Modern designers rarely work in isolation — they collaborate, share, and publish across many platforms. Canva’s integrations make this seamless, connecting design creation to communication, marketing, and storage tools like Google Drive, Slack, HubSpot, Dropbox, and more.
This lesson will teach students how to use these integrations to save time, stay organized, and work smarter across digital platforms.
🔗 Integrating Canva with Other Tools (Google Drive, Slack, HubSpot, etc.)
🎯 Lesson Objective
By the end of this lesson, students will:
- Understand how to connect Canva with third-party tools for workflow efficiency
- Learn to import and export files using integrations like Google Drive, Dropbox, and HubSpot
- Discover how to share designs directly to communication and marketing platforms
- Apply integrations to streamline collaboration and content management
💡 1. Why Integrations Matter
Canva is powerful on its own, but integrations make it a complete creative hub.
✅ Save time — no need to switch between multiple apps
✅ Keep all assets and files connected across platforms
✅ Share designs instantly with teams or clients
✅ Simplify marketing, publishing, and approval workflows
🪶 Pro Tip: Think of Canva as the creative engine — integrations are the highways connecting it to your marketing, storage, and communication systems.
🧩 2. Accessing Canva Integrations
To explore available integrations:
- Go to Canva → “Apps” tab on the left sidebar.
- Browse available integrations under categories:
- 💼 Business & Productivity (Google Drive, Dropbox, HubSpot)
- 📣 Social & Marketing (Facebook, LinkedIn, TikTok, Mailchimp)
- 💬 Communication (Slack, Microsoft Teams)
- 📷 Content & Media (Pexels, YouTube, Google Photos)
- 🛠️ File Storage (OneDrive, Box, Dropbox)
🪶 Pro Tip: You can install integrations directly from Canva or from your account settings page under “Connected Apps.”
🗂️ 3. Google Drive Integration
One of the most popular and useful integrations — especially for teams and students.
🪄 How It Works
- Import assets (images, PDFs, videos) from Google Drive into Canva.
- Export or save your finished designs back to Google Drive.
🪄 Steps to Connect
- Open Canva → Go to Apps → Google Drive.
- Sign in with your Google account and grant access.
- Once connected, you’ll see your Drive files inside Canva.
🪄 Use Cases
- Import logos, documents, or photos for design use.
- Save brand templates or final deliverables to shared team drives.
🪶 Pro Tip: Save your exported PDF reports and presentations to Google Drive for easy team sharing and backup.
💬 4. Slack Integration
Slack + Canva helps streamline communication between creative and marketing teams.
🪄 How It Works
- Share designs directly to Slack channels or DMs.
- Notify teammates instantly when a new design is ready.
- Receive design approval or feedback right inside Slack.
🪄 Setup
- Go to Canva → Apps → Slack.
- Authorize Canva to connect to your Slack workspace.
- Choose your target channel or user when sharing.
🪄 Use Case Example
You design a marketing banner → share it directly in Slack → team reviews it → feedback is added → you edit in real time.
🪶 Pro Tip: Use Slack integration for real-time design review loops — fast, clear, and keeps your projects moving.
📦 5. Dropbox Integration
Ideal for backing up or accessing creative assets stored externally.
🪄 How It Works
- Import content like photos, icons, or documents directly from Dropbox.
- Save completed Canva files (PDFs, PNGs, videos) back to Dropbox folders.
🪄 Steps to Connect
- Canva → Apps → Dropbox.
- Log into your Dropbox account and approve permissions.
- Your Dropbox folders now appear inside Canva’s upload panel.
🪶 Pro Tip: Keep client files organized by saving final deliverables from Canva into dedicated Dropbox project folders.
💼 6. HubSpot Integration
A perfect integration for marketing and sales teams.
🪄 How It Works
- Design Canva assets (emails, ads, social posts) → sync them directly into HubSpot.
- Use those designs inside email campaigns, blog posts, and landing pages.
🪄 Steps to Connect
- Canva → Apps → HubSpot.
- Log into your HubSpot account.
- Canva will send your exported designs directly to your HubSpot file manager.
🪶 Pro Tip: Save time by creating Canva email banners or graphics → import directly into your HubSpot campaign builder.
💻 7. Microsoft OneDrive & Teams
For corporate or educational settings using Microsoft 365.
🪄 OneDrive Integration
- Access images, docs, and files stored in OneDrive from Canva.
- Export finished projects back to shared drives.
🪄 Microsoft Teams Integration
- Share designs directly in Teams chats or channels.
- Collaborate on feedback using comments within Canva.
🪶 Pro Tip: Perfect for schools, organizations, and businesses using the Microsoft ecosystem.
📣 8. Marketing & Publishing Integrations
Canva connects seamlessly with marketing and social media tools to publish or schedule posts directly.
| Tool | Integration Use |
|---|---|
| Facebook / Instagram / LinkedIn / Pinterest | Directly publish or schedule posts |
| Mailchimp | Import Canva-designed email headers or graphics |
| TikTok | Publish short videos or promo clips |
| YouTube | Upload video thumbnails and channel banners |
| Content Planner (Canva) | Schedule posts across platforms |
🪶 Pro Tip: Combine Canva’s Content Planner + HubSpot + Slack to automate your social media workflow from creation → scheduling → reporting.
🧰 9. Connecting Integrations Safely
- Only connect accounts you trust (school, business, or personal).
- Revoke unused integrations periodically for security.
- Use team accounts (not personal ones) for shared workspaces.
- Admins can control which integrations team members can access.
🪶 Pro Tip: Check Settings → Apps & Integrations to manage permissions and disconnect unused tools.
🧠 10. Practical Activity for Students
Goal: Explore Canva’s integrations and apply one to a real design workflow.
Steps:
- Connect one integration (Google Drive, Slack, or HubSpot).
- Create a simple design (poster, post, or video).
- Export or share it through your chosen tool:
- Save to Google Drive
- Send to Slack
- Publish to HubSpot
- Confirm it appears correctly on the connected platform.
Result: Students learn how to move designs smoothly between Canva and external tools.
🗣️ Discussion Prompts
- Which integration best fits your workflow — storage, communication, or marketing?
- How do integrations simplify collaboration for remote teams?
- What’s the difference between exporting manually vs. sharing through integrations?
✨ Key Takeaways
- Canva integrates with Google Drive, Slack, Dropbox, HubSpot, and many more tools.
- Integrations create a connected ecosystem for design, communication, and publishing.
- Use storage integrations (Drive, Dropbox) for file management.
- Use communication integrations (Slack, Teams) for feedback.
- Use marketing integrations (HubSpot, Meta, Mailchimp) for direct publishing.
- Streamlined integrations = faster workflows + consistent brand delivery.