Quick start

The Canva Connect API has resource-oriented URLs, accepts requests with parameters, and returns JSON responses with standard HTTP response codes.

By default, the Canva Connect API endpoint URL paths have the following format:

https://api.canva.com/rest/<version>/<path>/<endpoint>

For example, the URL path for the endpoint used to generate an access token is:

https://api.canva.com/rest/v1/oauth/token

To use Canva Connect API:

Step 1: Install Curl

To check if curl is installed on your machine, run the following command in your terminal:

curl --version

If you get information about the version, curl is installed. Otherwise, download and install curl. The installation steps depend on your machine.

Step 2: Authenticate

Canva Connect API authentication is based on OAuth. An OAuth access token authenticates your integration to use the API endpoints on a user's behalf. You need to add the access token as a header to every API request. Follow the steps below to get the access token:

1. Get the authorization code by visiting the /authorize endpoint through a browser.

2. Use the authorization code and generate an access token using the /token endpoint.

Step 3: Make requests

Once you are authenticated to use Canva Connect API, you can make API requests.

The example below shows how you can create a folder, and upload an asset to the folder using the Canva Connect API.

Task 1: Find the HTTP method and path for your operation

Go through the API Reference section and find the HTTP method and the path of the endpoint you wish to use.

HTTP method and path for creating a folder

To create a folder you need the following HTTP method and URL path:

HTTP Method: POST

URL Path: https://api.canva.com/rest/v1/folders

HTTP method and path for uploading an asset

Similarly, to upload an asset you need the following HTTP method and URL path:

HTTP Method: POST

URL Path: https://api.canva.com/rest/v1/assets/upload

Task 2: Find the request parameters for your operation

The API Reference section also specifies the request parameters required for your operation.

Request parameters for creating a folder

To create a folder you need the following header and body parameters:

Header parameters

Authorization: Bearer {token}

Content-Type: application/json

Body parameters

Request parameters for uploading an asset to a folder

Similarly, to upload an asset you need the following header and body parameters:

Header parameters

Authorization: Bearer {token}

Content-Type: application/json

Upload-Metadata: {Upload Metadata}

Upload-Metadata

Body parameter

The binary blob of the uploaded file. Can be attached to curl using --data-binary "@filepath".

Task 3: Create the curl request using the HTTP method, path, and request parameters

Once you know the HTTP method, path, and request parameters, you can create the curl request.

Curl request for creating a folder

For example, let your access token be eyJraWQiOiI3MjUxMzM0ZS1hNTUzL.

The CURL request for creating a folder named Team (in the root directory) becomes:

curl --request POST 'https://api.canva.com/rest/v1/folders' \
--header 'Content-Type: application/json' \
--header 'Authorization: Bearer eyJraWQiOiI3MjUxMzM0ZS1hNTUzL' \
--data '{
    "name": "Team",
    "parent_folder_id": "root"
}'

The success response looks like the following:

{
  "folder": {
    "id": "FvqYUvJO28i",
    "name": "Team",
    "created_at": 1672514508,
    "updated_at": 1675318908
  }
}

Curl request for uploading an asset to a folder

The CURL request for uploading an asset (an image named John Doe) to the Team folder (with folder id: FvqYUvJO28i) is:

curl --request POST 'https://api.canva.com/rest/v1/assets/upload' \
--header 'content-type: application/octet-stream' \
--header 'Upload-Metadata: {
"name":"John Doe",
"tags":"manager",
"parent_folder_id":"FvqYUvJO28i"
}' \
--header 'Authorization: Bearer eyJraWQiOiI3MjUxMzM0ZS1hNTUzL' \
--data '@/Users/username/folder-location/johndoe.png'

The success response looks like the following:

{
  "asset": {
    "id": "QvqYUvJO28i",
    "name": "John Doe",
    "tags": ["manager"],
    "parent_folder_id": "FvqYUvJO28i",
    "import_status": {
      "state": "IN_PROGRESS"
    },
    "created_at": 1672514508,
    "updated_at": 1675318908
  }
}