Canva Hacks Part 12 ➝ How to Use Margins Like a Pro

Margins might look minor — but they change how your design feels. Turn on margins, rulers, and guides to keep layouts clean, aligned, and professional in seconds.

Canva Margins Tutorial – Cover
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Why Margins Matter

Consistent spacing = professional polish. Margins create balance and breathing room.

What margins fix

  • That “something’s off” feeling in layouts
  • Text or images crowding the edges
  • Inconsistent spacing between sections

Where to use them

  • Carousels & slides
  • Lead magnets & PDFs
  • Headers, mockups, and promos
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How to Show Margins in Canva

Turn them on once — design cleaner forever.

Steps

  1. Go to File (top left).
  2. Click Settings.
  3. Select Show margins.

What you’ll see

A margin box around your canvas — a safe boundary to keep content from getting cut or crowded.

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Pro Tip ➝ Use Rulers & Guides

Build your own grid system for precise alignment — guides never export, they’re just for layout help.

Turn them on

  1. FileSettings.
  2. Enable Show rulers and Show guides.
  3. Drag from the ruler edges to place guides.

Power tips

  • Hold Shift while dragging to snap guides precisely.
  • Mirror your margins with guides to lock a content area.
  • Save as a brand template to reuse across projects.
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The Result

Cleaner spacing, stronger hierarchy, and a design that reads at a glance.

What improves

  • Clean spacing and visual rhythm
  • Aligned elements and sections
  • Less clutter, more clarity

Try it now

  1. Open a recent design.
  2. Turn on margins, rulers, and guides.
  3. Nudge content inside the safe area and align to your guides.
Get the Margins & Guides Starter Kit inside the Creative Vault.
Includes a reusable grid template, spacing presets, and a 1-page margin checklist.
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