Step-by-Step Canva AI Video Generator Tutorial for Beginners

In this tutorial, you are going to learn how to make videos quickly and easily using Canva AI. The best part is you do not need to know how to edit videos, because what Canva can do is based on a simple text prompt or an image. Also, the editing is super easy with single clicks.

With these videos, you can simply post them on YouTube Shorts, TikTok, or Instagram Reels to gain more followers and never run out of content again. Now, let's get into the Canva AI video generator tutorial.

Part 1. How to Use Canva's AI Video Generator?

Canva released a beta version of what they call Magic Media, which is in fact the Canva AI video generator that uses your text prompts to create extendable short clips. All you need to do is select any of the videos and photos that you want included in your video.

All you really need is a Canva account. You do not need a paid account, to be specific, but there are monthly limitations here, so it is better to opt for the Canva Pro subscription.

Step 1. Open Canva and Choose Your Video Project Format

To generate your video from a text prompt inside Canva, start by going to the Canva main page. Once you are there, click on the plus icon to begin a new project.

At the top, you will see a search field. Type the word video into that field, and Canva will show you several format options. You will see different templates such as landscape video, collage video, video message, mobile video, Facebook video, and TikTok video.

For this tutorial, select the landscape video option, since that is the format being used here. After selecting it, the Canva editor will open, and this is where you will start building your video.

Step 2. Open Magic Media

On the left-hand side of the editor, you will see different tabs such as Design, Elements, Text, Uploads, and Apps. Under the Apps section, you'll see Magic Media. Click on it, and the Canva AI video editor loads up.

If you don't see the Magic Media option, search for it under Apps and click to open it.

Step 3. Type Your Prompt and Generate the Video

Once Magic Media loads, look at the top section and click on the Video tab. This is important because Magic Media allows you to generate different types of content, and you want to make sure you are inside the video generation mode. After clicking the Video tab, you will see a prompt box where you can type your idea. Your prompt should be at least five words, but keep it brief and structured. Make sure you clearly describe the mood, the scene, and the action within a single prompt.

For example, mention whether it is cinematic, dramatic, peaceful, or energetic, then describe what is happening and where it is happening. The more clearly you define these elements, the better the output will be.

If you are not feeling creative or you are unsure what to type, you can click the Inspire Me button. Canva AI will automatically generate prompt ideas inside the prompt box, and you can modify them to suit your concept. This helps you avoid staring at a blank field and speeds up the creative process. You can click Inspire again if you don't like the idea.

Once your prompt is ready, click the Generate Video button. Canva will process your request and create the video. When the preview appears in the shorter preview window, you can double-click it, and it will move into the larger preview area on the right side of the editor, where you can watch it in full size and decide whether you want to use it or generate another version.

Step 4. Add Audio to Your AI Video

Before downloading your video, you can make several adjustments to improve it. For example, you can click the Add Audio button and search for music that fits your generated video. Once you choose an audio track, it will automatically play as the background track of your video. Also, you can record a voiceover for the video (works great for talking head videos) or generate some with AI using text prompts. The Examples section here really helps you out with the type of voice you want to come up with.

In the AI voice section, you can select a voice in English and many other languages and try it out before adding it to the video.

Step 5. Adjust the AI Video Colors

You can also click on the larger preview video in the right pane and select the Edit option. After clicking Edit, choose Adjust. Here, you have the option to use Auto Adjust and let Canva handle the corrections automatically, or you can manually control the settings.

If you prefer manual adjustments, you can modify the white balance by adjusting the Temperature and Tint sliders. The same applies to lighting. You can adjust brightness, contrast, highlights, shadows, whites, and blacks according to your preference. There is also a color section where you can control vibrance and saturation to refine the overall look of your video.

Step 6. Use Magic Studio and Advanced Editing Tools

Inside the Edit option, you also get access to Magic Studio. Here, you can remove the background of the video and replace it with another one using Canva AI templates or by uploading your own background. This allows you to completely change the environment of the generated clip without creating a new video from scratch.

You can also create highlights of the video if you decide to loop it and make it longer. This becomes especially useful if you generated four or five continuous videos using the Magic Media tool and placed them sequentially in the timeline. The highlight section allows you to single out the most important elements within that sequence and convert them into one clip that has strong potential to perform well with your audience.

In addition, there are filters that work well with the videos. Canva recommends filters based on the type of video it generates according to your prompt, which makes it quite helpful.

You also get access to different apps where you can upscale your video to improve its quality. You can reverse the video, translate subtitles, and apply cartoon-style effects to the entire clip. Finally, there is a video speed section where you can increase/decrease the playback speed.

Step 7. Trim, Split, Crop, Rotate, and Adjust Transparency

On top of the video preview, you will see a Trim icon that shows the total duration of the video. When you click it, you can trim selected parts of the video to make it shorter or remove certain sections entirely. This helps you clean up unnecessary footage and tighten the final result.

There is also a split option to split the video into different parts.

In Crop, you can adjust the frame and rotate the clip at specific angles.

Flip option allows you to turn the video horizontally or vertically, depending on how you want the visual orientation to appear.

You will also see a Transparency slider. Transparency simply controls how visible or invisible the video layer appears. Lowering the transparency makes the video more see-through, while increasing it makes it more solid and fully visible.

Additionally, you can position foreground elements and adjust their placement within the frame to refine the overall layout of your video.

Step 8. Download and Export Your Video

If you are satisfied with the result that Canva AI Video Generator created and the editing afterward, go to the top right corner and click the Share button. After that, click on Download. In the file type options, select MP4 Video, since that format works well for most platforms.

You will also see a quality slider that allows you to increase or decrease the video resolution, which is reserved for Canva Pro users. If you are on the Canva Pro plan, you can download videos in higher resolutions, ranging from 1080p up to 4K. If you are using the free version, the resolution options will be limited.

There is also a checkbox that allows you to save your download settings for future exports. If you plan to download videos in the same format and quality regularly, you can enable that option to speed up the process next time. Once everything is set, click Download to save.

Part 2. How to Use Canva AI Video Generator to Create Videos from Images

To generate videos from images, the Canva Image Animate feature works best. Here are the steps:

• Step 1.When you are inside a Canva video project, and you see the blank canvas, go to the Apps section on the left side and search for Image Animate. Once you click on Image Animate, a new editor opens. This app is powered by Vimmerse and is integrated directly into Canva to keep your workflow smooth inside the platform.

  

• Step 2.Now, upload a single image to animate, or if you want to create a sequence, click Add End Frame and upload another image using the Choose File option. This allows you to build a transition between two images instead of animating just one still photo.

  

• Step 3.Next, describe the type of video you want to animate. Just like before, your prompt should clearly mention the mood, scene, and action. If you are unsure what to write, click the Inspire Me button. Canva will generate prompt ideas for you, and you can modify them to match your concept.

  

• Step 4.After writing the prompt, select an AI model. You will see options such as Veo, Runway, Seedance, Sora, Pixverse, and others. Each model may give slightly different results, so choose according to your preference.

  

• Step 5.Then adjust the camera movement settings. You can control tilt, pan, roll, orbit, rotate, zoom, crane, and other movements. Set the video duration between 1 and 10 seconds. If you need a longer video, generate multiple clips and place them in sequence, or loop the clip.

  

• Step 6.Finally, sign in to your Vimmerse account, purchase credits, and generate the video. You have the same options to edit it, like Magic Media Text to Video AI. Once done, download it by clicking Share.

Part 3. How to Use the AI Video Generator In Canva

You already know using Magic Media and Image Animate to create videos from text prompts and images, but Canva also offers a dedicated AI Video Generator inside the Apps section, too, which is a bit different.

When you open the AI Video Generator app in Canva, you will see two main options at the top: Text and Image. The overall process is similar in both sections. The difference is that you can select a specific AI model in each one, depending on the type of result you want. Canva has the latest versions of these models, and some popular options include Kling, Sora, Sora 2, Hailuo 2, Google Veo 3, WAN 2.6, and Seedance.

Once you choose a model, you can generate videos that are usually between 5 and 10 seconds long. Just like before, you can place multiple clips on the timeline to create a longer sequence or loop a clip to extend its duration.

Another key difference is that you can set the aspect ratio directly inside this app. Options such as 9:16, 16:9, 3:4, 1:1, 21:9, and 9:21 are available. This allows you to match your video format to the platform where you plan to publish it, whether it is vertical for Shorts and Reels or horizontal for YouTube.

The Text to Video includes an Inspire Me to help with prompts, while the Image section only allows you to upload one imageand apply optional animation effects.

After writing the prompts, choosing your AI model, and customizing video settings, click Generate and download your video. Keep in mind that you have to be subscribed to Canva Pro to use the AI video generator app. After generating the video, you can edit it the same way as you do in Media Magic and Image Animate.

Part 4. FAQs of Canva AI Video Generator Tutorial

Conclusion on Canva AI Video Generator Tutorial

In this Canva AI Video Generator Tutorial, you learned how to use the Magic Media tool to create videos from simple text prompts and how the Image Animate app allows you to upload one or two images and turn them into short animated clips. You also explored the dedicated AI Video Generator app that requires a Canva Pro subscription, where you can either enter text prompts or upload an image to generate videos quickly.

At the end of the day, everything depends on your creativity and how clearly you write your prompts. You need to describe the scene, the mood, and the action to get the best results. If your prompt lacks clarity, Canva may struggle to produce the output you expect.