Why Canva DPI is BROKEN…

[@lisabootran]

THIS. This the one. Solved my problems! I can’t believe how hard it was to find a solution. Thank you soooo much for explaining this so beautifully

[@TechnicallyTrent]

Hi Lisa, glad it helped!

[@davidshank6861]

Great video Did many Google searches, watched quite a few KZbin videos looking to understand how DPI and image dimensions are related. Yours was the only one that logically explained it. Your name Technically Trent is spot on!

[@TechnicallyTrent]

Thanks, @davidshank6861 !

[@JoyfulCat24]

I had no idea about this! Thanks so much for sharing. I have recently started designing using Canva and was so disappointed regarding the dpi issue. I wasn’t thrilled about having to go through other convoluted methods to obtain the dpi I need for my designs, nor did I really want to switch to Kittl since I’m still learning how to use Canva. This makes perfect sense.

[@TechnicallyTrent]

Glad it was helpful!

[@JTLPrints-lz1bh]

Great video. One thing I will add, though, is that while Canva limits the size of your custom file in px, you can create 24x36 in custom files, which of course gets around the px limit. If you tried to create a file that was 7200x10800 it would reject it. But you can, say, create a custom file that is 24x36 inches, place a vivid, color-rich edge-to-edge photo in it, download it as PDF Print and open it in Photoshop. It will be 7200x10800 px and 300 PPI. Yet another inconsistency! :)

[@TechnicallyTrent]

Hi @JTLPrints-lz1bh , great point! I honestly don't know much about how Canva builds a PDF, so this is good info to know. Thanks!

[@Leo-bo7rd]

JTLPrints, thank you so much for this comment! I agree, Trent's video was awesome! And, your comment helped me just as much. I was a bit stressed because my understanding was that Canva PDF Prints were saved at the correct DPI of 300, but questioned this after watching the video - your comment put my mind at ease. Thank you so much. 🙏

[@alexizumi]

Wow, finally an explanation that makes sense! Thank you so much!

[@reneejones7193]

Great video! Thanks for breaking DPI down and covering it.

[@janefelicia2868]

i really hope they fix this issue . they got great design, but when i want to print them physically (into photo album), the image become pixelated and really broken.. your video really explained a lot, thank you so much!

[@TechnicallyTrent]

Hi @janefelicia2868, yes, I agree that Canva's should offer higher resolutions and make how it works much more clear. Thanks for watching! - Trent

[@elwinharris]

Brilliant Video. Thanks. Completely clarified my issues.

[@stlotpieadra]

Thank you. I was watching too many videos just to get one simple answer.

[@branislavbalis3759]

thank you for your explanation, this was very helpful !!!

[@goingaway285]

Thank u so much for this Video! was looking for this Info and it was so confusin... can you please explain: * How can we tell what is actual size of an element/image etc in Canva? * what happen to graphic element in canva when you resize them while working * if I upload my own images to Canva - what happen than? I heard somewhere that is reducing the DPI and quality of the image - can you explain? Thank u so much!

[@TechnicallyTrent]

Hi GoingAway, thanks for your comment! I don't know the exact answers to those questions, but I plan to do more videos about Canva so I will definitely add these items to my research list! Thanks - Trent

[@yarnyonder43]

Your way of explaining is really good 😊. Easy to understand Thanks a lot

[@TechnicallyTrent]

Most welcome 😊

[@JNBY18]

Thank you very much for such an excellent video that clarifies the relationship among the three aspects. I uploaded a file with only 96dpi to PRINTIFY, and the MUG mockup matches perfectly. However, I need to sell the file in digital format, which must be 300dpi. Even though their pixel dimensions (width and height) are exactly the same, conversion to 300dpi is necessary. I don’t know if there is a better way

[@TechnicallyTrent]

Hi @JNBY18, It's OK to say "300dpi" as long as you specify the pixels and intended print size in inches. For example, you can say, "This image is 2475 x 1155 pixels and will print at 300dpi for 8.25in x 3.85in" Hope this helps! Trent

[@macwildkat4917]

GREAT Video!! Thank you, thank you, thank you! This finally makes sense.

[@T3Rmin4LCuRi0siTy]

Damn it you did it! It went into my thick skull in one go! Cheers. My sub is yours.

[@anne2309]

Thank you for demystifying pixels/dpi resolution, very well explained. This is something that has confused me for a while. If printing greetings cards, I now realise that for a 5x7 card my image should be 1500 x 2100 pixels if printing at 300 dpi, but on a canon home printer should I always print at 300dpi or is there any benefit to printing with higher dpi? This is the only thing that still confuses me, forgive me, I’m just a fledgling, lol! 😊

[@TechnicallyTrent]

Hi @anne2309! Typically, machines are set to always print at a fixed DPI. So even if your image is very high resolution, the printer software will likely just resize it to 300 DPI anyway. So there isn't going to be any benefit of printing at a higher DPI. However, if you can save your image at a higher resolution (ex: 3000x4200) that will give you the option to print it at a bigger size later on.

[@anne2309]

@@TechnicallyTrent Thank you, much appreciated, I'm amazed at how easy it actually is to understand dpi when explained clearly, so thanks again for the video 😊

[@saadunn]

Great explanation, thanks a lot!

[@sandrabaldwin7362]

Thanks for the information. In the end I was able to download an App called DPI and it converted my image from Canva into 300dpi. 😀

[@TechnicallyTrent]

Great, just make sure the resolution of your image still meets your requirements.

[@jasminlucero3]

Awesome video this is very helpful! I did have a question. When I download digital images in Canva I have the desired pixels for example 7,200 by 10,800. Does it matter if I download an image at 95 vs 80 quality? Or will it download the same quality for printing wall art? Would you also advise saving my digital art as PDF Print rather than JPG (which is what I have been doing). Thanks.

[@TechnicallyTrent]

Hi @jasminlucero3, thanks for watching! JPEG image quality will affect how the image looks and the file size, even though the resolution will be the same. The lower quality helps the file compress more, but you'll see that the image is a little blurrier (this is because of how the image is compressed). I recommend downloading the highest quality if possible. I'm not sure what benefits there are to saving as a PDF. I think jut saving as a JPG in highest quality is fine. Hope this helps! - Trent

[@estherpatkowski8459]

The best video explaining this topic! thanks. What software would you suggest for upscale pictures and removing background //with a batch option?

[@TechnicallyTrent]

Hi Esther! I bought Topaz AI about a year ago and I still really like it. However, it can be on the pricey side. There are probably more affordable web tools these days, but I haven't done a deep dive recently.

[@estherpatkowski8459]

thanks, I was actually looking at it but couldn't find info about batch upscale and batch background removal...I'll look into this again @@TechnicallyTrent

[@joycelynjaiclifton1195]

Thank you! Your video was the most concise and informative video I’ve seen over the past few days! I’ve been working with some grad images that I’m trying to send in to be printed and they keep getting rejected due to being low quality (resolution) images not at 300 dpi. How and where can I check the dpi to even see if I’ve reached it? I can’t find it anywhere. I created these images in Canva.

[@TechnicallyTrent]

Hi @joycelynjaiclifton1195, glad the video was helpful! To know the DPI, you will need to know how big your image is going to be printed at in inches. You can then find your image's resolution and divide it by the inches. For example, let's say your image will be printed at 20" by 30". If your image is 3000 by 4500 pixels. Your DPI is going to be 150 (because 3000/20 = 150 and 4500/30 = 150). You can also see what is biggest size your image can be printed at to get 300 dpi. So going back to your 3000x4500 pixel image, you can get 300 DPI if it is printed at 10" by 15" (because 3000/300 = 10 and 4500/300 = 15). Hope this helps! Trent

[@joycelynjaiclifton1195]

@@TechnicallyTrent ok thanks, it does! So one last question…Can I simply increase the size of a graphic I’ve already created in Canva, or do I need to go all the way to the beginning and rebuild it from scratch using the larger pixel size? My issue is that the graphic isn’t currently 300 dpi.

[@TechnicallyTrent]

@@joycelynjaiclifton1195 In Canva, you can download the file at a higher resolution (although there is a limit). I believe the "Elements" category in Canva is vectors which scale well. For the other elements that are PNG-based, you'll have to visually observe the downloaded result to see if it meets your quality standard. I think most of the PNG elements are high enough resolution so that when you download your document in Canva's biggest size, they should still look decent.

[@janefelicia2868]

thank you sooo much !! you explained it perfectly :D

[@spacejam242000]

This video is AMAZING, thank you!!!

[@TechnicallyTrent]

Glad you liked it!

[@esparra1014]

Awesome thanks for sharing

[@sroy9789]

Nice video. What happens when we put a canva element in and enlarge it?

[@TechnicallyTrent]

Hi @sroy9789, The items in the Elements menu are vector based, so it seems like they will keep their resolution well no matter their size. When editing, they may look blurry if you make them super big, but I downloaded them and it looked sharp. As for Canva photos, it's hard to know their true resolution. But they seem to be high enough resolution that I don't think it will be a problem.

[@sroy9789]

@@TechnicallyTrent Thanks so much for this help!!

[@terriberry9401]

I was seriously thinking of dumping Canva and going to Kittl until I watched your video. I think I might stay now. So I'm wanting to create png files with transparent backgrounds as digital downloads for things like mugs and tumblers. If I ONLY have the dimension in inches, say 9.75 x 5 and need to know what the pixels are, and if I do the math right, to find the pixels I take 9.75 multiplied by 300 gives me 2925 pixels. Like the old way of checking your math when doing division. Is this right or am I completely off? I feel like I'm hanging on by a thread.

[@TechnicallyTrent]

Hi @terriberry9401, you are correct. To make a 9.75" by 5" print at 300 DPI, you would use an image that is 2925 by 1500 pixels.

[@terriberry9401]

@@TechnicallyTrent thank you tons!

[@marissamorales4519]

This was great information

[@angeladelionado1465]

I've been spending so much time trying to figure out DPI. I'm a Canva users (free version). I am making simple invitations that are 5x7". I will add some graphics to my invitation then sell on Etsy. I got all turned around with this DPI conversation cause I've been told to make sure my images (or final product are 300 DPI). So I've been checking images, then upscaling each and uploading to Canva. It's not sustainable method. There has to be a quicker way. Can I just create my entire invite, then make sure the pixels are 1,500x 2,100? Thanks!!

[@TechnicallyTrent]

Hi Angela, Yup, you can just create a 1500x2100 pixel document and that will be 300 DPI if you print at 5"x7". If you are able to, you can even try making it 3000x4200 pixels...that will allow it to be printed at 300 DPI up to 10"x14" and perhaps get even more customers :)

[@jenkohlenberger1520]

Here's a weird one that I can't figure out. I create a document that is 2550 px by 3300 px so that I get an 8.5 x 11 document that will print at 300dpi. But when I download it from Canva as a PDF Print, the actual resolution of the downloaded document says it's 1946 x 2509....I'M SO CONFUSED. Any ideas?

[@jenkohlenberger1520]

Also, if I download it as a PNG at 2550 x 3300 px, then place it in InDesign on a 8.5 x 11 canvas, it says that the actual ppi is 96 but the effective ppi is 286.... what?

[@TechnicallyTrent]

Hi Jen, thanks for the comment! Unfortunately, I haven't done much research into PDFs yet. They are a bit of a "black box" and I'm not sure what Canva is doing to image resolution when it creates a PDF. I do think you're on the right track of downloading a high-quality PNG and using that in InDesign to build a PDF as opposed to letting Canva create a PDF. Good luck! - Trent

[@Latoya-w5x]

Thank you so much!!!

[@Knowledge-College]

Great video! Does anyone know if KITTL any better or still same problem with figuring out the dpi of each project?

[@TechnicallyTrent]

Hi @Knowledge-College! I haven't used Kittl as much so I am not sure if it does DPI calculations correctly.

[@elizabethg7806]

Kittl does give you the option to print in 300 dpi. Why Canva can't is a mystery.

[@danimotherofchickens479]

What if we alreayd have the png, and can't start from scratch. How do infor example, turn a 115 dpi png into a 300 dpi png?? Whenever I change the color of a png in canva it gives a lower dpi when I save it.

[@TechnicallyTrent]

Hi Dani, how are you creating your document to begin with? If you create a document in Canva by choosing Create Design -> Import File, you should be able to upload your image and keep the image's original resolution (assuming it isn't outside of Canva's limits). If you have an existing document that is smaller than your image and the image is resized (made smaller) to fit in the document, it will be lower resolution when you download. You can try to adjust the "Size" slider when downloading to make it bigger. Remember that DPI is based on the image's resolution, so the goal is to get the highest resolution image possible. Hope this helps!

[@mtm7031]

I am not fan canvas But i love to watch your explanation

[@TechnicallyTrent]

Thanks MTM!

[@KikiRoucoule]

I've solved the dpi issue by going with Kittl for anything to be printed that is not a pdf.

[@Ddaniel.B]

you have to pay for custom sizes on kittl though?

[@sarinazoe8037]

Starting to wrap my head around this, thank you. Ok so if I want to create artwork in Procreate where the possible print size could be A1 poster or A2 poster, are you suggesting it's best to find out the pixel dimensions of A1 and work on a canvas to that pixel size? And then if the same file will be reduced in half to print A2 instead, there shoulnd't be any disruption to the image? Thank you so much in advance for your help

[@TechnicallyTrent]

Hi @sarinazoe8037, yes, I would suggest working in the largest size you want to print at, because it is easier to make the image smaller later if needed. A1 size is approximately 23" by 33.1". So if you want 300 DPI, you can work in 6900 by 9900 pixels in Procreate. However, that may be very big for Procreate and could slow things down and limit the number of layers you have. Hope this helps! Trent

[@sarinazoe8037]

@@TechnicallyTrent Thanks Trent, I so appreciate your time

[@shannonhumphrey1716]

I'll be honest this has mostly gone over my head, But I did watch the video a few times. I'm very green to designing for ptint on demand, which is why I'm using ai generated images that Printify produces. However the most of images fall short of the requisite print sizes either too big or small for it to fit into the print dimensions for products. So I resize them in Canva..where I also tried using their version of an upscaler to improve the resolution quality when I re upload to Printify they 1. Still aren't the right size 🤔 usually too small so I have to increase the size 2. Then the resolution is way off when the image is the correct size It's challenging, Is it anything to do with it being an ai image? Or is that not relevant. Please tell me there's an easier way. Also it doesn't have to be canva if there's something easier😊

[@TechnicallyTrent]

Hi @shannonhumphrey1716, thanks for watching! AI images themselves aren't a problem, it's just that current AI image generators usually produce images that have resolution too low for print-on-demand products. As you mention, you can use an AI upscaler tool. The dimensions of your image may not fit the product exactly, but sometimes that is OK. For example, in a shirt, you don't have to totally fill up the print area exactly if you don't want to. Just make sure that the size is reasonable and Printify is telling you it is high quality. Hope this helps! Trent

[@anneferragamo]

Thank you for valuable info. May I ask you this… if I first set up my Canvas to 4500/5400 300 dpi start to put in either Photoshop or Procreate because I have iPad Air and throw in a bunch of digital images from various places like Canva Kittl Creative Fabrica and my own images . Will I get high res and dpi I want . Please advise.

[@TechnicallyTrent]

Hi @anneferragamo, If your image is 4500x5400 pixels, you will be able to print at 15 inches by 18 inches at 300 DPI (that is because 4500/300 = 15 and 5400/300 = 18). The file resolution will stay the same as you open your file in different programs. Image assets from Creative Fabrica are usually big enough to still look good in documents of this size. Hope this helps!

[@chrissy8764]

I wish I could super like this!🎉

[@velvetbees]

Trent. I do have an question about how to take an upscaled AI generated 72 dpi image to 300 dpi in Photoshop. I am changing the inches in the image, but it's an old process using my old version of Photoshop. Does this sound legit to you? Are they indeed 300 dpi when I am done? Here we go. When I use my chosen online AI generator to which I subscribe, it upscales my images 4x. Then I download it into Photoshop and it reads the former 1024x1024 is now 4096x4096. At that point, I use my older version of Photoshop to change the size. I choose image size and click on it. In that window it reads 56.899 inches by 56.899 inches, and the pixels are 4096x4096. So I uncheck all the boxes that say "resample", "constrain proportions" and "scale styles". The dropdown menu says "bi-cubic (best for smooth gradients). I then remove the 72 dpi and type in 300. And the dimensions have gone from 56.899 by 56.899 inches to 13.653 inches by 13.654 inches. But the dimension size in pixels remains 4096x4096. So the size isn't changed in pixels, but it has changed in inches. I save that window. Then I reopen the window and recheck the "resample", "constrain proportions" and "scale styles". I then make the 13.654 inches in height and width into 12 inches by 12 inches. At that point the pixel dimensions change to 3600x3600. So I believe I have a 300 dpi 12 inch square 3600x3600 image. Is this true?

[@TechnicallyTrent]

Hi @velvetbees, what really matters about your image is the pixel width and height. DPI will depend on how big you intend to print your image. Lots of tools make this complicated because the put "DPI" dropdowns in places where it doesn't make sense. When you download the upscaled image and it is 4096x4096, that means you can print at 300dpi at 13.6"x13.6". That is because 4096/300 = 13.6". As far as I know, Photoshop's current re-size tools are not particularly "smart". That means when you resize an image in Photoshop, it is just repeating pixels (if making it bigger) or removing pixels (if making it smaller). There are a few smarter things it can do, which you mention with the resampling algorithms. But I've never really trusted them to make things bigger. I prefer to use AI upscalers. But it sounds like you're making your image smaller, which is usually pretty safe. So yes, your 3600x3600 image can be printed at 12"x12" for 300dpi. This is because 3600/300 = 12. Hope this helps!

[@mankdurkin]

I've recently started uploading artworks to Displate. They want the images to be around 4000×5600 resolution, and 300dpi. 300dpi in relation to what size print??? 🤔🤔🤔

[@TechnicallyTrent]

Hi @mankdurkin! You are correct....just stating "300dpi" without any size is not too meaningful. I've never used Displate, but I would just go by what their pixel resolution requirements are for the product (ex: 4000x56000 as you say). Hope this helps!

[@tammycook6545]

Are you working in Adobe Illustrator at the beginning of this video?

[@TechnicallyTrent]

Hi Tammy! I'm using Affinity Designer and Affinity Photo in this video for demonstration purposes.

[@tammycook6545]

Thanks! This video explains so much I was getting so frustrated with Canvas because of this and could not figure what was going on! Now I know. I was making a beach towel as one upload to printify and would not work. I then did each image separate and followed your video then I could design in printify with my correct DPI images. What are your recommended design softwares to use other than Canva? I have used Adobe Illustrator, how is Affinity different? Is it better? Do you have paid tutorials or classes you offer? @@TechnicallyTrent

[@lynelabrecque100]

So if I want to print a 6x6 inches image, I have to create a custom 1800x1800 pixels... (6x300) but when I do so, my file ends up à 96dpi.... I don't get it

[@TechnicallyTrent]

Hi Lyne! All that matters is the pixel resolution. If your image is 1800x1800 pixels, you can print 6x6 inches at 300 DPI.

[@lynelabrecque100]

@@TechnicallyTrent Yes that's what I understood after watching your video (many times!) but when I download it in jpg, it's only 96dpi... (in Canva!!) So, even if I start the design in Canva knowing what dimension I want my output to be, when I download it in JPEG, the DPI is uncorrect (checked 2 different ways). And I understand you don't recommend neither to download in PDF Print so what's the solution if we still want to design via Canva?

[@CharlaWiggins-j3o]

Thank you Thank you Thank you So much!

[@shopatwild]

hello, is it a bad idea to use a maxed-out size PNG from Canva on PODs. For example, I maxed out an image size and uploaded it to a Print on Demand. They now have around 1500 DPI. Are you aware of any drawbacks to this

[@TechnicallyTrent]

Hi @shopatwildm thanks for watching! Usually it is fine if images are too big and they need to be reduced in size. The exception is when your image has 1-pixel-wide details. Sometimes they can be lost when shrinking the image because pixels are going to be discarded. If possible, I'd try to export from Canva in the same exact size the POD product requires. But typically if your image is too big, it isn't an issue.

[@Nobodivoice]

So what if the ppi is very small. Does this means that it will look blurry on screens?! We want our designs to look crisp on screens and also good on printing

[@TechnicallyTrent]

You don't have to worry about PPI (pixels per inch) when dealing with digital images. A long time ago people tried to make PPI a thing, but it just doesn't matter for images. Your file's resolution (width and height in pixels) is what matters.

[@Nobodivoice]

@@TechnicallyTrent thank you

[@JessiTheBestiGaming]

When I create my own art in procreate, typically 11x14, the file size is from 18-52mb. For the same size in midjourney and canva, that same size is usually 1mb... sometimes less. That's crap. That's 2005 Web image size Midjourney and canva should not have less than 300dpi for every single thing downloaded or created for members who pay for the service every month. Those programs are not cheap to subscribe to, and then people have to pay another subscription fee to upscale the images. It's giving greedy

[@TechnicallyTrent]

Hi Nikki! Yes, 11x14 at 300 DPI could seem low quality in certain situations. That will be 3300x4200 pixels. Something you try is create your Procreate doc using pixels. For example, you could do 6600x8400. Just keep in mind that you won't be able to use as many layers when your image is bigger. Good luck!

[@JessiTheBestiGaming]

@@TechnicallyTrent you can "upscale" the picture in Adobe. Midjourney images are 72dpi out the box. I have gotten a few 96 dpi. What this means is the lines will be fuzzy instead of crisp and clean. Super small detail looks bad. I make my art typically at 350dpi so I can scale it up a little if I want to.

[@OG-ux8sf]

I use my editor on my laptop to resize my images.

[@TechnicallyTrent]

Hi @OG-ux8sf, yes, you can use programs on your laptop to resize images. But just be careful making them too big, because that can introduce pixelization. However, some modern programs use AI that can intelligently make images bigger (like Topaz AI).

[@phkoon]

Thank you, uncle

[@TechnicallyTrent]

No problem!

[@solovely7621]

Hey 😊 Would You So Happen To Know If Clipart Can Be Used Using This Method ?

[@TechnicallyTrent]

Hi @solovely7621, I'm not sure exactly which method you are referring to. But as long as your clip art is high resolution, it should look good in a Canva composition!

[@israrmirza9546]

I am creating desktop banner of size 1240× 380 resolution is very low even in png .if i increase the ong size will it affect my size after saving or will it just increase the resolution

[@TechnicallyTrent]

Hi @israrmirza9546m, thanks for the suggestion! If you increase the resolution of your PNG, the file size will become bigger, too. The increase in file size will depend on how "complex" your image is. Some images with lots of open space compress better. I recommend changing the size of your image, saving, and then seeing if the file size is acceptable. Another option is to use JPEG. With JPEG, can increase the resolution of your image, but also change the compression ("quality") level. I find that a quality level of 95% still looks good and can compress the file better. You can experiment with different quality levels and see what looks best. Hope this helps! Trent

[@kjohnson8081]

How do we do this for gang sheets with different images. 😊

[@TechnicallyTrent]

Hi KJohnson...I haven't used Canva to make gang sheets. But basically, the resolution of each image would be a fraction of the overall resolution. For example, if your sheet is 1200px X 1000px (width, height) and your have 3 columns and 2 rows, then you could cut up your images at 400x500 px (assuming they are tightly packed). Hope this helps!

[@annemarie2437]

So if I want my canvas size to be 5000 x 5000 in canva that will give me a 300 dpi and good enough quality for pod?

[@TechnicallyTrent]

Hi AnneMarie, 5000x5000 will probably be good enough for most POD. With those dimensions, you can achieve 300 DPI printing about as big as 17 inches (because 5000/300 = 16.6). I believe that covers most things like Tshirts. If you use Printify, the editor will also tell you what DPI you're achieving. Hope this helps!

[@annemarie2437]

@@TechnicallyTrent thanks so much!

[@SteveInQLD007]

So how do you save a file as a PDF with a transparent background?

[@TechnicallyTrent]

Hi @bogglesmymind , I looked at the PDF settings in Canva and I could not find a way to make it transparent. If there is a way, I don't know it. If you are OK with a PNG, you have the option to make that transparent when downloading it. Hope this helps!

[@TakeoGamingYT]

❤🤓🤓