Sharing presentations with notes is extremely useful for presenters. The notes allow you to add extra information and details that may not fit nicely on the slides themselves.
When creating presentations in Canva, you have the ability to add presenter notes that can be included when sharing or exporting your designs. This allows you to share a presentation that contains both the slides visible to your audience and separate notes visible only to you as the presenter.
In this blog post, we’ll walk through exactly how to create presentations with notes in Canva and the different ways you can share those presentations while keeping the notes intact.
Creating Notes in Canva Presentations
Adding notes in Canva Presentations is simple:
- Open your presentation and select a slide.
- In the left sidebar, toggle on the switch for Speaker Notes to open the notes panel below the slide.
- Type your notes for that slide into the notes panel. The notes will automatically save.
- Repeat for each slide that needs notes.
You’ll see your notes in the presenter view when presenting your slides.
Pro Tip: Add the slide number at the start of each slide’s notes to keep things organized if making changes later.
Sharing Canva Presentations with Notes
Once your presentation notes are added, there are a few ways to export or share your presentation while keeping the notes intact:
Download as PDF
- Click Share in the Canva toolbar.
- Select Download > PDF Print.
- Check the box for Include notes.
- Download the PDF, which will contain both slides and notes.
Export Presentation to PowerPoint
- Click Share > Export > PowerPoint Presentation.
- In PowerPoint, go to File > Print to access print options.
- Under Settings, choose Notes next to slides.
- Print or save as PDF to get a file with slides and notes.
Share View-Only Link
- Click Share in the Canva toolbar.
- Get the View-only link.
- When you present your slides in Canva’s Presenter Mode, your notes will be visible to you but not your audience.
Learn more about Canva Presenter Mode.
Share Collaboratively
- Click Share in the Canva toolbar.
- Under Collaboration, choose Anyone with the link can view.
- Send the collaboration link so others can view the presentation with notes in Presenter Mode.
Learn more about collaborating on Canva designs.
Presenting with Canva Speaker Notes
Once you’ve shared your presentation containing notes, presenting with those notes is easy:
- Open your presentation in Canva.
- Select Present in the top right.
- Choose Presenter View to view your notes privately during your presentation.
In Presenter View you’ll see your slides, notes, and a presentation timer. Toggle between your slides as needed while referring to your notes that the audience can’t see.
Your notes will stay in sync automatically as you change slides during your presentation.
Extra Tips for Canva Presentation Notes
Here are some additional tips for working with notes in Canva:
- Add images/visuals – Include screenshots or diagrams in your notes for extra context.
- Present online – Share a view-only link for virtual presentations using Presenter View.
- Use the mobile app – Easily present from your mobile device using the notes.
- Print as handouts – Print slides with notes as handouts for in-person meetings.
- Collaborate with team members – Co-create presentations and notes in real-time.
- Add feedback – Have colleagues review slides and leave feedback on your notes.
Key Takeaways
- Add speaker notes for each slide while creating Canva presentations.
- Export presentations as PDFs or PowerPoints to retain notes.
- Present slides in Canva itself using Presenter View to privately view notes.
- Share view-only links for online presentations with notes visible in Presenter View.
- Print slides with notes as handouts or present from mobile with notes on the go.
With Canva Presentations, seamlessly sharing presentations with integrated speaker notes boosts your public speaking confidence. Give your next talk a boost using these Canva features!
