Introduction
Professional-grade videos were once synonymous with spending countless hours mastering complex video-editing software. Just a few years ago, I avoided creating any videos because I thought they required complicated editing skills, pricey software, and lots of patience. Trying out the Canva AI Video Generator for the first time, I assumed that it was a simplistic app capable of producing only basic videos. On the contrary, with proper prompts and edits, it turned out to be an app with the potential to generate interesting videos suitable for YouTube Shorts, Instagram Reels, advertising videos, presentations, and even small-business marketing.
The first video I created was not flawless. The visuals appeared good enough, yet the flow was too slow, and the text placement was off. However, after testing multiple prompts and refining each scene, I found out that the Canva AI app performs well when treated as an assistant, not as a magic solution that can give professional videos at once.
If you are looking for a video AI generator that Canva users can learn to use fast, then this guide is exactly what you need. If you are curious about Canva’s video generator tool, Canva text-to-video, or simply seeking an easy tutorial, I will take you through the entire process.
Quick Answer
Canva AI Video Generator is an AI-driven video generator within the Canva platform that lets you create short videos you can easily customise using text prompts. Rather than building on a blank timeline, you simply describe the idea, and Canva makes videos, including scene creation, visuals, animations, etc. This generator works best for beginners, as well as content creators, teachers, freelancers, marketers, and small business owners who need to create videos without having editing skills.
What Is Canva AI Video Generator?
Canva AI Video Generator is an addition to Canva’s expanding suite of AI-powered tools, making video production much easier. Rather than having to look for footage on your own and create your scenes and animations by hand, all you need to do is provide a text prompt, and Canva will come up with a draft that you can then tweak.
Whereas most of the AI video generators offer non-editable videos, Canva allows you to make any changes you want – replace any clip, fonts, colours, transition, add your logo, or completely change the layout.
Another great thing about Canva is that it is really user-friendly. You don’t need any experience with timelines, keyframes, and professional terms to start making videos on Canva.
Does Canva AI Make Videos?
Yes. In Canva, you can use an AI video generator in the Magic Media section. You just write out the description, pick the video option, and Canva makes a short video out of your prompt. You can then edit the generated content using Canva’s video editing feature.
Although the AI will create your video, sometimes the best results are achieved by editing it further rather than just publishing what you have.
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Who Should Use Canva AI Video Generator?
Here is my take on who should be using Canva AI video generator:
- Video beginners
- YouTube Shorts creators
- Instagram Reels creators
- Educational video makers
- Freelance designers working on client projects
- Small business owners promoting their products
- Marketers making advertisements
- Blogs looking for video content
For example, think of a small local coffee shop introducing a new seasonal beverage. Instead of hiring a video designer to make one, the coffee shop owner will write a short description, generate the video, adjust its colour scheme to match the company brand, add the company logo, and upload it to Instagram.
Pro Tip: The AI gives you a good initial starting point, but taking an additional five minutes to edit colours, captions, and timing will give your final video a professional touch.
Features I Actually Use
There are tons of AI features in Canva, but after using the platform to create several projects, I noticed a few that stood out for how much time they saved.
Magic Media
Magic Media is the feature I use the most. It converts text prompts into videos, images, and graphics.
Instead of scouring through numerous stock websites, all I have to do is describe what I want the scene to be like, and Canva instantly creates an image to work with.
When I use it
- Product promotions
- YouTube Shorts
- Social media videos
- Marketing content
Practical Tip
Go into detail. Talk about lighting, mood, camera angles, colour, and style, rather than just a few words.
Text to Video Canva
The Text-to-Video Canva feature is very beginner-friendly.
I don’t have to drag clips into my timeline first; I simply tell Canva what should happen.
For instance:
Bad prompt:
Create a travel video.
Good prompt:
Create a 20-second cinematic travel video featuring mountains at sunrise, slow flying drone shots, hikers having fun at scenic lookout spots, warm golden light, beautiful background music, and cool animations.
The latter prompt offers much more detailed information for Canva.
AI Voiceover
Previously, creating voiceovers needed some hardware setup.
Now, Canva lets you create voiceovers much more easily for presentations, tutorials, and educational videos.
It is always better to check the pronunciation beforehand, as tiny changes can make your work even better.
AI Captions
There is one thing I use almost every time I create content: an automatic caption option.
As we all know, people prefer watching videos without sound, particularly on Instagram and Facebook.
Captions help make the video more accessible and increase viewer attention.
AI Templates
Templates are useful for me when I require consistency.
Instead of designing each scene independently, I start by using an AI-generated template and blending it with a professionally designed Canva template.
Time-saving technique: This approach significantly reduces time without compromising the video’s visual consistency.
Common mistake: Most newbies rely solely on the AI-generated design. Changing fonts, colours, and animations will yield better results.
Tutorial Step by Step
Step 1: Sign Up to Canva
Go to Canva and log in with your current account, or create one if it is your first time.
Both Free and Pro accounts have access to AI capabilities; however, Pro accounts typically include additional AI credits and premium assets.
Make sure your account is up to date before creating videos to have the best access to AI tools.
Step 2: Go to Magic Media
In the Canva dashboard, open a new video project.
Find the Magic Media option under the AI tools tab.
This is where the AI video creation process starts at Canva.
Rather than opening a regular editor to start the creation process, you will be able to write down your ideas for the video with Magic Media.
Step 3: Pick Video Generation
Magic Media offers multiple options for AI generation.
Select Video and not Images/Graphics.
You will get a prompt box where you can write a description for your video.
Do not be afraid that your first attempt will not yield a good result.
Practice makes perfect.
Step 4: Come Up With a Better AI Prompt
This is the step that has the greatest effect on the video quality.
My initial attempts looked like this:
“Make a business video.”
As you can see, there wasn’t much of an idea behind such a prompt. The result could only be generic.
Instead, use the following:
“Create a 15-second promo video featuring a stylish coffee shop with warm lighting, shots of the coffee being poured in a close-up, cheerful customers, elegant typography, fluid camera work, and light acoustic background music.”
Do you see the difference? The second one gives Canva the information about what, in what style, in what mood, how and what typography it should use.
Pro tip: Imagine you are giving directions to a professional director as you craft your prompt.
Step 5: Create Your Video
Once you write your prompt, hit Generate to allow Canva to produce your first draft.
The generation time for your AI video depends on prompt complexity and server load. Just like when you generate text, keep in mind that AI creates the initial version and not the final one.
My initial AI video was quite impressive visually, yet there were aspects that needed to be fixed right away. Some scenes were too long, the text animation was a little bit slow, and the colour scheme didn’t perfectly fit my brand.
It’s absolutely normal.
Think about the AI-generated video as a draft for your article. It provides you with a starting point rather than a blank slate.
Pro Tip: Create several videos based on the same prompt. One might have impressive visuals, while another might have better transitions between scenes. You’ll be able to combine all the best elements into one video.
Step 6: Editing the AI-Generated Video
Here’s when the video starts looking professional.
Many newbies simply export the AI-generated video as it is and make no adjustments. In my opinion, dedicating even five to ten minutes to editing the video can significantly affect its quality.
Pay attention to these aspects:
Timing
Carefully analyse every single scene.
If a scene feels too brief, elongate it a bit. If viewers get what is going on, shorten the scene to make it more interesting.
Branding
Remove the default colours from Canva and use your brand colours.
Include:
- Logo
- Fonts
- Colors
- Website
- Social media account
These simple steps immediately elevate the video’s professional level.
Fonts
Use one or two readable fonts in the video.
Don’t switch between many different fonts, as this can lead to inconsistency.
Transitions
Simple transitions work much better than fancy animations.
I usually use only transitions like fading and sliding because they keep the viewer’s attention on the content rather than on the animation.
Captions
Always check the automatically generated captions.
Mistakes in captioning may negatively impact the video’s quality.
Mistake #1: People often think that using AI means you’ll get a perfect video automatically. In truth, editing makes up most of the professional work.
Step 7: Export with Optimal Settings
Now it’s time to export the video once you are satisfied with the result.
Most of the time, the following export settings would be appropriate:
- MP4 format
- Maximum quality
- 1080p resolution
- Appropriate aspect ratio for your platform
Aspect ratios for various platforms:
- YouTube Shorts – 9:16
- Instagram Reels – 9:16
- TikTok – 9:16
- Regular YouTube Video – 16:9
- Presentation – 16:9
Finally, before publishing it, play it back once.
In most cases, there will always be something small to change.
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Best Canva AI Video Prompt Phrases
The best prompt should provide the software with clear, creative guidance. The more details provided, the higher the quality of the generated video.
Instagram Reel
Generate a 15-second Instagram Reel on the theme of a healthy smoothie with bright natural lighting, catchy music, smooth camera movement, contemporary typography, and an effective call to action.
Why it works
It includes information on subject, mood, style, and target audience.
YouTube Short
Make a fast-paced YouTube Short about productivity tips using graphics, animation, icons, text, and background music.
Why it works
Videos that include educational content work best if the scene changes quickly and the text is legible.
Product Advertisement
Create a high-end product advertisement for wireless headphones that uses cinematography, product shots, colours, typography, and a technology theme.
Why it works
All aspects of the prompt are very clear.
Educational Video
Make an educational video for a classroom about the solar system using colourful graphics, animation, transitions, and an engaging setting.
Why it works
The graphics stay clear and make sense to the audience.
Travel Video
Make a travel video using tropical beaches, drone shots, golden hours, music, and animated titles.
Why it works
Travel videos thrive on descriptive visuals and storytelling.
Video for Real Estate
Make an upmarket video tour of a property using aerial footage, large interiors, lighting, elegant transitions, beautiful typography, and contact info at the end.
Why it works
It provides Canva with all the necessary details for creating a nice property video presentation.
Pro tip: Treat your prompt like a film script. Include descriptions about location, lighting, mood, camera movements, colours, and viewers instead of using general terms.
Do You Need to Upgrade?
The free version is more than enough for you if you have just started learning Canva to make videos.
But if you need to publish videos often for your clients, on YouTube, Instagram, or for marketing purposes, you should definitely go for Canva Pro for its AI credits and additional features.
Common Beginner Mistakes
Having tried dozens of AI-generated videos, I discovered some common beginner mistakes.
Short Prompts
The prompt “Create a business video” doesn’t give Canva much information.
Quick Solution
Provide information on style, audience, lighting, atmosphere, colours, movements, and the video’s purpose.
Neglecting the Editing Stage
AI-generated drafts are not always perfect.
Quick Solution
Spend several minutes editing the video to improve its timing, transitions, branding, and captions.
No Captions
It’s common for people to watch social media videos without sound.
Quick Solution
Turn on captions.
Using the Incorrect Aspect Ratio
Landscapes don’t look good in Instagram Reels.
Quick Fix
Make sure that you select the right aspect ratio before exporting.
Rendering Your Video in Low Resolution
Poorly rendered videos affect your professionalism.
Quick Fix
Always try to export your video in HD, meaning 1080p or higher.
Best Tips to Create Better AI Videos
From working with the AI Video Creator in Canva on various projects, I’ve learned these best practices.
- Think of your prompt as something that will appear in a movie, not a brief description.
- Each video should have one main message or idea.
- Shorter clips keep viewers engaged.
- Consistent brand colours and typography help.
- Always edit the generated AI videos before exporting.
- Include captions for better accessibility and engagement.
- Check your videos fully twice before exporting.
- Try different prompts rather than going with the first result you see.
- Use both the AI-generated and templates in Canva for improved visual appeal.
- Experiment and continue learning from each prompt.
FAQs
Does Canva AI produce videos?
Yes. Videos based on text prompts can be generated by Canva using its Magic Media function.
Is Canva AI Video Generator free?
With a free Canva account, you can use some of its AI functions, even though some abilities and AI credits will be restricted in comparison to Canva Pro.
Can I use Canva AI Video Generator as a beginner?
Definitely. Being a novice-friendly platform, Canva allows anyone to create their first AI video even without any video editing knowledge.
What is Text to Video Canva?
Text to Video Canva is a feature that allows you to turn text prompts into editable short videos using AI.
Can I create YouTube Shorts using Canva?
Yes. With Canva, you can create vertical videos for YouTube Shorts.
Is Canva suitable for Instagram Reels?
Yes. With Canva, you will easily make Instagram Reels due to the presence of templates, animations, captions, and AI-created videos.
Which one is better: Canva or traditional video editing software?
Canva is usually easier and quicker to use when producing content for the first time or for marketing purposes. Advanced software is preferred by professionals for their complicated projects that require detailed editing and cinematic effects.
Conclusion
The advent of the Canva AI Video Generator makes creating videos more accessible than ever before. No need to spend hours mastering video editing software; just in a matter of minutes, beginners can create a fully editable video out of a simple concept.
From my personal experience, the most important thing I learned was not how to produce videos but how to improve them. The quality of your prompt, the time spent on editing, and a few small branding tweaks play a far more significant role than pressing the Generate button.
If you happen to be a content creator, freelancer, educator, marketer, or small business owner, Canva strikes the perfect balance between ease of use and creativity. When making a very cinematic video or even an advanced commercial production, video editing software might serve you better. But for most common tasks, Canva will be more efficient.
In my opinion, there is a straightforward piece of advice for anyone who wants to make great videos with AI: do not expect perfect videos on the first try. Try various prompts, select the best option, and work with AI.
