Tired of design bottlenecks slowing you down? At Gif.how, we’re all about short video guides that show you how to master powerful software features. Here are 10 incredible tools that feel like magic, transforming the way you create
1. Magic Design – My Personal Brainstorm Buddy
I used to burn an hour sketching thumbnail layouts before opening Canva. Now I type a single line—“bold, Bauhaus-inspired LinkedIn carousel on sustainable packaging”—and Magic Design spits out six concepts before my latte cools. What I love most is how it pulls colors and fonts from my Brand Kit automatically, so every draft already looks “on brand.” I usually click the layout closest to my vision, swap two photos, and ship.
Little trick: Upload a client’s mood-board JPEG as your “prompt image.” Magic Design reverse-engineers the vibe, so your first concepts already feel bespoke.
2. Magic Switch – The Resize Ritual, Now One Click
The days of manually resizing and adjusting every element are over. Magic Switch is a game-changer. Imagine needing to convert a 20-slide pitch deck into Instagram Stories in minutes. One click, and you’ll have instant 9:16 crops with no overlapping text. It even carries over your animations!
3. Magic Edit – Wardrobe Changes for Pixels
Did someone show up in the wrong color on picture day? Magic Edit is your secret weapon. Simply brush over an object, type what you want to change it to (e.g., “navy wool blazer”), and Canva seamlessly blends the new color. It’s like having Photoshop’s Content-Aware Fill with an on-call stylist.
Heads-up: Go slow on detailed backgrounds. If the replacement looks mushy, undo, zoom in, and brush a tighter mask.
4. Magic Eraser – Vanish Unwanted Objects Instantly
Ever nail a product shot, only to spot a stray item in the background? Magic Eraser makes it disappear with two quick swipes. It works best on simple backgrounds like tabletops or solid studio backdrops. For busier scenes, combining it with the classic Background Remover gives you the cleanest edge.
5. Magic Grab – “Scoot Over” Without Reshooting
Finished a shoot and realize your subject needs to shift slightly for perfect text placement? Magic Grab isolates your main object, lets you drag it anywhere, and then intelligently fills in the background. It’s incredibly convincing, especially with blurred lifestyle shots. Now you can shoot a bit wider, knowing you can fine-tune framing later.
6. Magic Animate – Effortless Motion for Your Designs
Motion grabs attention, but creating it can be time-consuming. Magic Animate simplifies everything. Highlight a group of elements, pick a style like “Pop,” “Tectonic,” or “Drift,” and watch Canva automatically choreograph entrances, exits, and easing curves. Export a quick MP4 for social media and impress clients with minimal effort.
7. Magic Expand – Instant “Wide-Screen” Adaptations
Need to adapt your design for Instagram (4:5), YouTube (16:9), or even a billboard (3:1)? Magic Expand is your secret weapon. Simply pull any edge of your canvas and watch Canva intelligently extend the scenery. Simple horizons and studio shots expand flawlessly, saving you countless hours of reshooting.
8. Magic Morph – Typography on Adrenaline
For typography enthusiasts, Magic Morph feels like creative cheating (in the best way!). Highlight text, type “liquid chrome,” and your heading will instantly gleam like a retro sci-fi title. It works on shapes too—imagine turning a flat triangle into a photorealistic golden pyramid for an infographic!
Quick Tip: Keep your prompts under ten words for the best results; overly detailed instructions can sometimes muddy the output.
9. Magic Media – Beyond Stock Photos
When stock photos just don’t cut it—like needing “punk-rock alpaca wearing VR goggles”—Magic Media delivers. Just provide a snappy 15-word prompt, choose “Photorealistic” or “Retro Comic,” and curate from four unique renders. For short video clips (up to 18 seconds), simple compositions like logo fly-ins or looping backgrounds work best.
10. Magic Write – Conquer the Blank Page
Design is half the battle; compelling captions, headlines, and alt text are the other. With /magic write, jot down a thought like “punchy CTA for early-bird webinar,” and get five variations in your brand voice. While it’s always good to fact-check, this tool gets you 90% of the way there for tone and structure.
Ready to Transform Your Design Workflow?
These aren’t just features; they’re your new design superpowers. At gif.how – One minute to learn anything, we believe mastering these tools shouldn’t be complicated. That’s why we’ve created short, easy-to-follow video guides for each one.
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