Introduction

Understanding how to position elements effectively is key to creating polished and professional designs in Canva. The “Position” tool lets you layer, align, resize, and adjust elements with precision, helping your designs look well-organized and visually appealing. In this guide, we’ll break down how to use Canva’s “Position” tool to manage layers, adjust dimensions, and position elements precisely within your design area.

1. Understanding Layers: Forward, Backward, and the Rest

Canva works with layers, meaning elements are stacked on top of each other. This is useful when you want to create depth or organize overlapping objects.

How Layers Work:

• Forward & To Front: Moves the selected element one step forward or brings it right to the top layer.
• Backward & To Back: Moves the selected element one step back or sends it to the bottom layer.

Example: If you want to place text over an image, make sure the text layer is moved “Forward” or “To Front.” This ensures your text stays visible above the image.

Quick Tip: You can access these options by clicking “Position” in the top toolbar and then selecting the layer direction.

2. Adjusting Width, Height, and Ratio Lock

To resize elements accurately, Canva offers options to adjust width and height.

How to Resize Elements:

• Select your element and drag the corner handles to adjust its size.
• To maintain the aspect ratio, hold down the Shift key as you drag.

Ratio Lock Feature: Canva often locks the aspect ratio by default. To unlock it, click the padlock icon next to the width and height values under “Position.” This lets you adjust the width and height independently.

Pro Tip: Unlocking the ratio is helpful when you want to stretch or compress an element without distorting it.

3. Using Position by Pixel for Precise Placement

When you need pixel-perfect alignment, Canva lets you position elements relative to the design area’s size.

How to Position Elements by Pixel:

• Click “Position” in the toolbar.
• Adjust the X (horizontal) and Y (vertical) values to move the element to your desired spot.

Note: The position is relative to the entire design area, not just the selected element. This feature is great for centering objects or aligning them with other elements.

4. Working with ‘All’ and ‘Overlapping’ for Multi-Element Editing

The “Position” tool has options to help you manage multiple elements at once, especially when working with overlapping objects.

How to Use ‘All’ and ‘Overlapping’:

• All: Selects all elements on your design, allowing you to align or distribute them together.
• Overlapping: Works when elements overlap; you can arrange them in relation to one another.

Example: If you have several text boxes that need even spacing, select them all and choose “Tidy Up” under “Position” to distribute them evenly.

5. Drag and Drop: Moving Layers with Ease

Canva also lets you manually adjust layers by dragging and dropping them directly on your design.

How to Use Drag and Drop:

• Select your element and click and hold the mouse button.
• Drag it to your desired position. The element will “snap” into place when aligned with other objects.

Tip: Canva shows pink guide lines while dragging, helping you align elements relative to the design area or other objects.

Conclusion: Become a Positioning Pro in Canva

Mastering the “Position” tool in Canva can significantly improve the quality of your designs, making them look more professional and well-organized. By understanding how layers, resizing, pixel positioning, and multi-element alignment work, you’ll gain the confidence to arrange elements with precision.

Ready to try these tips? Open Canva and explore the ‘Position’ tool in your next design!