Import designs from Canva

Goal

Connect Canva, unfurl shared design links in Slack, import designs into your brand library, export validated image assets, and attach designs to drafts. This workflow keeps creative ownership in Canva while Slash Social stores brand-scoped media your team can reuse in Create.

Canva integration is personal for the Slack user who connects, and imported assets are brand-scoped. That split lets each teammate authorize Canva once while library assets remain available to the brand after import.

When to use this

Use this workflow when creative lives in Canva and you want brand-scoped library assets or draft media without downloading files manually. It is especially useful when designers share Canva links in Slack and creators need a one-click import into the active brand.

Use Media Management when you are organizing library assets that are already imported. Use Create and schedule a post when the media is already attached and you are finishing caption, accounts, and timing. Use Link a Slack Canvas to knowledge when the source is a Slack canvas rather than a Canva design.

If your plan does not include Canva connection features, Slash Social surfaces a clear upgrade or reconnect path instead of a silent failure.

Before you begin

Confirm you have:

• Access to the Create work center and media library for the active brand.
• A Canva account you can authorize with Slash Social.
• Permission to import or attach media for the brand.
• Enough media quota on your plan for exports you intend to store.

Also confirm the Slack channel where you share Canva links allows Slash Social unfurls. Private channels must include the Slash Social app before link cards appear.

Steps

Connect Canva

1. Open My connections (or the Canva connect entry from Settings or Create).
2. Start Canva OAuth. Slash Social uses secure OAuth with PKCE, validates required scopes, and stores one personal Canva connection after approval.
3. If a shared Canva link asks you to reconnect, complete OAuth again from the recovery action on the unfurl card.
4. Return to Create or the channel where the design link was shared after the connection succeeds.

Only one personal Canva connection is kept per Slack user. Reconnecting replaces the previous token set and clears stale auth recovery banners.

Import from a shared link

1. Paste or share a Canva design link in a Slack channel where Slash Social can unfurl.
2. Wait for the unfurl card. It shows import actions when you are connected, or reconnect recovery when auth is missing or expired.
3. Choose Import when you are authorized for the brand. Slash Social creates one brand-scoped external design asset.
4. Duplicate imports for the same design and brand are blocked with clear feedback so the library does not fill with copies.

If you lack brand permission, the card shows visible feedback instead of creating an asset. Switch to a brand you can manage or ask an admin to grant media import permission.

Export and attach

1. Choose Export on an imported design to poll Canva, validate image bytes, and store the asset in the brand library. Plan quotas and image validation apply.
2. Choose Attach to create a draft media reference from the imported or exported design.
3. Open Create to finish caption, accounts, and scheduling for the draft that references the design.
4. If export fails, quota blocks the action, or Canva returns an error, use the visible recovery path, reconnect Canva, or retry after the failure clears.

Exports that succeed appear in media library surfaces for the brand. Attachments that succeed leave a draft you can open from Create without re-importing the design.

Success criteria

You have finished the relevant branch when:

• Your Canva connection appears under My connections without a reconnect banner.
• Shared Canva links unfurl with import or reconnect actions in channels where Slash Social is present.
• Imported designs appear once in the brand media library.
• Exported assets pass validation and remain available for Create.
• Attach creates a draft reference you can open from Create, or denied users see a clear permission message.

Troubleshooting

Unfurl shows reconnect instead of import

Complete Canva OAuth from the recovery action. Confirm the connection succeeds under My connections, then re-share or refresh the link card.

Import is blocked

Confirm you have permission for the active brand and that the design was not already imported. Switch brands in App Home if the library you expect belongs to a different brand.

Export fails or times out

Retry after Canva finishes processing the design. If quota is exhausted, free media space or upgrade the plan. See Retry a failed generation when a related draft generation also failed.

Attach does nothing visible

Confirm the design finished export when the flow requires stored image bytes. Reopen Create and look for a new draft. If permission was denied, the unfurl should show an error you can act on.

Media required errors in Create

The draft may still need a finished export. Complete Export, then reopen the draft. See Media required.

Wrong brand library

Switch the active brand in App Home before importing. Imports always land in the brand context active for the actor.

Related docs

• Create media management
• Create and schedule a post
• Media assets and library
• Media required