Canva Basics Part 5 ➝ Align + Tidy Up (Make Layouts Look Intentional Fast)

What this helps with

• Making columns and rows feel even
• Keeping icons and text lined up
• Centering items so they don’t look “off”
• Cleaning up carousels and slide layouts

• Feature lists and comparison slides
• Headings + subhead blocks
• Icon grids and stat cards
• Any repeated layout across pages

Use this if you’re

• Building a carousel with repeated spacing
• Making a grid of icons or cards
• Trying to center a layout quickly

Avoid it if

• You only have one element selected
• You need a slightly imperfect, organic layout on purpose

Do this

1. Select two or more elements.
2. Open Position.
3. Choose Align (left, center, right) or Tidy up for even spacing.

• Group first if you want a whole block to move as one.
• Use tidy up when spacing feels inconsistent.
• After aligning, nudge once to lock your final placement.

Before

Icons were slightly different heights and the labels didn’t sit on the same baseline. The slide felt “off” even though everything was close.

After

Select all icons ➝ align middle ➝ tidy up spacing ➝ align labels. Instantly looks more professional.

Align options not showing

• You need two or more elements selected.
• Make sure you’re not editing inside a text box.

Tidy up does something unexpected

• One element may be much wider than the others.
• Try aligning first, then tidy up.