What To Know
- Using a smaller paper size than the design can result in white borders.
- If you export your design as a PNG file, it may retain a white background that appears as a white border.
- The bleed area extends beyond the print area to ensure that important design elements are not cut off during finishing.
Canva, the popular design platform, is renowned for its user-friendly interface and vast template library. However, users often encounter a puzzling phenomenon: white borders appearing on their printed designs. This blog post delves into the reasons behind this seemingly unwanted addition, providing a comprehensive guide to eliminating or understanding its presence.
Causes of White Borders
The occurrence of white borders can be attributed to several factors:
1. Printer Settings:
Printer settings can play a crucial role in determining the presence of white borders. Ensure that your printer is set to “Borderless Printing” or “Full Bleed Printing” to avoid margins.
2. Image Size and Resolution:
Images used in Canva designs must be of sufficient size and resolution to cover the entire print area. Low-resolution images can result in white borders due to insufficient pixels to fill the space.
3. Design Element Placement:
Objects placed too close to the edges of the design may be cut off during printing. Maintain a safe distance between design elements and the page edges to prevent this issue.
4. Bleed Area:
Canva provides a bleed area that extends beyond the print area. Objects placed within this area are printed without white borders, as the excess is trimmed off during finishing.
5. Printer Paper Size:
The paper size selected for printing must be compatible with the design size. Using a smaller paper size than the design can result in white borders.
6. Print Driver Issues:
Outdated or incompatible print drivers can cause communication errors between Canva and the printer, leading to white borders. Ensure that the latest print drivers are installed.
7. File Format:
Canva designs are typically saved in PDF or PNG format. PDF files support transparent backgrounds, while PNG files have a white background by default. If you export your design as a PNG file, it may retain a white background that appears as a white border.
Eliminating White Borders
To prevent white borders from appearing on your printed designs, follow these steps:
1. Adjust Printer Settings:
Enable borderless or full bleed printing in your printer settings.
2. Increase Image Resolution:
Use high-resolution images that fully cover the print area.
3. Reposition Design Elements:
Move objects away from the edges of the design to ensure they are not cut off during printing.
4. Utilize Bleed Area:
Place important design elements within the bleed area to avoid white borders.
5. Select Compatible Paper Size:
Choose a paper size that is equal to or larger than the design size.
6. Update Print Drivers:
Install the latest print drivers for your printer.
7. Export in PDF Format:
Export your design as a PDF file to avoid white backgrounds from PNG files.
Questions We Hear a Lot
1. Why does my design have a white border even after enabling borderless printing?
- Check the image resolution and ensure it is high enough to cover the print area.
- Reposition design elements to prevent them from being cut off.
- Update your print drivers.
2. How do I remove the white border from a PNG file?
- Export your design as a PDF file instead.
- Use an image editing software to remove the white background from the PNG file.
3. What is the purpose of the bleed area?
- The bleed area extends beyond the print area to ensure that important design elements are not cut off during finishing.
- Objects placed within the bleed area are printed without white borders.
