Can You Use Canva for Publishing on Amazon KDP? | Canva's Licensing & Copyrights Explained

Summary

This video addresses the common queries about using Canva for Amazon KDP publishing, clarifying the do's and don'ts based on Canva's licensing terms. It differentiates between free and Pro Canva content, explaining the licensing for each and the restrictions for Pro content in digital publications. The video also discusses the necessity of creating unique designs with Canva elements for commercial use and the implications of not owning exclusive copyright to Canva's stock content. It concludes with the creator's personal experience and advice on using Canva for KDP, including direct confirmation from Amazon KDP support regarding the use of licensed graphic elements.

Takeaways

• 😀 The video addresses concerns about using Canva for creating content intended for Amazon KDP (Kindle Direct Publishing).
• 🔍 The creator has researched Canva's licensing terms, help pages, and contacted Amazon KDP directly to clarify usage rights.
• 👑 Canva's free and Pro content have different licensing implications; Pro content requires a license for use, which is automatically granted for Pro account users.
• 🚫 For non-Pro users, each Pro content element used requires a separate one-off license purchase to remove watermarks.
• 📚 Canva allows the use of both free and Pro content for book and ebook creation, as outlined in their content license agreement.
• 🖥️ A specific limitation exists for Pro content used in digital publications: the total pixel count of Pro elements should not exceed 480,000.
• 🎨 Canva's licensing terms permit the use of created designs for personal and commercial purposes, including selling merchandise.
• ❌ It's prohibited to resell, redistribute, or take credit for standalone Canva content elements outside of a unique design.
• 📖 For book publishing on KDP, using Canva elements is allowed as long as they are part of a unique design and not used standalone.
• ⚖️ The video suggests that while you may not own exclusive copyright to Canva elements, you generally hold copyright for the overall unique design created with them.
• 💡 The creator has confirmed with Amazon KDP that using licensed graphic elements from Canva for book publishing is acceptable, provided one has the necessary licensing for commercial use.

Q & A

What is the main concern raised in the video regarding Canva and KDP publishing?

The main concern is whether it is permissible to use Canva for creating content intended for Amazon KDP (Kindle Direct Publishing) and what restrictions, if any, apply to the use of Canva's elements in such publications.

What is the difference between free and Pro content in Canva?

Free content in Canva are elements without the crown symbol, and they can be used across multiple designs without additional cost. Pro content, indicated by a crown symbol, requires a Pro account subscription for license grants without extra cost, or a one-time content license purchase for each separate design for non-subscribers.

Can Canva Pro content be used for KDP purposes?

Yes, Canva Pro content can be used for KDP purposes, but there are restrictions. If using Pro content, the design must not exceed 480,000 total pixels for digital or online publications to prevent unauthorized downloading and use of the Pro content.

What are the permitted uses of Canva content according to the content license agreement?

The permitted uses include creating books, book covers, and ebooks, as well as using the designs for personal and commercial purposes, provided that the content is not used in a standalone manner but as part of a unique, overall design.

Does the video suggest that using Canva templates for KDP publishing is allowed?

Yes, as long as the design is not a template in the sense of a predetermined layout for further editing by the end user, but rather a finished product like an ebook that does not require further editing.

What is the stance of Amazon KDP regarding the use of Canva elements in book publishing?

Amazon KDP's stance, as confirmed by their representatives, is that as long as the necessary licensing for the use of graphic elements is held, users can check the 'I own the copyright' box during the book publishing process.

Does the video suggest that there is a risk of copyright infringement when using Canva elements for KDP publishing?

The video suggests that the risk is relatively low, as long as the Canva elements are used to create a unique design and not on a standalone basis. However, it acknowledges that exclusive rights to the Canva elements do not belong to the user.

What is the advice given in the video for those who are concerned about using Canva for KDP publishing?

The advice is to consider whether the potential use of the same Canva elements by others for different books is a concern. If not, the risk of using Canva elements is considered low. The video also suggests that users make an informed decision based on the provided information.

What alternative platforms are mentioned in the video for obtaining graphic elements?

The video mentions platforms like Pixabay and Creative Fabrica as alternatives for obtaining graphic elements, noting that the licensing situation is similar to Canva in that users do not own the copyrights to the elements but have a license to use them.

What is the conclusion of the video regarding the use of Canva for KDP publishing?

The conclusion is that while there are nuances and considerations, using Canva for KDP publishing is generally permissible as long as the elements are used in accordance with Canva's licensing terms and Amazon KDP's requirements.

Outlines

00:00

🎨 Canva for KDP Publishing: Clarifications and Restrictions

The video addresses the use of Canva for creating coloring books and children's storybooks for KDP (Kindle Direct Publishing). The creator clarifies that while Canva can be used for KDP purposes, there are certain restrictions and nuances to be aware of. The video is a result of the creator's research, interpretation of Canva's licensing terms, and direct communication with Amazon KDP. The distinction between free and Pro Canva content is explained, with Pro content requiring a separate license for each use in non-subscription accounts, while free content can be used across multiple designs without additional cost. The video emphasizes the importance of understanding Canva's licensing agreement, especially for those planning to publish ebooks, where Pro content must not exceed 480,000 total pixels to prevent unauthorized use.

05:01

📘 Canva Licensing and Commercial Use

This section delves into Canva's licensing requirements and restrictions, highlighting that Canva designs can be used for both personal and commercial purposes. It reiterates that standalone content, such as a single photo, cannot be used on its own for commercial purposes like printing on merchandise. To comply with Canva's licensing, users must create a unique design by combining multiple elements, text, or backgrounds. The video provides examples of what can and cannot be done with Canva for coloring books and storybooks. It also clarifies misconceptions about using Pro content for book publishing on KDP, explaining that an ebook is not considered a template and is thus not subject to the same restrictions as Canva templates.

10:01

📖 Copyright Ownership and KDP Publishing Rights

The paragraph discusses the complexities of copyright ownership when using Canva elements. It explains that while users have the copyright to their unique designs, the underlying Canva elements are owned by their original creators, and users have non-exclusive rights to use them. This means that users cannot claim exclusive rights to Canva elements. The video addresses concerns about using Canva content for KDP publishing, especially when print-on-demand services require confirmation of copyright ownership. It suggests that as long as users comply with Canva's licensing terms and do not use elements in a standalone manner, they should be able to use Canva content for KDP. The video also shares the creator's direct communication with Amazon KDP to confirm the stance on using licensed graphic elements for book publishing.

15:01

🔗 Final Thoughts on Canva for KDP and Alternatives

In the concluding part, the video summarizes the discussion on using Canva for KDP publishing, emphasizing that it comes down to a personal decision based on the information provided. The creator shares their positive experience with Canva and their intention to continue using it for KDP publishing. They also suggest that those uncomfortable with Canva's restrictions might consider other platforms like BookBols, for which a discount coupon is provided. The video reassures viewers that using licensed graphic elements from Canva or similar platforms should not pose a problem for KDP publishing, as long as the elements are part of a unique design and not used standalone. It ends with an encouragement for viewers to make informed decisions and to explore alternative design platforms if desired.

Keywords

💡Canva

Canva is an online design platform that offers a wide range of tools for creating visual content, such as graphics, presentations, and social media posts. In the context of the video, Canva is used to create coloring books and children's storybooks, and the discussion revolves around the legality and restrictions of using Canva for publishing purposes on Amazon KDP (Kindle Direct Publishing).

💡KDP (Kindle Direct Publishing)

KDP is a service provided by Amazon that allows authors and publishers to independently publish their books directly to Kindle and other Amazon marketplaces. The video addresses whether Canva can be used to create content for KDP-published books and what restrictions might apply.

💡Licensing Terms

Licensing terms refer to the legal conditions under which copyrighted material can be used. The video discusses Canva's licensing terms, which dictate how users can utilize elements created or found on the platform, especially in the context of publishing on KDP.

💡Pro Content

Pro Content on Canva refers to premium elements that are available to users with a paid subscription. These elements come with additional licensing rights compared to free content. The video explains the difference between Pro and free content and how they can be used in designs for KDP publishing.

💡Free Content

Free Content on Canva consists of elements that can be used without a subscription. These elements come with certain usage restrictions, unlike Pro Content. The video clarifies how free content can be used in multiple designs without additional licensing costs.

💡Watermark

A watermark on Canva Pro Content signifies that the element is part of the Pro subscription and cannot be used without purchasing a license or subscribing to Canva Pro. The video explains that watermarks can be removed by purchasing a one-time content license or by subscribing to Canva Pro.

💡Pixel Limitation

The video mentions a pixel limitation for Pro content used in digital publications like ebooks. This restriction is in place to prevent the unauthorized downloading and use of Pro content outside of Canva. For physical books, this limitation does not apply.

💡Standalone Content

Standalone content refers to individual elements, such as a single photo or graphic, used without additional design elements. The video explains that using Canva elements standalone is restricted; they must be incorporated into a unique design to be used commercially.

💡Copyright

Copyright in the video script pertains to the legal rights to use and distribute creative works. It is discussed in relation to the ownership of designs made in Canva and the implications for using Canva elements in KDP-published books.

💡Non-Exclusive License

A non-exclusive license means that the user has the right to use the content but does not have exclusive rights, meaning others can also use the same content. The video highlights that users have a non-exclusive license to use Canva's stock content in their designs.

💡Amazon KDP Publishing Rights

This term refers to the rights an author or publisher must have to publish a book on Amazon KDP. The video discusses the process of confirming these rights, especially when using Canva elements, and the potential implications for copyright ownership.

Highlights

Canva can be used for KDP purposes with certain restrictions.

Free Canva content can be used across multiple designs without extra cost.

Pro Canva content requires a separate license for each design if not a Pro account user.

Pro account users get a Pro content license automatically with each Pro element added.

Canva's licensing terms allow for books and book covers creation.

For ebooks, Pro content used must not exceed 480,000 total pixels.

Canva designs can be used for personal and commercial purposes.

Standalone Canva content cannot be printed on merchandise for sale.

Multiple Canva elements must be layered to create a unique design for commercial use.

Canva templates with Pro content must remain within Canva for proper licensing.

Ebooks are not considered templates and are not subject to the same licensing restrictions.

No attribution to Canva or its designers is required in books using Canva elements.

Copyright ownership of Canva designs depends on the composition and third-party rights.

Canva users do not own exclusive rights to the underlying graphic elements.

Amazon KDP confirmed that using licensed graphic elements for commercial purposes is acceptable.

The decision to use Canva elements for KDP publishing is a personal one based on provided information.

Alternatives to Canva, such as other graphic platforms, also come with licensing and copyright considerations.

The risk of using Canva elements is considered low if users are comfortable with non-exclusive rights.

Transcripts

[Music]

hi everyone welcome back to my channel

so over the last few weeks I have

received a lot of questions and comments

ever since I posted my videos on how to

create a coloring book using canva and

how to create a children's story book

using canva and I've received a lot of

questions as to whether or not we're

allowed to use canva for KDP purposes

and if so what are some of the

restrictions that we need to bear in

mind so in today's video I'm going to

share with you my interpretation of what

we can and cannot do using canva that is

based on my research and reading through

all of their licensing terms as well as

some of their help pages and contacting

Amazon KDP directly and the answer is

not as simple yes or no so please make

sure you stay throughout the video

because there are a lot of nuances

regarding this that you need to be aware

of and before we get started I want to

remind you that I am not a copyright

lawyer so all of this information is

based on my research as well as my

personal interpretation and experiences

and I hope that you'll find this video

helpful and if so please don't forget to

give me a big Thumbs Up And subscribe to

my channel for more and let's get

started before I get into the details of

what you can and cannot do using canva I

want to First quickly explain to you the

difference between free versus Pro canva

content free content are the canva

elements without the little crown symbol

next to it and pro content are the canva

elements you see with the little crown

crown symbol next to it so let's start

off by talking about our Pro content

elements first from a licensing

perspective if you are a pro account

user with canva meaning you pay for a

monthly subscription with them then each

time you add a pro content element into

your design you will automatically be

granted a pro content license at no

extra cost so for example if you add

five Pro content elements into your

design you will automatically be granted

five separate Pro content licenses but

if you are not a pro account user

meaning you are using the free version

of canva then each Pro content element

you add to your design will be

watermarked and the only way to remove

the watermark is by purchasing a oneoff

Content license from canva which you can

use only in a single design what this

means is if you intend to use this piece

of pro content element across multiple

designs then you will actually need to

purchase a separate license for each

time that element is being used you

cannot use the same Pro content element

three times across three different

designs and only purchase one license

for it on the other hand for free

content elements regardless of whether

you are a pro account user or a free

account user you will automatically be

granted a license to use the free

content element across multiple designs

without any extra

cost now that we understand the

logistics of how canvas licensing Works

let's dive into canvas content license

agreement to see what we can and cannot

do in section five of the content

license agreement it lists out the

permitted uses of all content on canva

which would be inclusive of both free

and pro content elements as you can see

there are many permissible uses but what

I want to highlight to you is number six

and seven which would be the most

applicable to us from a KDP perspective

so you can see on number six it

specifically says that we could use

canva for books and book covers and in

number seven we are also allowed to use

it for things like ebooks scrolling down

further you will see a section 5A which

proceeds to describe a few limits on how

Pro content can be used specifically as

it relates to online SL digital

Publications if you're only planning to

publish a physical copy of your book I.E

a paperback or a hard cover then this

section would not be applicable to you

however if you're planning on publishing

an ebook then you will have to comply

with this section this section basically

says that you're allowed to use Pro

content for your online or digital

Publications such as a web page blog or

ebook as long as none of the pro

elements used in your design exceeds

480,000 total pixels for example 600x

800 pixels the intention of this

limitation is essentially to prevent

other people from downloading the pro

content elements from your online

digital Publications and then using it

elsewhere outside of canva without

proper licensing aside from the formal

content license agreement canva also has

another page which explains their

licensing requirements and restrictions

in a more simplistic and illustrative

manner so let's take a look at some of

these

details scrolling down to the the what's

allowed section you will see that the

designs you create in canva can be used

for both personal and Commercial

purposes and the second bullet point

essentially reconfirms that you can sell

merchandise with your canva design on it

number three that says Don't resell

redistribute or take credit for Content

provided through canva basically means

you should never take a standalone

content element from canva and resell it

on a different platform for example you

should always just leverage canva

elements and incorporate it into your

overall design which should be a

creative unique design of yours and then

you would be allowed to use it for

commercial purposes and print it on your

merchandise scrolling down further on

the section relating to using content in

your designs it says by using content in

a design you're creating something

unique once you do there are lots of

things you can do with your Creations

however Standalone content I.E a photo

used on its own without any other Design

Elements has restrictions for example it

can't be printed on products or

merchandise for sale so what this means

is as you can see in the example here

they're showing you that let's say this

picture is one canva Element you cannot

just take that one photo and slap it on

a mug and call it a day same thing you

wouldn't just take one element and slap

it on your book cover or your page and

call it a day in order to use canva

elements in accordance with their

licensing agreement you must add your

own creativity and layer multiple

different elements text or fonts or

backgrounds to create a truly unique

design of yours and once you do that you

are allowed to use it for commercial

purposes and you can put it on your book

cover you can put it in your books or

you can even put it on a mug and sell

that so in the context of our coloring

book and story book here are some

examples of what you can and cannot do

and then coming back here the third

paragraph is what we already discussed

previously regarding maximum pixels for

pro content used in digital or online

Publications such as ebooks and this

whole cont content here is further

reiterated in their FAQ section further

below which says can I sell products or

merchandise with my design on it the

answer is yes all of our photos fonts

and Graphics can be used to create

designs for printing on products for

sale such as t-shirts mugs books and

other merchandise as long as you comply

with our license please note that you

cannot sell sand alone prints of Cana

content such as a print out of a stock

photo without any other design elements

on say a t-shirt So based on all that we

have read so far it is telling us that

as long as we do not use any canva

elements on a standalone basis but

instead layer multiple canva elements

fonts and backgrounds to create an

overall unique design then we are

allowed to use those designs for

commercial purposes such as putting it

on a book to sell on Amazon KDP but we

are not done yet there are a few other

things we still need to

clarify firstly there are some

restrictions when it comes to using

canva templates which is further

explained in canvas licensing video here

if your template design includes Pro

content you must make sure the template

is kept in canva that is the template is

a canva template sharing that directs

users back to canva not as a separate

downloadable digital file the reason why

I want to highlight this part is because

there is often some misconception that

this means we cannot use Pro content for

publishing books on KDP or any other

platform outside of canva however this

is far from the truth because there is

actually a difference between a book and

a template according to canvas's help

page titled using canva to design

digital and physical products for sale

here a template is defined as a design

that has a predetermined layout and

style which is intended to be further

edited or customized by an end user to

produce the required final document a

good example would be a wedding

invitation where you will need to fill

out the details of the event in order to

use it it then goes to specifically say

that an ebook is not a template because

it is a finished product that does not

require further editing by the end user

in order to use it so this part

basically explains very clearly that the

restrictions relating to the use of

canva templates do not apply to our

situation here for book publishing for

KDP which is good

news the second item I wanted to touch

on because I have seen a lot of

questions about it is whether we need to

attribute canva and their designer in

our books for using their graphic

elements based on this section in canvas

licensing explanation page right here

there is no requirement to do that

although you can do so if you choose

to up until now everything we looked at

looks like we are in De clear to use

canva elements for KDP publishing

however I'm now going to talk through

one specific item on canvas's

requirements that is a bit more

controversial this is outlined not on

their actual content license agreement

but on their help page titled copyright

ownership of designs made in canva so in

this section that says who owns a

copyright in a design made in canva it

says this depends on its composition

generally speaking if you're the creator

of an original design you're also its

copyright holder but if you use

thirdparty content I.E stock content

from the canva library in your design

then your ownership is subject to those

thirdparty rights it then proceeds to

say canva gives you non-exclusive

licenses to use stock content in your

designs including photos Graphics videos

fonts and music for a range of permitted

uses this includes the ability to sell

certain types of designs that contain

content and so this basically says that

if you have used canva elements to

create a unique design of your own then

that overall unique design you would

have in a sense the copyright to it but

the underlying content or the elements

that you use you wouldn't have exclusive

rights to those because those

technically belong to the artists who

originally created those for canvas so

you have the non-exclusive right to use

those elements to create your overall

design and then your overall design is

generally speaking you have the

copyright for that but it is a bit more

complicated as you scroll down further

the print on demand service I'm using to

print my t-shirt and I guess in our case

would be books requires me to confirm

that I am the copyright owner of my

design can I do that so on this help

page it actually says some thirdparty

print services may require you to agree

that that you own copyright in any

design you upload to their service if

that's the case you can't use canva

content in those designs because you

don't own the copyright in that content

you only have a license to use it so if

the print service only requires you to

agree that you have the right to use

your design that contains canva content

then the print service is okay to use as

long as you're complying with our

licensed terms I.E you aren't trying to

sell content on a standalone basis

you're responsible for checking the

terms of thirdparty websites as canva is

not able to advise you on these and this

is potentially a problem for us because

as some of you may already know as part

of the KDP book upload process there's a

part that asks us to confirm our

publishing rights which says I own the

copyright and hold the necessary

publishing rights based on that you may

decide that you're no longer comfortable

to use canva elements for KDP anymore

and that is completely reasonable as

well however before you decide on what

you feel comfortable doing I would like

to share a few additional thoughts for

your

consideration I have heard many people

say that given they are no longer

comfortable using canva elements that

they will instead choose to use graphic

elements from other platforms such as

pixabay or creative Fabrica however I

think what we need to realize is that

this is actually no different from using

canva elements because you would not own

the copyrights to those graphic elements

either and would only have a license to

use them even if you hire an illustrator

to draw your illustrations for you A lot

of times the artist will retain the

copyright and you are only given the

rights to use their artwork in your book

so realistically unless you're drawing

your own illustrations which obviously

would be amazing you really would not

own the copyrights to the artwork

regardless of what platform you download

your graphic elements

from secondly I believe the real reason

why canva had put this specific

restriction there is also because

technically none of us would have excl

exclusive rights to the use of any of

their graphic elements so in the

situation where I use this bear for my

story and someone else happens to use

the same bear for their story I won't be

able to say to KDP that the other person

is infringing on my copyrights because

neither of us have exclusive rights to

use that bear now if that person copies

your entire book completely and not just

use the same bear graphic element then

that would be a different story and you

would have a much stronger grounds to

say to KDP that your copyrights have

been infringed so I would say if you

okay with would potentially having

someone else use the same graphic

elements for their book which will

likely have a completely different style

and plot anyway then I think the risk of

using canva graphic elements is

relatively low I also think that by

putting that restriction there canva is

also just covering their bases so that

they would not be liable in the unlikely

situation where someone gets suspended

from their KDP account because they have

claimed to own the copyright to their

book which contains canva

elements

to confirm what Amazon KDP stance is on

this I have actually communicated

directly with them to confirm whether we

can check out the I own the copyright

checkbox If part of our design includes

graphic elements for which we have

purchased online and have a license to

use for commercial purposes to be safe I

have confirmed it with two different

agents on two separate days just to make

sure I receive a consistent response so

I asked them I just have a general

question I wanted to reconfirm as part

of the book publishing process on KDP

there is a check boox that says I own

the copyright and I hold necessary

publishing rights if I am publishing a

book for which I have leveraged graphic

elements purchased online say from canva

or creative Fabrica which also comes

with the appropriate licensing required

for commercial use these graphic

elements are then used creatively

together to create a unique design for

my book cover or book illustrations I.E

no graphic element is used on a

standalone basis would I be able to

click on the check box that says I own

the copyrights and I hold necessary

publishing rights and let's see what

their answer is so they confir back

saying if you have purchased the images

and hold the necessary licensing then

yes and then they of course caveat that

if there are any issues identified

during the review our review team will

reach out to you for additional

information and supporting documents

which is baau for them because as you

may remember there's a 48 Hours review

process before your book gets published

on Amazon KDP based on these responses

it does not appear that they have any

concerns with this which is great news I

personally also have books published on

KDP which have been created leveraging

both free and pro canva elements and to

date thankfully have not run into any

problems at all however at the end of

the day this will be a personal decision

that you will need to make for yourself

but I hope I have laid out the facts and

considerations clearly enough so that

you can make an informed decision I

personally really love canva and will

definitely continue to use canva but if

after hearing all facts you feel like

you might want to take a little break

from canva and try something different

for a while then there's always the

option of using some other applications

such as book bolbs which I've actually

linked a 20% discount coupon in the

video description below but overall I

hope you enjoyed this video and if you

found this video to be helpful to you

please don't forget to give me a big

Thumbs Up And subscribe to my channel

for more and I'll see you next time