Canva
- Your data trains their AI unless you switch it off in settings.
- Your data is used for personalized ads, including by third-party ad companies.
- Data is shared with partners and affiliates; you can opt out.
- Staff may review your content; the policy does not describe an opt-out.
Canva trains AI on your designs unless you turn it off, uses ads and third-party data.
Agent Trust Hub uses AI and may make mistakes. Review reports and confirm their contents before relying on them.
Collected
Account info, your designs and uploads, usage, cookies, device IDs, location, and data from other companies.
Read the exact line
Privacy policy
“We may ask for certain information when you register for a Canva account or interact with us (such as a username, your first and last names, birthdate, phone number, profession, physical and e-mail address).”
Training
They run the product, personalize it, show ads, and train AI on your activity unless you turn that off.
Read the exact line
Privacy policy
“We may analyze your activity, content, media uploads and related data in your account to provide and customize the Service, including generating and storing that data as Memories, and to train our algorithms, models and AI products”
Sharing
Vendors, affiliates, ad networks, and sometimes your employer or anyone you share a design with.
Read the exact line
Privacy policy
“We share your information with Canva affiliates and third-party service providers for the purpose of providing the Service to you, to facilitate Canva’s or if you consent.”
Kept
After you leave they keep profile info and content for a commercially reasonable time, including backups.
Read the exact line
Privacy policy
“Following termination or deactivation of your user account, Canva will retain your profile information and User Content for a commercially reasonable time, and for as long as we have a valid purpose to do so.”
Controls
You can turn off AI training and Memories in settings and opt out of some ads and marketing.
Read the exact line
Privacy policy
“You can manage the use of your data for training AI to improve our Service in the privacy controls page under your privacy settings.”
Fine print
Paid plans auto-renew; you them.
No exact line could be verified.
Expand “Read the exact line” to see the source alongside the explanation.
What you can turn off
The controls and opt-outs their own documents describe, and where they say to find them.
Turn off AI training
Privacy controls page under your privacy settings
Manage Memories
AI personalization settings
Opt out of sale/sharing and LiveRamp matching
“Do not sell or share my personal information” banner, LiveRamp opt-out link, or contact them
Cancel subscription before renewal
Account settings; they notify before auto-renewal
If a switch is not where they say, the deletion request above still applies.
Line by line
The lines that matter most, worst first.
Your designs, uploads, and how you use Canva can be used to train their AI unless you change the setting.
Read the exact line
Privacy policy
“We may analyze your activity, content, media uploads and related data in your account to provide and customize the Service, including generating and storing that data as Memories, and to train our algorithms, models and AI products and services using machine learning”
For example, a photo you upload for a poster could be used to improve background-removal tools.
You cannot sue them in a regular court with a group of other users.
Read the exact line
Terms of service
“You agree that, by entering into this agreement, you and Canva are each waiving the right to a trial by jury or to participate in a .”
For example, if many people lost designs in an outage, you could not join a .
Ad companies can get your email, location, and usage so they can show you ads on Canva and elsewhere.
Read the exact line
Privacy policy
“Canva may share certain information with our third party advertising partners, such as your email address, location, cookie information and information relating to your use of our Service”
For example, Facebook or Google might match your email and show Canva ads on other sites.
If your content or how you use Canva causes a lawsuit, you may have to pay their legal bills.
Read the exact line
Terms of service
“You agree, to the extent permitted by law, to and Canva and its affiliates, officers, directors, agents, licensors and employees from and against any and all claims”
For example, if you upload a copyrighted photo and someone sues Canva, you could owe their costs.
They can collect exact or rough location from you, your IP, partners, or payments.
Read the exact line
Privacy policy
“Canva may collect your precise or approximate location:- from you, when you provide, correct or confirm your location (e.g., when you purchase products from us);- by inferring your location from your IP address; and- from our partners or your payment provider.”
For example, buying prints could give them a street address used for ads and tax.
People at Canva may look at your designs, not only when you ask for help.
Read the exact line
Privacy policy
“For troubleshooting, error resolution and service improvement: We may need to review your designs to support your request for help, correct general errors with the Canva Service or improve our services.”
For example, a support or product person might open a private slide deck to fix a bug.
Subscriptions keep charging until the period ends, and money already paid is usually not refunded.
Read the exact line
Terms of service
“If you cancel your subscription and/or Add-Ons, your subscription and/or Add-Ons will be cancelled at the end of your then-current billing cycle and you will not be entitled to a refund of any fees already paid (except where required by law)”
For example, cancelling a yearly plan after a week typically does not get you most of the year back.
They can delete content or close your account right away if they think you broke the rules.
Read the exact line
Terms of service
“If Canva, in its reasonable discretion, determines that you or your use of the Service, your User Content, or your Designs violate these Terms, including but not limited to, Canva’s Acceptable Use Policy”
For example, a design they flag as against policy could get your whole account deleted.
You still own your files, but they get a license to store and use them to run Canva.
Read the exact line
Terms of service
“As between you and Canva, you own all right, title and interest in and to your User Content. You grant Canva a and license to display, host, copy, store and use your User Content to provide the Service to you”
For example, they can copy your logo file onto their servers so you can edit it later.
Canva can store lasting AI memories about you, and there is a settings page to manage them.
Read the exact line
Privacy policy
“You can manage your Memories in your AI personalization settings”
For example, it might remember your brand colors until you change or clear Memories.
Big privacy changes should come with a website or email notice.
Read the exact line
Privacy policy
“If we make any material changes to the way we collect, use, store and/or share your personal information, we will notify you on our website or by sending an email to the email address associated with your Canva account.”
For example, if they start using chats for a new purpose, they say they will email you.
Words to know
Legal words from the lines above, in plain English.
- affiliates
- Other companies owned by or connected to the same parent company. For example, if you use one app, its sister apps under the same owner may also get your data.
- third parties
- Any company or person other than you and the app, such as advertisers, partners or analytics firms. For example, an analytics company that receives a record of every screen you tap is a third party.
- service providers
- Outside companies that handle your data on the app's instructions, such as a cloud host or an email sender. For example, the company that stores the app's files in the cloud sees your data but only does what the app tells it.
- legitimate interest
- A legal reason that lets a company use your data without asking, when it decides its own need outweighs your privacy. For example, an app may analyse how you use it to improve the product, without ever asking you.
- consent
- Your clear agreement to something, given by an action like ticking a box or tapping Accept. For example, a pop-up asking if the app may use your location is asking for consent.
- retention
- How long a company keeps your data before deleting it. For example, a policy might keep your messages for 30 days after you delete them, or for as long as it likes.
- class action waiver
- You agree not to join with other users in one lawsuit; each person must complain alone. For example, if a bug overcharges a million people, you cannot all sue together for a refund.
- cookies
- Small files a website saves on your device so it can recognise you and remember what you did. For example, a cookie keeps you logged in and can also tell an ad company which sites you visited.
- indemnify
- You promise to pay the company's legal costs and losses if your use of the service gets it sued. For example, if you post a song you do not own and the label sues the app, you owe the app's lawyer bills.
- royalty-free
- The company can use your content without ever paying you for it. For example, your photo can appear in the app's ads and you get nothing.
- sublicensable
- The company can pass its rights over your content on to other companies without asking you. For example, an app can let an advertiser or a partner reuse your video under the licence you gave.
- personal data
- Any information that is about you or can be linked to you, from your name to your phone's ID. For example, your email, your IP address and the list of apps on your phone are all personal data.
How we got here · grade C · score 43/100 · 15 of 15 policy answers backed by a verified quote · 1 not stated
What does the app collect beyond what it needs to work?
They collect account details, uploads, usage, cookies, device and advertising IDs, location, and extra profile data from third parties.
Does it record your voice, face or body, and what happens to that?
Not stated in the documents.
Are your chats and uploads used to train AI models, and is that off by default?
They train AI on activity and content, and you can turn that off in privacy settings.
Can employees or contractors read your conversations, and when?
Staff may review designs for help, errors, service improvement, and safety, with no review opt-out described.
Are you profiled or tracked for advertising?
They partner with ad networks and social platforms and share email, location, cookies, and usage for personalized ads.
Do they sell or share your data, and can you opt out?
They share with vendors and ad partners and offer a U.S. opt-out of sale or sharing for ads.
What rights do they take over what you type and what the AI makes?
You own your uploads; they take a royalty-free sublicensable license to host and use them to run the service, perpetual if a design is shared.
How long do they keep your data after you delete it, and can you delete it in the app?
After you close an account they keep data for a commercially reasonable time; deletion and access requests go through contacting them.
Does it build a lasting memory or profile of you, and can you see, edit or turn it off?
They store Memories from your activity and say you can manage them in AI personalization settings.
Do they commit to basic security, and have they leaked data?
They describe reasonable security steps and point to a Trust Center, but do not guarantee no breaches.
Is there a real age gate, and are teens protected?
The main service is not for children under 13; kids may use Canva Education under a school. There is no extra age-check described for regular sign-up.
Will they tell you when the rules change, and is the policy specific?
The policies are dated. Material privacy changes get website or email notice; terms get reasonable advance notice for material adverse changes.
Can they close your account without warning, and can you get your data out first?
They may suspend or terminate and delete an account immediately for policy violations; you can export first unless terminated for a violation.
If something goes wrong, who pays?
The service is as-is, liability is capped at $100 or a year of fees, and you must indemnify them for your content and rule-breaking.
Do subscriptions renew on their own, and can you get a refund?
Paid plans auto-renew; they say they will notify you before renewal. Cancel anytime, but prepaid fees are generally not refunded.
The privacy policy is 9,745 words at a professional or legal expert level (Flesch reading ease 14); the terms are 7,426 words at a college level.
