Canva
Canva users are facing widespread disruptions today, hindering their design projects. While the platform works on a fix, many are left locked out or unable to save changes. Pexels

It's a familiar scenario for many as in the middle of a crucial design project and deadlines looming, suddenly the trusted platform Canva becomes inaccessible. The all-too-common 'Canva down' message appears, leaving a trail of frustrated users unable to access their work.

In an age where digital tools are the backbone of creative output, such outages can bring productivity to a grinding halt. But don't let a service interruption derail your progress entirely. When Canva falters, knowing reliable alternatives can be your saving grace.

Design Disruption: When Your Go-To Tool Goes Offline

Canva, the widely used platform for creating stunning visuals and videos, experienced significant technical issues on Tuesday, 8 July. Many people quickly headed to social media, reporting that they couldn't log into their accounts or access their saved work.

What's Happening: Real-time Updates

According to CanvaStatus, the team is actively working on a resolution to the current issues.

While they do, users might experience problems with several features:

  • Viewing or saving changes to designs is currently affected.
  • Users who make general knowledge queries or ask how to use Canva features via Canva AI may encounter failure messages.
  • Real-time comments might not be working as expected; users will need to refresh the page to view new comments.
  • Application notifications may also be impacted, requiring a page refresh to see new alerts.
  • The timer and 'follow user' features on designs might not be functioning correctly.

Downdetector's data reveals a low volume of outage reports from users across India. However, the platform indicates that the majority of reported issues (64%) are linked to Canva's web-based version, with only 9% of users encountering problems with the mobile application.

The disruption has particularly affected users in the US, with over 600 reports of service interruptions originating from that region. If this disruption has impacted your workflow and you're seeking reliable platforms with similar capabilities, consider exploring these excellent alternatives, which offer uninterrupted creative power.

1. Gimp: A Robust Open-Source Editor

GIMP, a versatile image editor, runs across various operating systems, including GNU/Linux, macOS, and Windows. As a free, downloadable software, it offers a robust suite of tools.

Whether you're a graphic designer, photographer, illustrator, or even a scientist, GIMP provides the capability to integrate compelling visuals into your concepts, enabling you to present your creativity and inventive ideas in a design that is effective.

2. Promeo: Your Design Companion

Promeo stands out as another viable option should you need to create designs while Canva is unavailable. This application grants users access to millions of royalty-free stock images and videos.

Furthermore, you'll find a wide selection of attractive and easily customisable templates, with new additions daily. Features such as generative AI and background removal tools further empower you to achieve the kind of designs you would typically create using Canva.

3. Photopea: A Powerful Photoshop Alternative

Consider Photopea as an open-source counterpart to Adobe Photoshop. As a user, you'll find access to all of Photoshop's key features, even some that are typically paid options.

This makes it an excellent choice when Canva is experiencing downtime. This free, web-based application allows you to create more sophisticated designs, leveraging advanced functionalities similar to those found in Canva.

4. Lunacy: A Feature-Rich Free Solution

Lunacy offers an entirely free design experience, with no watermarks and only a few features reserved for subscriptions. This open-source platform facilitates collaboration among users, allowing you to design seamlessly with a community.

Additionally, the software features built-in UI kits. With this application, you can easily edit photos and make background alterations, providing comprehensive tools to meet your design needs.

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