How To Make A Grid In Canva: 3 Easy Steps
In this tutorial, you will learn how to make a grid in Canva. You can start with a Canva grid template and customize it to your liking.
What Is A Grid In Canva
The Grid in Canva is a collection of cells arranged in rows and columns. You can insert different images into each cell, making it ideal for creating photo collages, mood boards, or any design that requires a combination of multiple images.
These grids can be adjusted in size and layout to fit your design needs. Note that the “Grid” in this tutorial is not the same as visual guides that can be created by showing rulers in Canva.
So far, only photos and videos can be used in a Canva grid. You can’t make a grid with text and elements from the graphics section.
Related: How To Add Frames In Canva
Features of Grids in Canva:
- Flexibility: You can choose from a variety of grid layouts depending on your design needs. Canva offers grids with different numbers of cells and arrangements.
- Drag-and-Drop Functionality: Adding images or elements to the grid is straightforward. You simply drag your chosen image or element and drop it into one of the grid cells.
- Automatic Resizing: When you add an image to a grid cell, Canva automatically resizes it to fit the cell. This ensures a uniform and clean look throughout your design.
- Customization: You can customize the size of the cells, the spacing between them, and even the grid’s overall shape and layout.
- Consistency and Cohesion: Using grids helps maintain consistency in your design, ensuring that all elements are aligned and proportioned correctly for a harmonious and professional look.
Grids in Canva are valuable tools for creating organized, balanced, and visually appealing designs, especially when working with multiple images or design elements.
How to Make a Grid In Canva
Creating a custom grid in Canva is a simple process that significantly enhances the structure and visual appeal of your graphic assets, including social media posts without having to manually draw the grids yourself.
Here’s a detailed tutorial covering the design process of how to make a grid on Canva:
Step 1: Select Grid Layout
First, log in to your Canva account. If you’re a newcomer, signing up for a Canva Pro account or its free version is a quick and free process.
Once logged in, the Canva dashboard welcomes you, serving as the starting point for your creative journey daily.
Next, click on the Create a Design button at the top of the screen. You have the option to choose pre-defined dimensions or enter custom dimensions for a variety of different purposes, including blog banners or Instagram content.
In the Canva editor, the left-side panel hosts various design elements. Click on the Elements tab to discover shapes, lines, frames, and, crucially, a variety of grid lines and photo grids.
Within the Elements tab, navigate to the Grids section. You can also enter “grids” in the search bar. Then, select See All to view all grids.
Canva offers diverse grid layouts, ranging from basic shapes with solid lines to complex multi-frame grids.
Choose a grid layout that best suits your project, whether it’s for single posts or a cohesive Instagram puzzle grid.
Step 2: Customize Your Grid
Select your desired grid and it will appear on your canvas. Resize and reposition the grid by dragging its corners and edges, ensuring it fits your vision for the new document.
With the grid in place, customize it to suit your needs. Adjust grid cell sizes and the spacing between them to accommodate your design elements, like image placeholders or text boxes.
This is a great way to ensure that your elements align with straight lines for a cohesive design.
Next, customize your grid cells by inserting elements from your camera roll or Canva Photos section into each grid cell.
This can be done through a simple drag-and-drop action, similar to how you use Canva frames, making it an easy step in your design process.
Step 3: Adjust Photos In Grid
Customize each element within the grid cells, from adjusting size to applying filters. This is where Canva truly shines, allowing for creative flexibility within the structure of your photo grid.
Make final adjustments for perfect grids, tweaking element sizes, or the grid layout. This is also the time to add extra elements like color schemes or brand colors to enhance your brand identity.
Double-click the photo inside the grid to select the photo itself. The full photo including the parts that will be cropped by the grid frame will be seen. This is what you will see:
Then, adjust the photo by going to the Effects or Adjust sections on the left side panel.
After finalizing your design, save your project by selecting the Share button on the top right-hand corner. Canva offers various download formats, like PNG, JPG, or PDF. This step is essential, especially for social media marketing content or data visualizations.
Final Thoughts
By following these essential tips, you can use Canva’s grid feature in different ways to create professional designs at no additional cost.
Canva grids, especially in Canva Pro, are one of the most useful features of Canva, taking your designs to the next level.
Whether it’s for reel covers or comprehensive Canva guides, the grid tool streamlines the design process, ensuring a clean, organized appearance vital in modern design.