If you have designed a beautiful presentation in Canva but need to present or collaborate using Google Workspace, you might be wondering how to convert Canva to Google Slides without losing your hard work. While Canva is an excellent design tool, many teams and schools prefer Google Slides for its live collaboration features.
Fortunately, moving your slides from one platform to the other is a straightforward process. In this guide, we will walk you through the exact steps to export your presentation, upload it to Google Drive, and ensure it is ready for your next meeting.
Why Converting Between Platforms Isn’t Automatic
Before diving into the steps, it helps to understand why a direct “copy-paste” doesn’t work well. Canva and Google Slides use different coding to render text, images, and shapes. Because of this, you cannot simply click a “sync” button to have a live, editable version appear in Google Slides instantly.
Instead, the process involves exporting the file from Canva in a compatible format (Microsoft PowerPoint .pptx) and then importing that file into Google Slides. This method preserves most of your layout, text boxes, and images, making them editable in the new platform.
Step 1: Export Your Canva Presentation
The first step is to get your design out of Canva. You will need to save your presentation as a Microsoft PowerPoint file, which is the bridge format that Google Slides understands best. Canva makes it easy to export presentations from Canva in PowerPoint (.pptx) format using its built-in download options.
- Open your design in Canva: Locate the presentation you want to convert in your Canva dashboard.
- Click the “Share” button: You will find this button in the top right corner of the editor.
- Select “More”: If you don’t see the Microsoft PowerPoint option immediately in the dropdown menu, scroll down and click on “More” (often represented by three dots).
- Choose “Microsoft PowerPoint”: Scroll through the share options until you find the Microsoft PowerPoint icon.
- Select pages: Choose whether you want to download all pages in the presentation or just specific slides.
- Click “Download”: Canva will process the design and download a .pptx file to your computer’s “Downloads” folder.
Note: If your design contains premium elements (Canva Pro features) and you are on a free account, you may be prompted to pay or watermark the design before downloading. If you are unsure whether upgrading is worth it, you can check a detailed breakdown of Canva Pro pricing and features before making a decision.
Step 2: Upload the File to Google Drive
Now that you have the .pptx file on your computer, you need to get it into the Google ecosystem.
- Open Google Drive: Navigate to drive.google.com and log in to your Google account.
- Click “+ New”: This button is located in the top left corner.
- Select “File upload”: A file explorer window will open.
- Locate your file: Navigate to your “Downloads” folder (or wherever you saved the Canva file) and select the .pptx file you just downloaded.
- Wait for the upload: A progress bar will appear in the bottom right corner. Once the upload is complete, you will see the file in your Drive list.
Step 3: Open and Save as Google Slides
At this stage, your file is sitting in Google Drive, but it is still technically a PowerPoint file. To fully unlock Google Slides features, you need to convert it one last time.
- Double-click the uploaded file: This will open the presentation in Google Slides. However, you will notice a yellow “.PPTX” badge next to the file name, indicating it is still in Microsoft’s format.
- Go to “File”: Click on the “File” menu in the top left corner of the Google Slides interface.
- Select “Save as Google Slides”: This option will create a new, native Google Slides copy of your presentation.
- Close the old file: You can now close the tab with the .pptx version and work exclusively in the new Google Slides file.
Checking for Formatting Issues
While the conversion process is generally reliable, it is rarely perfect. Software differences mean some elements might shift or change appearance. It is crucial to review your slides before presenting.
Font Substitutions
Canva has a massive library of custom fonts, many of which are not available in Google Fonts. If you used a unique font in Canva, Google Slides will replace it with a standard default font like Arial or Roboto. To maintain a similar look, you can choose an alternative from the Google Fonts library available inside Google Slides
- The Fix: Go through your slides and change the substituted fonts to a Google Font that closely matches your original design.
Image and Element Alignment
Sometimes, complex layered elements (like a text box on top of a shape on top of a photo) can shift slightly during the export process.
- The Fix: Click and drag elements to realign them. If an image looks distorted, check if the aspect ratio was locked or if it was cropped weirdly during the import.
Animations and Transitions
Canva’s animations generally do not transfer over. If you had “breathe” or “tumble” animations on your elements in Canva, they will likely be static in Google Slides.
- The Fix: You will need to re-apply animations using Google Slides’ native animation tools (Insert > Animation).
Alternative Method: Using Images for Perfect Layouts
If your presentation relies heavily on complex graphic design and you do not need to edit the text in Google Slides, exporting as images is a safer bet. This method “freezes” your design so nothing moves, but you lose the ability to edit text.
- In Canva, click Share > Download.
- Select PNG or JPG as the file type.
- Download your slides (they will likely download as a ZIP folder).
- Unzip the folder.
- Open a blank Google Slides presentation.
- Drag and drop each image onto a blank slide.
- Resize to fit the screen.
This ensures your slides look exactly like they did in Canva, but remember: you cannot change a typo or update a chart once it is an image.
Summary of the Conversion Process
To recap, the standard method to convert Canva to Google Slides is:
- Export from Canva as Microsoft PowerPoint (.pptx).
- Upload the .pptx file to Google Drive.
- Open the file and select “Save as Google Slides.”
- Review and fix any font or layout shifts.
By following these steps, you can combine Canva’s creative design tools with Google Slides’ collaborative power, giving you the best of both worlds for your next presentation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you convert Canva to Google Slides directly?
No, there is no direct sync button; you must export as a PowerPoint file first.
How to convert Canva slides to Google Slides without PowerPoint?
You can’t skip the PowerPoint format, but you don’t need the PowerPoint software installed to do it.
Can I convert Canva to Google Slides on mobile?
Yes, using the Canva app to “Share” as PowerPoint and opening it in the Google Slides app.
How do I convert a Canva presentation to Google Slides and keep animations?
Animations usually do not transfer; you must re-add them manually in Google Slides.
Can you turn Canva into Google Slides and edit the text?
Yes, converting via the .pptx method keeps text boxes editable, unlike the image method.
How to make a Canva presentation into Google Slides if the fonts change?
You must manually select a similar-looking font from the Google Fonts library after converting.
