Creating videos

Apps can add videos to a user's design, such as MP4 and MOV files. The user can arrange these videos in a Canva design or splice them together in Canva's video editor.

The user experience

When an app adds a video to the user's design, the video file is uploaded to the user's media library.

While the video is uploading, a lower-resolution version of the video is shown to the user. If the user hasn't provided a lower-resolution version, a static image is shown as a fallback.

The user's media library has a storage quota. If the user has a Canva Pro account, their storage quota is 1TB. Otherwise, their storage quota is 5GB. If the user exceeds the storage quota, they'll see an error.

Once the video exists in the user's design, the video is indistinguishable from videos added via Canva's native features. This means the user can manipulate the video in all the same ways, including:

• Adjusting the size, position, and rotation of the video
• Applying effects to the video
• Using the video as a background
• Animating the video — for example, having it fade in

Supported video types

Apps can add the following types of videos to a user's design:

The maximum allowed file size is 100MB — except for Lottie files, which are limited to 0.5MB.

Lottie file limitations

If you're uploading Lottie files, the following limitations apply:

• The maximum allowed size of Lottie files is 0.5MB (500KB).
• Lottie stickers must not exceed 10 seconds or 2048 x 2048 pixels.
• Lottie stickers must not contain:
  • 3D layers
  • Font references
  • Media assets
  • Property expressions
• Lottie compositions must not contain:
  • 3D layers
  • Audio
  • Gradient stroke shapes
  • Images
  • Solids
  • Star shapes
  • Text
  • Time remapping
  • Time stretching

How to create videos

Step 1: Enable the required permissions

In the Developer Portal, enable the following permissions:

• canva:design:content:write
• canva:asset:private:write

In the future, the Apps SDK will throw an error if the required permissions are not enabled.

To learn more, see Configuring permissions.

Step 2: Upload a video file

Import the upload method from the @canva/asset package:

import { upload } from "@canva/asset";

Call the method, passing in the options shown here:

const result = await upload({
  type: "video",
  mimeType: "video/mp4",
  url: "https://www.canva.dev/example-assets/video-import/video.mp4",
  thumbnailImageUrl:
    "https://www.canva.dev/example-assets/video-import/thumbnail-image.jpg",
  thumbnailVideoUrl:
    "https://www.canva.dev/example-assets/video-import/thumbnail-video.mp4",
});

When uploading videos, the URLs must be exposed via the internet and available to Canva's backend, as Canva needs access to the URLs to download them. This means you can't use localhost URLs.

The upload method returns an object that contains a ref property:

console.log(result.ref);

This property contains a reference, which is a unique identifier that points to a video asset in Canva's backend. An app can use this reference to interact with the file — even while it's uploading.

Step 3: Add the video to the design

Import the addElementAtPoint method (or addElementAtCursor, depending on the current context) from the @canva/design package:

import { addElementAtPoint } from "@canva/design";

Call the method, passing in the options shown here:

await addElementAtPoint({
  type: "video",
  ref: result.ref,
});

Additional considerations

• All videos must comply with Canva's Acceptable Use Policy.
• All videos must comply with Canva's Upload formats and requirements.

API reference

• addElementAtPoint
• upload

Code sample

import React from "react";
import { addElementAtPoint } from "@canva/design";
import { upload } from "@canva/asset";

export function App() {
  async function handleClick() {
    // Upload a video file
    const result = await upload({
      type: "video",
      mimeType: "video/mp4",
      url: "https://www.canva.dev/example-assets/video-import/video.mp4",
      thumbnailImageUrl:
        "https://www.canva.dev/example-assets/video-import/thumbnail-image.jpg",
      thumbnailVideoUrl:
        "https://www.canva.dev/example-assets/video-import/thumbnail-video.mp4",
    });

    // Add the video to the design
    await addElementAtPoint({
      type: "video",
      ref: result.ref,
    });
  }

  return (
    <div>
      <button onClick={handleClick}>Add video to design</button>
    </div>
  );
}