How to Make Reels on Canva - PC & Mobile Solutions in 2025

What are Instagram Reels

Instagram Reels are short, engaging videos that boost visibility and audience interaction. They enable users to create 90-second clips with filters, effects, and music, making them an excellent tool for storytelling. Reels appear in the Explore tab and dedicated feed, improving discoverability. You can create simple Reels using Instagram's features. However, it's not enough because of the limited features. So, some users may choose Canva to create Reels.

Why make Instagram Reels

• Boost engagement with creative content: Reels allow you to experiment with trends, music, and effects to grab the audience's attention. Eye-catching visuals and enhanced storytelling keep the viewers interested, which increases interactions.
• Showcasing personality or brand: Reels are perfect for sharing more personal, behind-the-scenes moments or showcasing your brand’s unique personality. They allow you to showcase your unique personality or brand voice in a more informal, engaging way that resonates with your followers.
• Build stronger connections with the audience: Use Reels to share behind-the-scenes moments, brand stories, and testimonials to strengthen your bond with your audience. Authentic content encourages more profound engagement between audiences and you.
• Increase traffic: Include a call-to-action in your Reels and direct viewers to your bio link. This will ensure maximum traffic to your profile. You can also direct the viewers to your shop or website here.

So, Instagram Reels are essential for any brand. Let's move ahead and see how to use Canva to make Reels.

How to create a Reel in Canva on a mobile

STEP 1
1. Choose a Reel template

First, download and open the Canva app. After that, type "Instagram reel" in the search bar. Then, select a template according to your style and format.

STEP 2
1. Customize text and design

To start making Instagram Reels in Canva, tap on the text element to edit, then choose the text editing options to adjust the text style. Afterward, go to the "Elements" tab to add stickers, effects, or animations to the Reel.

STEP 3
1. Add media and audio

Tap the on the pictures and select "Replace" to replace them with your own images or clips. You can also choose the "Uploads" option to add content. Resize the photos and arrange them on the timeline. To add music to enhance your Reels, tap the "Audio" option and choose from Canva's library or upload your own.

STEP 4
1. Download and share your Reel

Once satisfied with the Reel, tap the download symbol in the top right corner. Then, select the "Download" option and choose the MP4 video format. Tap the "Download" option to save the Reel to your mobile.

How to make Reels in Canva on a PC

STEP 1
1. Set up your Reel template

First, open the Canva website (https://www.canva.com/) and log in to your account. Then, search for "Instagram Reels" in the search bar. Choose a template according to your style, or start with a blank canvas. Then, click "Customise this template" to open the editor.

STEP 2
1. Customize text and design

To start creating Reels on Canva, click on any textbox to edit the text. Then, click on the "Fonts," "Colors," and "Effects" options to customize your text. Next, click the "Elements" option from the left panel to add elements like stickers, shapes, or animations.

STEP 3
1. Add photos or clips to your Reel

Click "Uploads" on the left and select your photos or video clips. Then, drag them onto the timeline and adjust their size, placement, and duration to fit the design. To add audio to your Reel, click the "Audio" option in the left panel. You can add audio from Canva's library or choose your own. Using the timeline, you can adjust the timing of the music to match your visuals.

STEP 4
1. Download and share your Reel

Once finished with the edits, click "Share" in the top-right corner of the screen and select "Download." Choose MP4 for the best quality.

Better alternative: Creating Instagram Reels with CapCut

Although making Reels on Canva is a great choice, it offers basic editing tools compared to advanced video editors, limiting creative flexibility. CapCut is a better video editing editor for creating Instagram Reels. It features a variety of visual effects, such as filters, effects, animations, and stickers. It also offers AI-powered features, like background removal and auto-captions. These features make the Reels more engaging and allow you to create high-quality Reels.

Try CapCut today and use its editing features to create stunning Reels.

Key features

• Visual elements: CapCut offers a variety of visual effects, such as filters, effects, animations, and stickers, to enhance your Reels.
• Copyright-free audio: Using CapCut, you can access an extensive audio library of licensed music and sound effects to make creative Reels.
• AI-powered features: It offers various AI-powered features, such as the video background changer and auto-captions for pro-level edits.

Steps to create Instagram Reels for free

STEP 1
1. Import the video

To begin with, open CapCut and create a new project. Next, click "Import" and select a video from your PC for the Instagram Reel. Alternatively, you can drag and drop the video onto the timeline. Once imported, click the "Ratio" option below the video and set it to 9:16 for Instagram Reels.

STEP 2
1. Edit the reel

Enhance the video by adding text by clicking the "Text" option from the top-left toolbar. Refine the text by applying different text effects. Use transitions by selecting "Transitions" from the top-left toolbar for smooth scene changes. You can also apply various filters, effects, and stickers to increase the video's aesthetic appeal. Adjust the video's speed by choosing the "Speed" option from the right toolbar to add dramatic effects to the Reel.

STEP 3
1. Export the Reel

Once satisfied, click "Export" at the top-right corner and select the highest available resolution for best quality. Click "Export" to save the video to your PC. Now, the Reel is ready to be uploaded to Instagram.

Best creative tips for Instagram Reels

• Start with a hook

In the first few seconds, grab the viewer's attention using bold text, dynamic cuts, or animations. A strong opening, like a question, fast-paced action, or a surprising fact, keeps viewers interested in watching till the end. Use CapCut's text effects and transitions to make your hooks appealing and engage viewers.

• Play with trends

Stay ahead of the curve by following viral challenges, trending sounds, or popular formats. Carefully analyze what's popular in your niche, and incorporate the elements that resonate with your viewers while adding your unique twist to stand out. CapCut always provides copyright-free trending music for editing Reels.

• Incorporate creative elements

Make your Reels unique and stand out by adding creative elements like filters, effects, stickers, overlays, and animations. These elements enhance storytelling, add personality, and make your content visually appealing. CapCut allows you to improve the reels with cinematic filters, effects, and more.

• Add captions

To enhance engagement, make your Reels easily accessible. Some viewers like to watch videos without sound, so adding text ensures they don't miss any vital information. Use CapCut's auto-caption feature to generate subtitles for Reels in your chosen language automatically.

• Use creative audio

To make Reels appealing, enhance them by adding copyright-free music, sound effects, or voiceovers. Experiment with interactive voiceovers, dynamic background music, or sound transitions to add depth and emotion to your videos. Use CapCut's built-in audio library and AI voice effects to match the right sound to your video.

• Leverage call-to-action

Use CTAs in your reels to encourage users to like, comment, or visit your profile. Pop-up text, animated arrows, or countdown timers can help direct the viewers' attention efficiently. You should use CapCut's text and animated stickers to highlight the CTA efficiently.

• Use related hashtag

Boost the reach of your Reels by using niche-specific and trending hashtags. Research the popular hashtags in your niche, mix high traffic with less competitive hashtags, and update the hashtags regularly to stay competitive.

Conclusion

Creating Instagram Reels is an easy and quick way to enhance your online presence. So, this article has discussed how to make Instagram Reels on Canva using mobile and PC. Although Canva is a good choice for making Instagram Reels with its built-in templates and visual elements, its editing tools have certain limitations. So, for more advanced features, CapCut is the best choice. Its features, like background removal, auto-captions, and various cinematic filters and effects, make it a fantastic choice for making professional-quality Reels. So, get CapCut today and start making appealing Reels to enhance your Instagram presence.

FAQs

1
1. What are some popular trends for Instagram Reels today?

The trending Instagram Reels include dance challenges, behind-the-scenes clips, and product showcases. Using trending audio and captions in Canva can boost your Reels' visibility. For advanced features, CapCut provides AI tools like auto-captions, AI stylizing, and so on.

2
1. How to invite others to join the Reel editing project through Canva?

To invite others to join the editing in Canva Reels, click the "Share" option in the top-right corner of the screen. After that, enter the email addresses of your collaborators and set access to "Can edit." Once done, the collaborators will receive an invitation link to join and edit your project. Ensure that they have a Canva account to access and edit the project.

3
1. How to create a cover for Reel in Canva?

To make a cover for Reels in Canva, open Canva and select the Instagram Story template with the correct dimensions. Customize the cover by adding text, images, and brand colors to enhance its appeal. Use design elements to make it more engaging. Once done, download the cover and upload it as a Reel thumbnail. For a more professional-looking cover, you can use CapCut, which allows you to create covers for the edited Reels using shapes, text, filters, and more.