downloaded image and then select Insert. The design appears on the page.

If your design is wider than it is tall, switch the page first with Layout > Orientation > Landscape so the picture fills the page instead of shrinking to fit. When you resize the picture, drag a corner rather than a side so it keeps its proportions. You can still type regular Word text above or below the picture.

Download a Canva Doc as a Word file

A Canva Doc is Canva’s own document type, made for writing rather than for graphic layouts. It is the only design type that Canva can download in Word format. Canva’s file type list states that DOCX is for Canva Docs only and is not supported for other design types, which is why you won’t see it in the list for a poster or a presentation.

1. Open the Canva Doc and select Share on the editor menu bar.
2. Select Download.
3. Select DOCX as the file type. The only other choice for a Doc is PDF Standard.
4. Choose the document size.
5. Select Download, then open the file in Word.

Canva notes that animations and embedded videos are not supported in this download, so check any page that used them. See Canva’s guide to choosing a download file type for the full list of formats.

Turn a design into a Canva Doc first (paid plans)

If you only want the words from a design, Canva can rewrite the design as a Doc, and a Doc can then be downloaded as DOCX. Canva lists this feature for Canva Pro, Canva Teams, Canva Education and Canva for Nonprofits, so it isn’t available on the free plan.

1. Open the design and select Resize from the top menu.
2. Choose Transform into Doc.
3. Select More to see the format options. All Text carries over the wording of the design; other options, such as Summary, rewrite it.
4. Select Transform into Doc.
5. Select Open Doc. The new Doc opens in a new tab, and your original design is kept.
6. Download the Doc as DOCX using the steps in the previous section.

This route gives you clean, editable text but not the visual layout. Designs are transformed one at a time. Canva’s steps are in its article on transforming designs into a doc.

Check and fix the converted document

Put the Word document and the Canva design side by side and compare them page by page. Look at these things first:

• Fonts. Canva fonts that are not installed on your computer are replaced in Word, which changes line lengths and spacing. Pick a similar font that you do have and apply it to the affected text.
• Line and page breaks. Text may wrap in a different place or spill onto an extra page. Shortening a line or reducing the font size slightly usually pulls it back.
• Headings with effects. A title that had a shadow or glow may now be a picture. Delete it and type the heading again as normal text.
• Backgrounds. A colored page background may be missing or may have become a separate picture behind the text.
• Tables and columns. Check that every cell still holds the right content and that columns still line up.

If the result needs more repair than it is worth, close the document without saving and try the picture method instead. Nothing in Canva or in the original PDF has been changed, so there is nothing to undo.

Troubleshooting

DOCX is not in the file type list

The design is not a Canva Doc. Canva offers DOCX only for Docs. Use the PDF method, or transform the design into a Doc on a paid plan.

The Download button says to fix an issue

Canva replaces the button with a prompt such as “Fix 1 issue” when something in the design has to be resolved first. Open the prompt, review what Canva lists, and then download again.

Canva asks you to pay before downloading

The design contains premium elements that aren’t included in your plan. Canva offers to sell a license for that content at download time. To avoid the charge, replace those elements with free ones before you download.

Resize or Transform into Doc is unavailable

The feature is limited to paid, Education and Nonprofit plans. On a team or school account, an administrator can also turn it off for members, and Canva says the account’s language setting can restrict it. Ask the person who manages the account.

The Word version looks nothing like the design

Heavily graphic designs are the worst case for PDF conversion. Either insert the design as a picture, or rebuild the page in Word and use the converted file only as a source for copying the text.

Word won’t open the PDF on a work or school computer

Some organizations limit which downloaded files can be opened or converted. If Word shows a block or permission message instead of the conversion notice, contact your IT department rather than trying to work around it.

Frequently asked questions

Can Canva export directly to Word?

Only for Canva Docs, which can be downloaded as DOCX. Presentations, flyers, resumes, posters and other design types have no DOCX option, so they need the PDF or picture method.

Is converting Canva to Word free?

Yes, if you use the PDF or picture method. Downloading as PDF Standard, PNG or JPG is available on the free Canva plan, and Word does the conversion itself. Transform into Doc needs a paid, Education or Nonprofit plan.

Should I choose PDF Standard or PDF Print?

Choose PDF Standard for a Word conversion. PDF Print is meant for professional printing and adds a higher resolution and print options that Word does not use.

Do I need a separate PDF converter?

No. Desktop Word opens PDFs and converts them without extra software. If you do use an online converter, remember that you are uploading your file to another company’s servers, so avoid it for documents with personal or confidential details.

Will my Canva fonts show up in Word?

Only if the same fonts are installed on the computer. Otherwise Word substitutes a different font, and you will need to choose a replacement.

Does converting change my original Canva design?

No. Downloading creates a separate file, and Word works on a copy of the PDF. Transform into Doc also keeps the original design.

Can I turn the Word document back into a PDF?

Yes. Once the document looks right, you can save it as a PDF from Word. Our guide on converting a Word document to PDF in Windows 10 walks through it.

Start with the PDF method, since it costs nothing and takes a minute. If the layout comes through badly, insert the design as a picture instead and type any text that needs to stay editable directly in Word.

Related: resize an image in Word.