Where to find your starred templates in Canva
Your starred templates appear in a dedicated section on Canva's home screen, separate from the general template library. When you open Canva and log in, look at the left sidebar — you'll see "Starred" listed under your workspace options, usually near the top. Click it, and Canva shows only the templates you've marked with a star. This is faster than scrolling through thousands of templates every time you want to reuse a design you liked.
If you're on the mobile app, the starred section works the same way. Tap the menu icon (three horizontal lines), scroll down, and select "Starred" to see your collection. The starred templates sync across devices, so a template you star on your phone appears in the starred section on your computer.
Key Takeaways
- Starred templates live in a dedicated section on Canva's home screen, accessible from the left sidebar on desktop or the menu on mobile.
- You star a template by clicking the star icon while viewing it — the star fills in when saved, and you can unstar it the same way.
- Starred templates sync across all your devices, so you can start a design on your phone and finish it on your computer.
- Organizing starred templates by category (social media, print, presentations) helps you find the right one quickly when you have multiple saved.
How to star a template while browsing
When you're looking at a template in Canva's library, an empty star icon appears in the top right corner of the template preview. Click that star, and it fills in solid — that's your signal the template is now starred. You don't need to open the template or create a design from it first. Starring happens when ready, and the template moves to your starred collection right away.
You can star templates from any category: social media posts, flyers, presentations, business cards, or anything else Canva offers. The star works the same way no matter what type of design you're saving. If you change your mind later, click the filled star again to unstar it, and the template disappears from your starred section.
Starring templates you've already customized
If you've already created a design from a template and want to save that specific version for later, you're actually saving the design itself, not the original template. In Canva, these are two different things. When you finish editing a design, click "Save" at the top of the editor, give it a name, and Canva stores it in your "Designs" section — not in starred templates.
Your custom designs appear in the "Designs" tab on your home screen, separate from the template library. This is useful because it keeps your finished work organized differently from the starting templates. If you want to use that design again, you find it in "Designs" rather than "Starred," and you can edit it without affecting the original template.
Using starred templates to speed up repeated designs
Starred templates are most useful when you make similar designs regularly — weekly social media posts, monthly newsletters, or a series of matching flyers. By starring a template you like, you avoid hunting through the library each time. Open Canva, click "Starred," pick the template, and start editing. Each time you use it, Canva treats it as a new design, so your changes don't overwrite the template.
You can star multiple versions of the same design type. For example, star three different Instagram post templates if you like different layouts. When you need to post, you pick whichever style fits that week's content. This approach saves time compared to searching the full library or trying to remember which template you used last month.
Managing a large starred collection
If you star many templates, your starred section can become cluttered. Canva doesn't have built-in folders within the starred section, so organization relies on you remembering what each template is for. One practical approach is to unstar templates you haven't used in several months — you can always star them again if you need them later. The template library isn't going anywhere.
Another strategy is to keep only your most-used templates starred and search the full library for one-off designs. This keeps your starred section lean and focused on the templates you actually return to. You might star five go-to social media templates but search the library when you need something unusual like a certificate or event ticket.
Starred templates across Canva Teams and shared workspaces
If you use Canva Teams (the paid collaboration version), starred templates are personal to your account, not shared with your team. Your teammates see their own starred sections. However, if your team has created custom brand templates or saved designs in a shared folder, those appear in a team library that everyone can access — that's different from the personal starring feature.
For team projects, you might want to communicate which templates work best for your brand so everyone uses consistent designs. But the starring feature itself is just for you, keeping your personal workflow organized.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I star a template without opening it?
Yes. The star icon appears on the template preview in the library. Click it, and the template is starred when ready. You don't need to click into the template or create a design from it first.
Do starred templates change if Canva updates them?
No. Starred templates are snapshots of the template as it was when you starred it. If Canva redesigns a template later, your starred version stays the same. You'll see the updated version if you search the library again, but your starred copy doesn't change.
What happens if I star the same template twice?
You can't. Once a template is starred, clicking the star again unstars it. Canva doesn't create duplicates in your starred section — each template appears only once, no matter how many times you click the star.
Can I move starred templates into folders?
Canva's free version doesn't offer folders within the starred section. Your starred templates all appear in one list. If you need more organization, consider using Canva Teams, which has more advanced workspace features, or straightforward unstar templates you're not using regularly.
Do I lose starred templates if I delete my Canva account?
Yes. Starred templates are tied to your account. If you delete your account, your starred collection disappears. If you want to keep a record of templates you like, take screenshots or note the template names before closing your account.