You can export a Canva design directly to PlatoForms with the PlatoForms Canva app. After exporting the design, choose PDF Fillable Form or Web PDF Form, then use AI field recognition to create a first draft of the form fields for review.
Choose PDF Fillable Form when you want the original Canva design to remain visible behind the fields. Choose Web PDF Form when you want a mobile-friendly web form that places submitted answers into a completed PDF.
On this page
What you need
- A Canva account
- A paid PlatoForms plan
- A Canva design with a form layout
Canva Pro is not required. Some optional PDF export settings in Canva require Canva Pro, but they are not needed for this conversion.
Install the PlatoForms app in Canva
Open any Canva design, click Apps in the left toolbar, and search for PlatoForms. Install the app, click Connect, and authorize PlatoForms when prompted.
Export the Canva design
Open the design you want to convert. In the PlatoForms panel, click the export icon in the top right.
Then click Export and convert design.
Review the PDF export settings and click Export. The default settings work for most cases.
Options with a crown icon, such as Compress PDF, require Canva Pro. They are not required for this conversion.
When processing is complete, click Open form, then click Continue.
Choose a form type
Choose between two form types:
PDF Fillable Form uses your exported Canva design as the form background, with interactive fields layered on top. Choose it when preserving the visual layout matters.
Web PDF Form rebuilds the design as a mobile-friendly web form and lets you reorder fields more freely. After submission, PlatoForms places the answers into a completed PDF.
Choose the option that matches how people will fill out the form. Use PDF Fillable Form when preserving the design matters most. Use Web PDF Form when the web filling experience matters more.
Run AI field recognition
Once the form opens in the PlatoForms form builder, you will see an AI-Powered form recognition banner at the top. Click Start Now.
AI field recognition detects common form fields, such as text boxes, checkboxes, dates, and signature fields. When the scan is done, click Load Form to add the detected fields to the PlatoForms form builder.
Watch the complete process:
Review and test the form
Field recognition gives you a starting point, not a finished form. Before publishing:
- Check every detected field.
- Correct the field type, name, size, and position when needed.
- Confirm required fields and signature fields.
- Preview the form on desktop and mobile.
- Complete a test submission and check the generated PDF.
For the latest button-by-button instructions, see the Canva integration guide.
Configure the form after conversion
After the form opens in PlatoForms, you can add the features your process requires:
- Conditional logic — show or hide fields based on what someone selects
- Submission management — view and manage submitted responses in your dashboard
- Signature certificates — add signing details and a checksum for the submitted PDF
- Payments via Stripe — collect a deposit or fee when someone submits the form
For team use cases, workflow planning, and a pre-launch checklist, read Canva to Online Form: A No-Code Workflow for Teams.
Embed a PlatoForms form in Canva
This guide explains how to export a Canva design to PlatoForms. To do the reverse and place an existing PlatoForms form in Canva, see Embed Forms With a Simple Copy-Paste URL.
