Canva Api

The Canva Connect API enables programmatic design creation — agents can auto-fill design templates with variable text and images, export designs as PNG/JPG/PDF/MP4/GIF, manage brand templates, and access asset libraries. Primary agent use case: automated content production pipelines (social media post generation, marketing asset creation, report templating) where Canva templates are the design layer. OAuth2 for user-context access (requires user authorization flow); client credentials for backend-to-backend service access in some flows. API is v1 and actively developed — some capabilities are newer and docs may trail implementation. Confidence is docs-derived.

OAuth2 Authorization Code flow for user-delegated access (requires browser redirect for initial authorization). Client credentials flow for server-to-server access (backend automation without user interaction). Access tokens from oauth/token endpoint after OAuth2 flow. Scopes include design:content:read, design:content:write, asset:read, asset:write, brandtemplate:meta:read, etc. HTTPS enforced. Token expiry: 4 hours (refresh token for longer sessions). App registration required via Canva Developer Portal.

canva.dev/docs/connect provides API reference, OAuth2 integration guide, auto-fill tutorial, export guide, and brand template integration documentation. Getting started requires a Canva account and app registration at canva.dev (free for developers). API access is instant for development; production deployment requires Canva review. JavaScript/TypeScript SDK available (canva-connect-api-starter). Quickstart examples available. Community support via Canva Developer Community Discord.

REST API at api.canva.com/rest/v1. Resources: designs, autofills, exports, assets, brand_templates, folders, apps. POST /v1/designs creates a new design (from template or blank). POST /v1/autofills creates an auto-fill job (populates template with data: text replacements, image replacements). POST /v1/exports creates an export job (design → PNG/PDF/MP4). GET /v1/exports/{jobId} polls export status. GET /v1/brand-templates lists available brand templates. GET /v1/assets lists media assets in connected account. Most operations are async (job-based): create → poll for completion → fetch result URL.

Standard HTTP status codes with JSON error bodies (code, message). 401 for invalid/expired token, 403 for missing permission scope, 400 for invalid request body. Async jobs (autofill, export): poll GET until status is 'success' or 'failed' — include exponential backoff. Export URLs time-limited (download within 30 min). App registration and review required for production access (Canva reviews new apps). Canva platform uptime at status.canva.com. Rate limits per app per user documented in developer portal.