How to add an editable QR code in Canva
11 min read
A dynamic QR code in Canva can come from two places: Canva's built-in Dynamic QR codes tool, or an SVG or PNG you make in a dynamic QR code generator such as linqr and upload to your design. Both let you change the link after printing; they differ in logos, scan stats and where you manage the code, and this guide walks through each step.
In short
- Canva has Static QR codes (fixed link) and Dynamic QR codes (editable link); some features depend on your Canva plan.
- A linqr code goes into Canva like any image: SVG or transparent PNG, through the Uploads tab.
- You change the link in linqr; the file in your design and the printed flyers stay as they are.
- Keep the code at least 2 × 2 cm (0.8 × 0.8 in) with an empty margin of 4 modules around it.
- The same PNG works in Word, PowerPoint and Google Docs; Word and PowerPoint also take the SVG.
Contents
What Canva's own QR code does
According to Canva's help center, Canva has two QR code tools: Static QR codes and Dynamic QR codes. You'll find both in the editor: select Apps and search “QR code”, or go to Elements and search the same, then pick Create static or Create dynamic. A static code takes a URL plus optional colors and margin. As of September 25, 2026, the help center says:
- A static code's link is fixed for good, and you can't convert a static code into a dynamic one or back.
- A dynamic code's destination can be updated without reprinting: select the code, choose Edit, change the URL and Save. By default, only the person who created the code can edit its link.
- On the Free, Pro and Education plans, dynamic codes include the Canva logo by default. A custom logo, scan stats (Insights) and expiry dates come with Canva Business, Enterprise and Nonprofit.
- According to Canva, a dynamic code has no end date unless you set an expiry date.
- Changing the look of a printed code means reprinting it.
Canva's plans and features change. Before you decide, check the current wording in Canva's help center, linked in the sources at the bottom of this page.
When you need a code you can change
A static code is fine when the address will never change, like your homepage on a storefront decal. You need a code you can change when the thing behind it moves: a café menu PDF that changes with the seasons, or an event sign-up that should point to the photo gallery afterward. You change the link, and the flyers already out there keep working. The full walkthrough is in change a QR code link after printing.
You can make that dynamic code in Canva itself or in a separate tool. Here is how Canva on its Free and Pro plans compares with linqr's Free plan:
| Feature | Canva, Free and Pro | linqr, Free |
|---|---|---|
| Change the link after printing | Yes | Yes, as often as you like |
| Logo on the code | Canva logo by default | Your logo, or none |
| Scan stats | No (Business, Enterprise and Nonprofit only) | Total, unique, 30-day chart, top 3 countries, devices |
| Expiry | Never; expiry dates need Business, Enterprise or Nonprofit | No expiry date on any plan |
| Where you manage it | Inside the Canva design | In My codes in your linqr account |
If you design only in Canva and need neither scan stats nor your own logo on the code, Canva's dynamic code may be all you need. linqr makes sense when you want your logo and scan stats without a paid plan, or one code for Canva, Word and the print shop. linqr's Free plan includes 3 active codes. For plans, prices and stats side by side, see Canva QR codes vs linqr.
Step by step: linqr code into Canva
Make the code
Open the free dynamic QR code generator, paste your address into The link to turn into a QR code and style it.
Pick the background
If the code will sit on a plain, light part of your design, set Background to Transparent in the Colours tab. On a photo or a dark area, keep it white.
Download SVG or PNG
Click Download QR code and save the code to a free account. The first PNG downloads on its own; then choose SVG, or PNG at 2048 px, under Format.
Upload it to Canva
In the Canva editor, open the Uploads tab and click Upload files, or drag the file onto the tab.
Place and size it
Click the upload to add it to your design. Resize from a corner so it stays square, and don't crop the margin.
Canva lists a 3 MB limit for SVG uploads and suggests avoiding gradients in SVG files. If your code has a gradient or a logo and looks different in Canva than in the linqr preview, upload a 2048 px PNG instead.
Which file to use for print and which for the web is covered on the SVG QR code generator page.
Match the code to your design
The code doesn't have to be black to fit your layout. In the Colours tab, set Code colour to your brand color (HEX codes work) and turn on Different corner colour for an accent in the corners. The rule stays the same: dark code on a light background. Styles, dot shapes and frames with a “SCAN ME” label are on the custom QR code design page.
Change the link later without re-uploading
This is where a dynamic code pays off: you change the link outside Canva. In linqr, open My codes, pick the code and click Change link. Enter the New destination link and save; the “Link changed” message confirms it. Earlier addresses are listed under Previous links in the same Change link window, where Use again restores an old link.
You don't download or upload anything again. Every file opens the same short link, so the code in your Canva design, the PDF at the print shop and the flyers on the counter all go to the new address right away. Design is different: new colors or a logo only go into future downloads, so for a new look, swap the file.
The same in Word, Google Docs and PowerPoint
The same files work in documents and slides: SVG or PNG in Word and PowerPoint, PNG in Google Docs. Microsoft says Word and PowerPoint for Microsoft 365 insert SVG files like any other picture, through Insert > Pictures > This Device, and that EPS files can no longer be inserted into Office documents, so use SVG or PNG there. In Google Docs, Google's help describes Insert > Image > Upload from computer; a PNG is the simple choice there.
Print checks
Canva's own QR code tips say to keep codes at least 2 × 2 cm (0.79 × 0.79 in) and leave blank space of at least four modules around them. For bigger formats, a rule of thumb: the code's width should be about a tenth of the scanning distance, so a poster read from 6 feet away needs a code of roughly 7 inches. More numbers are in the QR code size guide.
- Don't crop the code in Canva or put text or graphics over it.
- The linqr margin (4 modules by default) is part of the file. Don't push other elements up against the dots.
- On a photo or a busy pattern, keep the code's white background so the margin stays visible.
- Scan the code from your screen, then from a test print at the final size, before you send the file to print.
Make a QR code for your Canva design
Paste your link, match the colors to your design and download SVG or PNG. You can change the link later without re-uploading the file.
Make your QR codeQuestions
Can you change a QR code link in Canva after printing?
Only if it's a dynamic code. According to Canva's help center, a static QR code's link is fixed for good and can't be converted to dynamic, while a Dynamic QR code's destination can be updated without reprinting. A linqr code works the same way from outside Canva: change the link in My codes, and the code in your design and on paper follows.
Do QR codes made in Canva expire?
According to Canva, not unless you set an expiry date, which is an option on the Business, Enterprise and Nonprofit plans. Once that date passes, scanners go to the URL you chose or to Canva's generic QR code error page. linqr codes have no expiry date on any plan, including Free, and the terms of service, linked in the footer, set out what happens to codes when Pro ends.
Can I use an SVG QR code in Canva?
Yes. Canva accepts SVG uploads under 3 MB through the Uploads tab and suggests avoiding gradients in SVG files. A plain linqr SVG stays sharp at any size. If your code has a gradient or a logo and looks different in Canva than in the linqr preview, upload a 2048 px PNG instead.
Do I need to upload the code again after changing the link?
No. The file holds a short link, not your destination, so once you change the link in My codes, the code in your Canva design, the exported PDF and every printed copy open the new address. You only upload a new file when you change the code's look, since design changes apply to new downloads.
How do I add a QR code in Word?
Download the code as SVG or PNG, then in Word choose Insert > Pictures > This Device and pick the file. Microsoft says Word for Microsoft 365 handles SVG like any other picture, and EPS files can no longer be inserted into Office documents. Resize the code from a corner and keep the empty margin around it.
Why does my QR code look blurry in Canva?
Usually because a small PNG was stretched. Upload the linqr code as SVG, or as a PNG at 2048 px, so it stays sharp when you enlarge it. Also check Canva's download setting: for print, a PDF made for print keeps the code crisper than a compressed JPG. Scan the exported file, not just the editor preview, before you send it out.
Can I recolor a linqr QR code inside Canva?
It's better to set the colors in linqr and upload the file again. linqr's scan check tests contrast and readability as you change colors, while recoloring in Canva skips that check and can leave the code too light to scan. Changing colors doesn't affect the link: every version of the file opens the same short link.
Can I replace a Canva QR code with a linqr code?
For new designs, yes: delete the Canva code from your design, upload the linqr file and export again. Codes already printed with Canva's tool keep using Canva's link, and you can't move that link to linqr, because it belongs to Canva. Keep managing those in Canva until the old prints are gone, and use linqr from the next print run.
Can I use a linqr QR code in a Canva template my team shares?
Yes. Once the file is uploaded and placed, it's part of the design like any image, so anyone who edits or copies the template gets the same code. The link, though, is managed in the linqr account that made the code, not in Canva. Make sure someone on your team can sign in there to change the destination later.
Can I put a QR code on a Canva business card design?
Yes. Upload the linqr SVG or PNG and size it to at least 0.8 in (2 cm) wide on the card, with the empty margin around it. Point it at something a contact would want, like a booking page, portfolio or contact page. Because the link can be changed later, you won't have to reprint cards when that page moves.
Does a QR code in a Canva presentation or website still work?
Yes, a linqr code works anywhere the image is shown, including Canva presentations and websites. On a slide, make it large enough for the back row and leave it up for a while. On a website, remember that visitors on a phone can't scan their own screen, so link the same address as text or a button next to the code.
Sources
- Canva Help Center: Create and manage QR codes in Canva,
- Canva Help Center: Upload media from your device,
- Canva Help Center: Check file upload formats and requirements,
- Microsoft Support: Edit SVG images in Microsoft 365,
- Microsoft Support: Insert pictures,
- Google Docs Editors Help: Insert or delete images & videos,