Canva is a popular graphic design platform that makes graphic design simple for everyone. With Canva, you can create stunning designs like logos, presentations, social media posts, ads, posters and more even if you don’t have any design experience.
One of the things that makes Canva designs stand out is the ability to customize them with your own fonts. While Canva already has an extensive font library, sometimes you want to use a specific font that expresses your or your brand’s personality. Fortunately, Canva allows you to upload and add custom fonts for more design flexibility.
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Benefits of Using Custom Fonts in Canva
Here are some of the benefits of uploading your own fonts to Canva:
Create Brand Consistency
Having a custom brand font helps create consistency across your designs and reinforces brand recognition. For example, you can upload your unique logo font so all your Canva designs have the same branded look and feel.
Access Exclusive Fonts
Canva has thousands of free fonts but if you want something no one else is using, upload fonts only you have access to. This is great for making your designs stand out.
Use Fonts for Specific Languages or Scripts
If you are creating designs for foreign markets, you can upload fonts that support those language scripts like Arabic, Chinese, Hindi etc.
Avoid Generic Looking Designs
Custom fonts add originality to your designs and make them look more polished and professional compared to using common free fonts everyone has access to.
Canva Plans that Support Custom Fonts
Before uploading fonts, you need to make sure your Canva plan allows it. Currently, only Canva Pro and Canva for Enterprise support adding custom fonts.
Canva’s free plan does not support uploading external fonts. So if you want to use your own fonts, you would need to upgrade to a paid plan.
Some key differences between Canva Pro and Enterprise plans:
- Canva Pro is suitable for freelancers and small teams. It allows uploading up to 500 custom fonts per Brand Kit.
- Canva for Enterprise is meant for larger organizations. It offers advanced admin controls and unlimited storage for custom fonts and brand assets.
Step-by-Step Guide to Upload Fonts on Canva
Uploading a custom font on Canva is easy and takes just a few minutes. Here is a step-by-step guide:
1. Install Canva Desktop App
The desktop app makes uploading fonts quicker compared to the web browser version.
You can download the Canva desktop app for Mac or Windows for free.
2. Have Your Font Files Ready
Make sure the fonts you want to upload are on your computer. Canva supports .OTF, .TTF and .WOFF font file formats.
If you don’t have the right file type, use an online font converter tool to convert your font into a supported format.
3. Go to Brand Kit and Upload
- Open the Canva Desktop App and click on Brand on the left sidebar.
- Go to the Brand Kit tab.
- Under the Brand Fonts section, click Upload Font.
- Select the font files you want to upload and hit open.
Upload font option in Canva Brand Kit
- Canva will start uploading the fonts. Wait for the upload to complete.
- When done, you’ll see the fonts under ‘Brand Fonts’ ready to use!
4. Find Your Uploaded Fonts
Go to any design and click the text tool to add text.
Under font selections, you will now see a new section for your Uploaded Fonts where your custom fonts will be available to use.
So that’s it! With just a few clicks, you can now access your own fonts and use them to design stunning graphics in Canva.
Tips for Using Custom Fonts in Canva
Here are some tips to help you get the most out of custom fonts in Canva:
Check Font Licenses
Before uploading any font, double check the license to ensure commercial use is allowed. Using fonts without proper licensing can lead to legal issues.
See Font Previews
View how your fonts look in different sizes and styles before using extensively in designs. Some ornate fonts may lose legibility when sized down.
Stick to Brand Fonts
Avoid uploading too many fonts. Build your brand kit with 2-3 branded fonts for a consistent look and feel.
Upload Font Variants
For maximum flexibility, upload different styles (italic, bold etc) of your main brand fonts as individual files.
Troubleshooting Font Uploads
Sometimes font uploads may fail or cause issues. Here is how to troubleshoot problems with custom fonts:
Corrupted Font Files
If a font fails to upload, the file itself may be corrupted. Try re-downloading the font and uploading the new file.
Font Licensing Restrictions
Some fonts may have licensing restrictions that prevent commercial use or embedding in designs. Choose fonts with editable commercial use licenses.
Browser Caching Issues
If uploaded fonts are not showing up, try clearing your browser cache and reloading the Canva page.
Verify Font Formats
Double check your font file formats are supported (.OTF, .TTF, .WOFF). Convert to one of these formats if needed.
Contact Canva Support
If you still face technical issues, contact Canva’s customer support via live chat or email for troubleshooting help.
Conclusion
The ability to use your own custom fonts gives you more design flexibility and brand consistency. Follow this guide to seamlessly upload and access fonts on Canva for all your graphic design needs.
With a Canva Pro or Enterprise plan, you can upload specialized branded fonts, use exclusive premium fonts, or add fonts for specific language scripts.
Just remember to verify font licensing, upload variants and preview before using extensively in your designs. With the right fonts tailored to your brand, Canva can help you produce stunning graphics that leave a lasting impression!
