What Is Stored in the Cloud vs Locally
Before reinstalling, understand that almost everything important is in your Canva cloud account — not on your computer:
☁ Stored in your Canva cloud account
All designs and templates · Canva Docs and pages · Shared team projects · Uploaded photos, videos, logos · Custom fonts · Brand Kit colors and settings · Design history and versions · Shared links · Saved folders and collections
💻 Stored locally on your device
App installation files (~400 MB) · Cache of recently opened designs (for offline access) · Login session token · App preferences and display settings
How to Back Up Your Designs (Optional)
Your designs are already backed up in the cloud, but if you want a local backup of critical files before reinstalling:
Download individual critical designs
Open each important design → click Share (top right) → Download → choose PNG or PDF. This saves a local copy to your Downloads folder. This is only necessary for designs you cannot afford to lose for any reason.
Export all designs at once
In Canva, go to your account avatar → Account settings → scroll to Download all your data → click Request data export. Canva emails you a download link within 24 hours containing all your designs in a ZIP archive.
Complete Reinstall — Step by Step
Note your Canva login credentials
Make sure you know your email address and password (or which social login you use — Google or Apple). If you use Google/Apple login, just remember which email that account uses. You will need this to log back in after reinstalling.
Uninstall Canva via Windows Settings
Windows: Settings → Apps → Installed apps → search "Canva" → click ··· → Uninstall → confirm.
Mac: drag Canva.app from Applications to Trash, then empty Trash.
Delete leftover app data folders
Windows — delete these two folders:
%LOCALAPPDATA%\Programs\Canva — app installation files
%APPDATA%\Canva — cache and session data
Mac — delete: ~/Library/Application Support/Canva
Press Win+R, paste each path, press Enter, then delete the folder. These contain no designs — only app data that will be safely recreated on next launch.
Restart your computer
A restart clears any remaining locked files and gives Windows a clean state for the new installation. Skip this step only if you are in a hurry — it is strongly recommended.
Download and install a fresh Canva
Download the latest installer from canva.com/download/windows (Windows) or canva.com/download/mac (Mac). Run it — installation takes about 60 seconds.
Log back in — all your data is here
Sign in with the same email/Google/Apple account you used before. Within seconds, all your designs, vault uploads, Brand Kit, Canva Docs and folders load from the cloud. Nothing is missing. You are back to exactly where you were.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will I lose my Canva designs if I reinstall?
No. All your designs, templates, shared projects and account settings are stored in Canva's cloud servers — not on your local computer. Uninstalling and reinstalling Canva only removes the app files. Log back in after reinstalling and everything will be exactly as you left it.
What local data does Canva store on my computer?
Canva stores only three types of data locally: 1) The app installation files in %LOCALAPPDATA%\Programs\Canva, 2) A cache of recently viewed designs in %APPDATA%\Canva\Cache for offline access, and 3) Login session tokens in %APPDATA%\Canva. None of these contain your actual designs — those live in your cloud account.
How do I back up my Canva designs before reinstalling?
Your designs are automatically backed up in your Canva cloud account. For extra safety, download critical designs as PDF or PNG before reinstalling: open each design → Share → Download → choose format. You can also use Canva's bulk download feature in your account settings to export all designs at once.
Does reinstalling Canva delete my uploaded photos and assets?
No. Uploaded photos, videos, logos and custom fonts stored in your Canva vault are part of your cloud account. Reinstalling the desktop app does not delete or affect your vault assets in any way.
How do I keep Canva notes when reinstalling?
Canva does not have a separate "Notes" app. If you mean designs used as notes or Canva Docs, these are all stored in your cloud account and are completely unaffected by reinstalling the desktop app. Simply log back in after reinstalling and all your documents are there.