How To Use Frames In Canva

There are three main ways to add a photo or image to a Canva design.  One is to simply drop it and use the buttons to resize it.  Another is to use a grid where the picture fills the space.  The third is to use a frame and can be most effective when the photo isn’t the only item on the design.

Let’s learn how to use frames in Canva and what kind of effects we can create with them.

How to add a frame to a Canva design

To start with, let’s locate frames and learn how to add one to a design in Canva.

Select ‘Elements’ from the side menu when you have a blank design or template open.  Fifth down on the list of element groups is ‘Frames’ and hit the see all option to open the panel.  Or you can search ‘Frames’ in the elements search bar.

Once you are in the Frames section you can see there’s loads to choose from.  Some are simple shapes while others have designs to them such as one that looks like a computer monitor and another like an old Polaroid photo.

When the frames have the hilly landscape image in them, this means you can easily drop a photo into the frame.  So select one and add it to the canvas then choose a photo to fill it.

Resizing frames

You can also easily resize a frame to make it larger or smaller, depending on what you want to do.

If you want to make it bigger, use one of the white dots in the corners.  Click on it and drag it into one of the corners.  This makes it bigger but ensures it retains proportions and doesn’t distort.  You can do the same if you want it to be smaller.

Using multiple frames in one design

With frames, you can also use multiple frames in one design to create a wide range of looks.

Here I used three of the brushstroke style frames to create a collage effect with lots of flowers.  These can be resized or rotated if you wanted them to go in different directions.

Or you can use multiple frames to create different effects.  This one uses two triangle shapes and the same photo, moved slightly to create the effect that the image has been chopped up.

Using letter and number frames

Another great element in frames is the letters and numbers.  There are tons of ways to use these!

Here I used HI and a heart shape frame.  The picture in the letters lined up between them to give that continuous effect while the heart frame has a silver effect photo in it.

Or you could work the other way.  Have the letters or numbers filled in with a solid photo effect like the silver.  Then add a background behind it to make them pop.  You could even add a photo behind and move it to take up the whole area.

Adding a frame to a photo

There’s one other way to use frames in Canva and this is a newer feature that isn’t found in the normal Elements section.

Instead, if you add a photo to a canvas then click the ‘Effects’ option on the top menu then scroll down, there’s an option called ‘Frames’.  Click on this and a whole range of frames open that you can add to a picture.

These include glitter, film effects, neon, flower patterns and more.  They follow the photo so if you resize it, the frame goes with it.

Having fun using frames

Frames are a great way to make the most of photos, add colours or effects into designs and are more flexible than grids but easier than trying to manually move a photo. There are lots of ways to use them including making mockups, photo effects, wall art styles and simply making fun shapes and styles.