Create Custom Gmail Headers with Canva

What is Canva?

Canva is an amazing digital design platform that is FREE for educators. I use Canva almost daily while creating images for resources, videos, blog posts, and more!

Why create a custom header for your Gmail account?

If you have a mailing list you may want to create a custom header and save it as an email template to attach to your emails. A header could make your emails visually appealing while also allowing you to highlight the content included in the email. For example, you could create a header to highlight newsletters, events or important updates. Canva makes it easy!

Steps:

Create your account at Canva
Search for email templates
Select and customize a header template
Download your header as a PNG file

*Canva has 1000s of templates to use for emails.*

Turn on the Templates in Gmail

Templates allow you to create and save a draft email template to use while composing your email messages. Many educators have Gmail templates created to communicate information with students and families about topics such as late homework assignments, newsletters, or project reminders.

The templates in your Gmail account are turned OFF by default. To turn them on you need to go into your settings and select ADVANCED and ENABLE TEMPLATES. Now you are ready to create a template with your new custom header image.

Go to your settings and select ADVANCED to enable your templates.

Create your Gmail Template

Templates are a HUGE time-saver as they allow you to create a canned response template to use regularly.

In order to create a template, you must first compose the template in an email message. In this example, we are creating a newsletter template.

Steps:

First, we will drag the downloaded Gmail template we created in Canva into our new message.
Then, we will include any other information we’d like to include in our newsletter template.

*Drag your header into your Gmail Message.*

Next, save your draft as a Template by clicking on the 3 dots in the bottom right corner and selecting “Save as Draft”. Now, title the draft template to use later.

How to access saved templates?

Now that you have created your draft template, you may access them at any time by clicking COMPOSE and then selecting the 3 dots in the bottom right corner of your message. You can now pull up your templates and all images and text will auto-populate for you!

Have you used Canva templates with your Gmail account?