6 Things You Probably Didn't Realize You Can Do With Canva

If you're on the hunt for a Photoshop alternative that's ideal for individuals with little to no design experience, then you've probably come across Canva. This simple and arguably more user-friendly platform can help you with all sorts of design projects you may have in mind, as it comes complete with intuitive editing tools and an extensive library of customizable templates. This makes Canva the perfect tool for projects as simple as an announcement poster and as complex as a multi-page product brochure. The best part is that it won't overwhelm you with a myriad of buttons and unfamiliar terminologies, unlike other editing software.

However, if you think creating and editing designs are all Canva is capable of, think again. The app has a whole world of features not many know about. So, if you want to make the most out of your Canva experience, we've compiled a list of six of the things you probably didn't know you could do on the platform.

With Canva's user-friendly interface, it has become a go-to tool for small business owners or vloggers who need social media content but aren't designers themselves. However, there's more to Canva than just making the posts itself — it also lets you schedule them on various social media platforms if you're a Pro user—no need for extra scheduling tools. Canva's Content Planner, found right in the app, can do the job for you. It works with a variety of channels, including Facebook pages and groups, Instagram, Pinterest, LinkedIn pages and profiles, and even Slack. Follow these steps to access and use this tool:

1. Subscribe to a Pro account if you haven't already.
2. Head over to the Apps section on the left of the home page.
3. Select Content Planner.
4. At the top of the calendar, click on Connect social accounts.
5. Pick the channels you want to link with Canva.
6. Follow the on-screen instructions to connect to your channel.
7. To schedule a post, hit the plus sign on your preferred date on the calendar.
8. Select the three horizontal dots next to the date and time on the right panel.
9. Select Change date and time.
10. Enter your preferred time.
11. Hit Done to lock in the date and time.
12. Choose which channel you want to post the content to.
13. Type in your caption.
14. Select your design by clicking on "Your projects." Alternatively, you can click "Create a design" if you don't have one ready yet.
15. Click on Schedule to schedule the post.

One of the best things about Canva is that it not only lets you create presentations with ease but also comes with features that help you present the slides right within Canva. This means you no longer have to download the presentation and use a third-party platform to present what you made. You can do all that and more without having to leave Canva. Among these presentation features is Canva Live, which allows your audience to interact with you and send you questions anonymously in real-time.

To use Canva Live for your next presentation, here's what you need to do:

1. Open your presentation in Canva on your computer. If you have a presentation made outside of Canva, you can also upload it to the platform.
2. Click on Present in the upper right corner.
3. Select Presenter view.
4. Hit Present to start the presentation.
5. On the right-hand panel in the presenter window, navigate to the Canva Live tab.
6. Click on Start new session.
7. Hit the Copy invitation button and share it with your audience. Alternatively, they can simply scan the QR code on the audience window. 

Once your audience joins the session, they can send in their questions, which will then pop up in your presenter window. To show a question on-screen, go to the Canva Live tab in the presenter window and click on the comment. Click on it again to hide it. To wrap up the live session, press the "End session" button in the Canva Live tab.

Unless you're working with a brand with predefined colors, thinking of a color palette is arguably one of the toughest parts of creating a design. Fortunately, Canva can help you in that regard. It comes complete with a Colors section featuring four nifty tools:

• Color palette generator: Extracts the four main colors of an uploaded photo to create your palette.
• Color palettes: Features almost 4,000 different color palettes for you to choose from.
• Color wheel: Allows you to create a custom color combination type (complementary, monochromatic, analogous, triadic, and tetradic) starting from a color you select on the wheel.
• Color meanings: Tells you the meaning behind a specific color. This can be handy if you want your color choices to convey specific themes or emotions.

Here's a quick guide to using these tools:

1. Go to Canva Colors in your browser.
2. Select your tool of choice:
   1. Color palette generator: Click on Upload an image to use a photo from your computer or Try demo image to use a random picture from Canva's collection. Hover over each of the extracted colors from the photo and select Copy to copy the color's hex code.
   2. Color palettes: Browse through the selection and select your favorite. Go to the colors and click on Copy to copy the hex code.
   3. Color wheel: Pick a base color, change the color combination type, and click on the hex code displayed to copy it.
   4. Color meanings: Search or select a color to view its details and associated combinations. Click on a combination to view it, and copy the hex codes.
3. You can now use the hex codes in your Canva design.