How to Make Canva Elements Draggable!?

 

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How to Make Canva Elements Draggable (Even in Presentation Mode)

Canva is one of the most popular tools for creating visually appealing presentations, especially for teachers. Its ready-made templates, icons, and simple interface make lesson preparation faster and more enjoyable. However, one common limitation frustrates many educators: Canva does not have a built-in feature that allows elements to be draggable during presentation mode.

At first glance, this may seem like a deal-breaker—especially if you teach young learners or interactive classes where students benefit from moving objects, matching items, sorting words, or completing drag-and-drop activities. The good news is that there is a practical workaround. With the help of another platform, you can still create interactive, draggable activities while continuing to use Canva as your main teaching tool.

This method may look long at first, but once you try it once or twice, it becomes quick and easy. More importantly, it can greatly improve student engagement and participation in your lessons.

Step 1: Create Your Design in Canva

The first step is to design your presentation in Canva as you normally would. This is where Canva truly shines. You can use its wide variety of templates, fonts, shapes, and illustrations to build visually attractive slides.

I personally prefer starting in Canva because it saves time and gives a professional look even with minimal effort. Design all your slides here, including the ones where you want students to interact with elements later. At this stage, do not worry about drag functionality yet—just focus on layout, content, and visuals.

Step 2: Download Your Design as a PowerPoint File

Once your design is finished, it is time to download it. Click the Share button at the top-right corner of Canva, then select Download. Choose PPTX (PowerPoint) as the file format.

This step is important because it allows your Canva design to be transferred to another platform without losing its layout. Save the file on your device so it is ready for upload.

Step 3: Open Genially.com

Next, go to Genially.com, an interactive presentation platform similar to Canva. While Genially may not be as visually simple as Canva, its biggest advantage is that it allows interactive features such as draggable elements.

You might be thinking, “But I want to use Canva, not another app.” That is completely understandable—and this is exactly why this workaround is useful. Genially will only be used briefly to add interactivity, not to redesign your entire presentation.

Step 4: Upload Your File to Genially

In Genially, upload your downloaded PPTX file by creating new content and importing the presentation. Once uploaded, open the file inside Genially.

At this point, you should see your Canva slides appear almost exactly the same as they were originally designed. This ensures that your visuals remain consistent.

Step 5: Edit and Make Elements Draggable

Now comes the most important step. In Genially, select the elements you want students to move—such as pictures, words, icons, or shapes. Apply the draggable or interactive settings to these elements.

You can adjust positions, layering, or size if needed. This is also a good time to test whether the elements move smoothly and make sense for your activity.

Step 6: Copy the Presentation Link

Once everything is set, click the Share button in Genially and copy the presentation link. This link will allow you to access the interactive version of your slides.

Make sure the sharing settings allow viewers to interact with the content.

Step 7: Go Back to Canva and Paste the Link

Finally, return to Canva. Add a blank slide and paste the Genially link onto it. You can embed the link or add it as a clickable element.

And there you have it! You can now present directly in Canva while still allowing students to drag elements on the interactive slide.

Final Thoughts

With this method, you can combine Canva’s strong visual design with Genially’s interactive features—without abandoning Canva entirely. This approach is especially effective for elementary students, EFL classes, and activity-based lessons where engagement matters.

From here, you can continue improving your Canva presentations and transforming them into interactive learning experiences. For a clearer demonstration, watch the video tutorial above for the full step-by-step process.

Interactive learning does not always require expensive tools—sometimes, it just takes a creative workaround.