How to make a mockup in Canva, and when a 3D mockup works better

ls.graphicsNovember 8, 20264 min read

To make a mockup in Canva, open your design, click Elements, search the Mockups category, pick a mockup and drag your image into it. You can also select a photo, click Edit and choose Mockups under Apps. For 3D-rendered scenes, a layered PSD or a video, download the Canva design as a PNG and use a mockup generator.

How do I make a mockup in Canva, step by step?

Canva keeps its mockups in an app called Mockups, which you reach from the editor's side panel. According to Canva's Help Center (November 2026), the steps are:

Open a design and click Elements in the side panel.
Click the search bar and select the Mockups category.
Pick a mockup and drag an image into it, from the Photos tab or your own file from the Uploads tab.
Click the mockup to reposition or crop the image, then click Apply changes.

The same app opens from a photo: select it, click Edit and choose Mockups under Apps. Searching "Mockups" in the Apps tab works too.

Can I turn my own photo into a Canva mockup?

Yes, on paid plans. Canva's custom mockup templates analyze a photo you upload, find a flat surface such as a mug or a screen, and let you drop a design onto it. The Help Center lists the feature for Pro, Teams, Enterprise, Education and Nonprofit subscriptions.

Canva's own advice is to use clear, high-resolution photos with simple, flat surfaces and a plain background; busy photos give a less convincing result. Paid photos from Canva's library are not supported for this, so the photo has to be yours or a free one.

When does a 3D mockup work better than a Canva mockup?

A 3D-rendered mockup is the better choice when the picture has to look like a finished product shot: a device you can turn to any angle, light you can set, or a file you will keep editing. A Canva mockup is quickest when the design already lives in Canva and the image is for a social post.

You need the source file. The ls.graphics mockup generator exports a layered PSD for Photoshop, Photopea and Affinity Designer, or an SVG for Figma, as well as PNG.
You want to adjust the look. The editor has curves, color balance, hue and saturation, focus blur and backdrop colors or gradients.
You need motion. Live Mockups lets you turn a 3D device and set the light, and the export includes WebM with a transparent background.
You work in Figma. The Mockup plugin for Figma places a selected frame on a device without leaving the file.

A side-by-side list of what each tool offers is on Canva mockups alternative.

iPhone 17 Pro mockup lying at an angle between two metal edges on a gray background, a 3D render

How do I put a Canva design on a 3D mockup?

Download the design from Canva as a PNG, open a scene in an online mockup generator and drop the file on the screen, shirt or page. The editor fits it to the surface, then you adjust it and export.

In Canva, click Share, then Download, and choose PNG at the largest size your plan allows.
Open a scene that matches the product, for example the t-shirt mockups for a print or a phone scene for an app screen.
Click the + on the surface and upload the PNG. Check the proportions shown in the prompt; a design made at the same aspect ratio fits without cropping.
Tune the light and color if needed, then export a PNG or a layered PSD.

The first time through, create your first mockup shows each step with screenshots.

White t-shirt on a light gray background with a large blocky multicolor pattern printed across the chest, a 3D render

Canva mockup examples on 3D scenes

Free scenes that take a design exported from Canva:

White t-shirt, for a print or a logo on the chest.
iPhone 17 Pro, for an app screen or a story design.
Hanging poster, for an event or a print poster.
Three business cards, for a card design in front and back views.
Tote bag, for merch and brand prints.

All free scenes are in free mockups.

FAQ

Is the Canva mockup generator free?

Canva's Help Center lists custom mockup templates, made from your own photo, for paid plans only. It does not say which ready-made mockups are free, so check the one you pick in the editor.