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How to make a flipbook in Canva using Flipsnack

Last updated: 7th of October 2025

Canva has changed the way people design. With its drag-and-drop editor, thousands of templates, and easy collaboration features, it’s no wonder that marketers, educators, and small businesses rely on it to create everything from brochures and presentations to catalogs and flyers. 

But here’s the problem: when the design is finished, it’s still probably just a static PDF. That’s where Canva stops, and where your audience’s expectations begin. A flat PDF can’t tell you if someone read it, which page they spent the most time on, or whether they clicked your call-to-action. It can’t embed videos, product galleries, or lead forms. And it certainly doesn’t deliver the premium, interactive experience that today’s customers and teams expect.

Instead of stopping at a static PDF, many professionals look for ways to turn a PDF into a flipbook. Why? Because flipbooks add what Canva alone cannot: interactivity, measurable engagement, and a premium reading experience that works seamlessly across devices.

That’s exactly what Flipsnack does best. With Flipsnack, you can take your Canva PDF and instantly transform it into a flipbook with real page-turning effects, interactive media, private or public sharing options, and detailed analytics. Unlike Canva alone, Flipsnack gives you full control over how your content looks, how it’s distributed, and how it performs. The result? Marketing catalogs that convert, internal newsletters that get read, and brochures that actually stand out.

What is a flipbook?

A digital flipbook is an interactive HTML5 publication that recreates the page turning effect of a printed book, easy-to-read on any device. You can enhance the flipbook with interactive elements such as videos, slideshows, internal and external links.

How to create a digital flipbook from your Canva PDF design

Creating a Canva flipbook with Flipsnack is a matter of a few clicks from the starting point, which is a Canva design.  

  1. Start from a Canva design

Pick your Canva template or create the design from scratch. For fresh layout and color ideas, see graphic inspiration before you export.

  1. Download as PDF (standard)

Once the design is ready for export, pick the download as PDF option before moving on to the next step in Flipsnack.

  1. Create an account & upload a PDF to Flipsnack

Simply create a Flipsnack account and upload your Canva PDF — the conversion from PDF to Flipbook is fast, seamless, and completely hassle-free. Canva limits you to 50MB files, but Flipsnack lets you upload PDFs of any size, so you can always publish your designs without compromise.

4. Add interactive elements

Once your flipbook is uploaded, enhance it with interactivity. In Flipsnack’s Design Studio, you can add the following interactions:

  • Videos (YouTube or Vimeo)
  • Clickable links and buttons
  • Slideshows or image galleries
  • Maps, charts, and forms
  • Product tags or shopping lists

These interactive layers transform your static Canva design into a dynamic, engaging experience, perfect for marketing materials, catalogs, or digital magazines.

    Flipbooks improve your entire process –  from design to distribution

    Now that you know how to convert a Canva design into a flipbook, let’s look at how a flipbook platform like Flipsnack doesn’t just add features; it helps improve your workflow. Instead of juggling multiple tools for design, distribution, security, and analytics, you can manage everything in one place.

    1. Increase engagement through interactive elements

    The first advantage I will tackle is more engagement from your audience with the help of interactive elements. Think about videos, hyperlinks for extra information or go-to buttons for easier navigation. There are photo slideshows, interactive maps, and lead forms you can add to your Canva flipbook; the options are endless. The presence of these elements within your design contributes to better engagement from the people who read your digital magazine, browse through your product catalog, or receive the internal company newsletter.

    • Videos: Include YouTube or Vimeo videos, or simply paste the right URL to Flipsnack’s video interaction feature. This allows you to embed rich media content seamlessly within your flipbook animation.
    • Hyperlinks and navigation buttons: Add hyperlinks to your publications for additional information or go-to buttons to make navigation smoother and more intuitive.
    • Photo slideshows:  Insert up to 10 images in a single space-saving gallery. Perfect for showcasing product variations or team event photos.
    • Interactive maps: To add a Google map as an iframe code, you only need to search for the precise location, and then, under the Share button, you’ll find the link for embedding. This interaction is incredibly useful for real estate brochures and listings, making it very easy for prospective buyers to find that property’s location.
    • Lead forms: There is more than one way to use this type of interaction in your marketing strategy. Add the right fields in the context of digital assets (gated content), email newsletters, surveys/quizzes, and lastly for consultations or demos.

    2. Full sharing control for your flipbooks: Public or private

    One of the standout features of interactive PDF flipbooks is their versatile sharing options, catering to both public and private distribution needs.

    Your Canva flipbooks should reach as many people as you want on whatever platform your audience uses the most. And the best part? It takes just one click. Send fully responsive documents to your audience with no design compromises.

    Public sharing

    • Full-view link: Distribute your Canva flipbooks via a full-view link, ensuring a distraction-free and responsive viewing experience on any device.
    • Email: Send catalog offers or monthly updates to your audience via email. Flipsnack allows you to upload up to 1000 addresses at once, making mass communication simple and efficient.
    • Social media: Engage your social media community by offering a preview of your publications through a short GIF or a 20-second MP4 teaser, driving traffic and interest to your full flipbook.

    Private Sharing

    If public sharing isn’t the best fit, you can confidently keep your documents private and hidden from search engines. Secure internal newsletters, financial reports, or onboarding materials with password protection or give employees seamless access through your company’s SSO.

    • Unlisted: Hide private publications from the web with the unlisted option. The only way to access it is by a shared link from you, maintaining a layer of privacy.
    • Password-protection: Easily share the private link with your audience. They’ll be required to type in the password before reading its contents, ensuring that only authorized individuals can access the information.
    • SSO (Single Sign-On): Connect your SSO system to Flipsnack to enforce this level of security on your documents. No outside access is allowed, safeguarding your sensitive content.

    3. Built-in statistics to track performance

    Your internal newsletter deserves to be fully read and acknowledged by the entire company. Access real individual insights with trackable links for each monthly newsletter, sales presentation, or any other Canva flipbook. Flipsnack provides detailed analytics to help you understand your audience’s engagement levels and optimize your content accordingly.

    • Views & impressions – measure how many people saw and interacted with your flipbook.
    • Clicks on interactive elements – understand which videos, links, or CTAs drive engagement.
    • Average time spent – shows how much attention your publication actually gets.
    • Devices used – optimize design for desktop, tablet, or mobile.
    • AI-driven insights – auto-generated reports that interpret results and suggest improvements.
    • Heatmaps – visualize which buttons, links, or videos get the most clicks (Enterprise).
    • Page-level performance – compare engagement across individual pages.
    • Source & device tracking – see where readers come from (direct link, embed, social).
    • Shopping list stats – track product views, orders, and revenue in digital catalogs.
    • Lead capture & form responses – gather leads, quiz answers, or customer feedback directly from flipbooks.

    These features make flipbooks a powerful tool for businesses, offering enhanced engagement, secure sharing options, and insightful analytics to drive better content strategies and audience interaction. Whether you’re creating marketing materials, internal communications, or educational content, flipbooks provide a versatile and effective solution to elevate your business communications.

    Best alternatives to turn Canva designs into flipbooks

    If you’ve created something beautiful in Canva, you’ve likely realized the limitations once it’s time to publish or share your design. Canva is great for creating visuals, but it stops at static PDFs. That’s where flipbook platforms come in.

    Many users begin exploring alternatives like Heyzine, FlippingBook, Publuu, or Simplebooklet to transform their designs into interactive, page-flip experiences. Each tool takes a different approach, but not all offer the same flexibility, interactivity, or professional polish.

    Let’s look at how they compare, and why Flipsnack stands out even without a native Canva integration. It’s the tool that bridges the gap between design and distribution, giving you full creative control, analytics, and security in one place.

    FeatureFlipsnackHeyzineFlippingBookPubluuSimplebooklet
    Design editorBuilt-in Design Studio with templates, brand kits, and collaborative editingNone – upload PDFs onlyNone – PDF upload onlyNone – PDF upload onlyBasic layouts + Canva/Adobe integrations
    Flipbook creationDesign from scratch or upload PDFsPDF → flipbookPDF → flipbookPDF → flipbookPDF → flipbook
    Interactive elementsVideos, links, slideshows, lead forms, maps, shopping listsBasic (links, videos)Videos, links, forms, quizzesLinks, videos, GIFs, lead formsBasic animations, links, and forms
    Analytics & trackingAdvanced analytics (views, clicks, time spent, device data) + Google AnalyticsBasic views + simple statsEngagement & geo analyticsAdvanced stats + Google AnalyticsPage-level reports (Business tier)
    Sharing optionsPublic & private links, password protection, unlisted, SSO, embed, domain restrictionPublic or password-protected linksPublic and password-protected embedsPublic links, password protectionPublic links, domain restriction
    Branding controlFull white-label, custom domains, branded dashboards, bookshelves, locked templates, and brand kit Basic white branding (Premium only)Full white-label, custom domains, branded dashboards, and bookshelvesCustom domains on higher tiersCustom domains (Pro+), limited white-label
    Best forEnterprise companies, secure, interactive publications with analytics and design flexibilitySimple flipbook conversionCorporate reports & sales materialsQuick PDF sharingSmall teams using Canva or Adobe Express


    Frequently asked questions about Canva flipbooks

    Can Canva do a flipbook?

    Canva is an excellent design tool, but it doesn’t have a native flipbook feature. You can design brochures, catalogs, or presentations in Canva, but the result is a static PDF. To make a true flipbook with page-turning effects, interactivity, and analytics, you’ll need to export your Canva design and upload it to a flipbook maker like Flipsnack.

    How to create a digital flipbook in Canva?

    Creating a digital flipbook in Canva is simple, but it’s important to understand that Canva itself doesn’t offer a true flipbook experience; it only lets you design and export your pages. The interactive, page-flip effect and analytics come later when you upload your design to a flipbook platform like Flipsnack.

    How do you save a Canva as a flipbook?

    Saving a Canva (file) as a flipbook requires a couple of simple steps with the right tool.
    First, create your Canva design, then save it as a PDF (the standard version). Then, go to your Flipsnack account and upload your Canva PDF and watch it transform into a digital flipbook.

    What’s the difference between a Canva flipbook and a Flipsnack flipbook?

    A “Canva flipbook” is usually just a Canva design saved as a PDF and presented in a page-flip viewer. It looks like a flipbook but has no interactivity, no analytics, and no advanced sharing options. A Flipsnack flipbook, on the other hand, goes further: you can embed videos, links, slideshows, lead forms, and track exactly how readers interact with your content. Flipsnack also gives you private sharing, password protection, and full branding control, things that Canva alone doesn’t provide.

    Can I add videos and links to a Canva flipbook?

    Not directly. Canva lets you add design elements, but once exported as a PDF, those elements are static. With Flipsnack, you can upload your Canva PDF and add interactive features like videos, clickable links, navigation buttons, maps, and lead forms,  turning your static design into a fully interactive experience.

    Final thoughts on Canva flipbooks

    In conclusion, the integration of Canva and Flipsnack offers an unparalleled solution for creating and distributing digital flipbooks that can significantly enhance your business communications. Canva’s user-friendly platform allows even novice designers to produce professional-quality materials quickly, while Flipsnack adds critical features like interactivity, secure sharing options, and detailed analytics. This powerful combination ensures that your promotional materials, internal newsletters, catalogs, and more are not only visually appealing but also engaging and trackable.

    Whether you’re creating marketing materials, training documents, or interactive product catalogs, this workflow helps you stand out in a scroll-heavy digital world. Try Flipsnack today and turn your Canva designs into next-level flipbooks.

    The benefits of using flipbooks extend beyond aesthetics; they offer practical advantages that can drive engagement and provide valuable insights into your audience’s behavior. Whether you need to share documents publicly or keep them private, flipbooks give you full control over distribution and access.

    Additionally, the ability to incorporate interactive elements such as videos, slideshows, and lead forms can transform static documents into dynamic experiences that capture and retain the attention of your readers. By using the strengths of Canva and Flipsnack, businesses can create impactful and secure digital publications that stand out in today’s competitive landscape.

    Keep the thread going

    Simina Gruie

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