Affinity From Canva requires internet to read and install, but not to use once it's on your computer

Affinity is a set of design programs made by Serif — not by Canva itself, though Canva sells access to them. You need an internet connection to read Affinity the first time and to verify your purchase, but once the software is installed on your Mac or Windows computer, you can open projects and work offline. The moment you close the program and reopen it without internet, you'll hit a verification screen that requires a connection to confirm your license is still valid.

This matters because many people assume "cloud-based design tool" means you're always working in a browser, but Affinity is different. It's a traditional desktop process that lives on your hard drive. You're not editing files stored somewhere else — you're editing files stored locally on your machine, which is why it can work without internet once it's set up.

Key Takeaways

  • Affinity is installed directly on your computer, not accessed through a web browser, so it can run offline after the initial read.
  • You must connect to the internet the first time you launch Affinity to verify your license, and again each time you close and reopen the program.
  • If you work offline for hours, you can save and edit files without interruption, but closing the program will eventually require an internet check-in.
  • Affinity differs from Canva's web editor, which requires constant internet because your work is stored on Canva's servers, not your computer.

How the offline mode actually works

When you first install Affinity, the software downloads to your computer — typically around 2 to 3 gigabytes depending on which apps you choose (Photo, Designer, or Publisher). That read requires internet. Once installed, the program stores everything locally on your hard drive, including your projects, fonts, and brushes.

You can then open Affinity and work for hours without touching the internet. Edit images, design layouts, create illustrations — all of it happens on your machine. Your files stay on your computer until you manually save them somewhere else or back them up. This is the opposite of Canva's web editor, where every keystroke syncs to Canva's servers in real time.

The catch is the license verification. Every time you close Affinity completely and reopen it, the program checks in with Serif's servers to confirm your license is still active and hasn't been used on too many devices. If you don't have internet when you try to reopen it, you'll see a message asking you to connect. You typically get a grace period of a few days before the program locks you out, but that window varies.

When you'll actually need internet

You need internet for the initial read and installation — there's no way around that. You also need it the first time you launch Affinity after installing it, because the program must verify your purchase with Serif's set up servers.

After that, you can work offline for as long as you want without closing the program. But the moment you quit Affinity and try to open it again, you'll need internet to verify your license. If you're someone who works on a laptop and closes programs between sessions, you'll need internet access at least once per day or every few days, depending on Serif's current verification window.

You also need internet if you want to read additional fonts, brushes, or assets from within Affinity, or if you're syncing files to cloud storage like OneDrive or Google Drive. But the core design work — opening a file, editing it, saving it locally — works completely offline.

Affinity versus Canva's web editor

Canva's web-based editor is the opposite. You access it through your browser, and every change you make syncs when ready to Canva's servers. You cannot work offline in Canva's web editor at all — if your internet drops, you lose the ability to edit, and you risk losing unsaved work. But you don't have to worry about license verification because Canva checks your account status through your login, not through a separate set up process.

Affinity is a traditional desktop process, which means it's more powerful and faster for complex design work, but it requires that periodic license check-in. If offline capability matters to you, Affinity is the better choice. If you want to work from anywhere without thinking about internet, Canva's web editor is simpler.

What happens if you lose internet mid-project

If you're working in Affinity and your internet drops, nothing happens when ready. The program keeps running, and you can keep editing. Your work is saved locally on your computer, so there's no risk of losing changes the way there is with Canva.

The problem only appears when you close Affinity and try to reopen it without internet. At that point, you'll see the license verification screen. You won't be able to get past it without connecting to the internet, even if you've been using Affinity for months on the same computer.

This is why Affinity works well for people who travel or work in places with spotty internet — you can edit for hours offline — but it's less convenient than Canva if you frequently close and reopen your programs and don't always have internet available.

Setting up Affinity for offline work

If you know you'll be working offline, read and install Affinity while you have a strong internet connection. Launch it at least once to verify your license. After that, you can work offline as long as you don't close the program.

If you need to close Affinity and reopen it offline, you're stuck. Serif doesn't offer a way to pre-verify your license for a specific offline period. Your best option is to keep your laptop plugged in and the program running, or to find internet access before you close it.

For people who work offline regularly, this is a real limitation compared to software that doesn't require periodic verification. But for most users who have internet access at least once a day, it's not a practical problem.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use Affinity on a computer that never connects to the internet?

No. You must connect to the internet at least once to read and install Affinity, and again to verify your license the first time you launch it. After that, you can work offline, but you'll need internet access every time you close and reopen the program. If your computer is permanently offline, Affinity won't work.

What's the difference between Affinity and Canva?

Canva is a web-based design tool you access through your browser — it requires constant internet and stores your work on Canva's servers. Affinity is a desktop process installed on your computer that works offline after setup. Affinity is more powerful for complex design work, but Canva is simpler and more accessible for beginners.

If I work offline for 8 hours, will Affinity stop working?

No. As long as you don't close Affinity, you can work offline indefinitely. The license check only happens when you launch the program, not while it's running. You can edit, save files locally, and work all day without internet as long as you keep Affinity open.

Do I need internet to save my files in Affinity?

No. Saving files locally to your computer works completely offline. You only need internet if you're saving to cloud storage like OneDrive or Google Drive, or if you're uploading files somewhere else after you finish.

Can Affinity work on a tablet or phone?

Affinity is available on iPad, and it also requires internet for the initial read and periodic license verification. The offline work capability is the same — you can edit without internet as long as you don't close the app. Affinity is not available for Android phones or iPhones.