# How to turn on notifications in Canva on Mac: macOS System Settings, step by step

> How to turn on notifications in Canva on Mac: open System Settings, select Canva, allow alerts. Browser and Focus fixes included.

URL: https://www.lazur.app/how-to/turn-on-notifications-in-canva
Updated: 2026-11-08

To turn on Canva notifications on a Mac, open Apple menu > System Settings > Notifications, select Canva under Application Notifications, and turn on Allow notifications. Canva's desktop app sends its alerts through macOS, so the switch lives in System Settings, not inside Canva.

## Quick answer

- Open Apple menu > System Settings > Notifications on your Mac.
- Under Application Notifications, select Canva and turn on Allow notifications.
- Set Alert Style, Badge, Play sound and Show previews to match how you want alerts to look.
- Using Canva in Chrome? Check canva.com under Site Settings > Notifications in Chrome.
- Still silent? Check Focus first, then update Canva and macOS.

Applies to: Canva desktop app for Mac, and Canva in Chrome, on macOS with System Settings. Time: 5 min. Difficulty: Easy.

## What you need

- Canva desktop app installed on your Mac
- macOS System Settings, as described in Apple's macOS 27 guide

## How to Turn on Canva notifications on a Mac in Canva on a Mac

1. **Open System Settings.** (Apple menu > System Settings) Click the Apple menu in the top-left corner of your screen, then choose System Settings. On older macOS versions, the same area may be called System Preferences. Tip: Canva's older help wording says System Preferences.
2. **Open the Notifications pane.** (System Settings > Notifications) In the sidebar, click Notifications. You will see a list of apps that can send alerts.
3. **Select Canva.** (Application Notifications > Canva) Scroll to Application Notifications and select Canva. If Canva is not listed, open the Canva desktop app and check again. Tip: If it still does not appear, update Canva, then check the list again.
4. **Turn on Allow notifications.** (Canva > Allow notifications) Switch on Allow notifications. This is the main switch for Canva alerts. The other options do nothing while it is off.
5. **Choose the alert style.** (Canva > Alert Style) Set Alert Style to the look you want. Apple's guide lists this option beside the others, so compare them before you choose.
6. **Set sound, badge, and previews.** (Canva > Show previews) Turn on Play sound and Badge if you want them. Set Show previews to Always if you want alert text visible on screen. Tip: MakeUseOf advises setting Show previews to Always.
7. **Test one alert.** Close System Settings and trigger an alert you expect from Canva. If nothing appears, work through the troubleshooting list on this page. Tip: Keep Canva open during the test, since MakeUseOf advises keeping important apps running.

Many people look for this switch inside Canva first. It isn't there. Canva's desktop app sends its alerts through macOS, so the controls live in System Settings. That one screen decides whether Canva can alert you, how alerts look, and whether they make a sound. The change itself takes a few minutes.

## Turn on Canva notifications in System Settings

Follow the steps in order. The names below come from Apple's guide for macOS 27. Older versions of macOS can label things differently, so match the words on your screen to the words here. Canva's older wording says System Preferences instead of System Settings, and the switch is the same.

> **Older menu name:** A third-party Canva guide by Lilach Bullock quotes the older steps this way: open System Preferences, go to Notifications, select Canva and turn it on. The steps match what you will do here, with a newer label.

## What each notification setting controls

Apple's guide lists these options for each app. Read them once before you change anything. Each one does a different job. Change them one at a time, so you know which change helped.

| Setting | What it controls |
| --- | --- |
| Allow notifications | Turns all Canva alerts on or off. |
| Alert Style | Chooses how alerts appear on screen. |
| Critical and time-sensitive alerts | Controls whether Canva can send critical or time-sensitive alerts. |
| Badge | Shows a count on the Canva app icon. |
| Play sound | Adds a sound to each alert. |
| Show previews | Decides whether alert text appears. Set it to Always to see it. |
| Notification grouping | Groups alerts from Canva together. |

_Options named in Apple's macOS 27 guide. Labels may differ on older macOS versions._

Turn on Allow notifications first, then add the rest. For a first test, leave Play sound and Badge on, so you can tell when an alert arrives. Turn them off later if they get in the way.

![Person working at a Mac on a desk, checking how to turn on notifications in Canva](https://images.lazur.app/content-images/howto/turn-on-notifications-in-canva/how-to-turn-on-notifications-in-canva-1-b9f3f8.jpg)

## Turn on notifications for Canva in Chrome

If you use Canva in a browser, the System Settings switch above does not decide whether alerts arrive. Chrome's site permission does. Google's help page covers that setting, and it does not mention macOS settings at all.

- Open Chrome, click More, then choose Settings.
- Go to Privacy and security > Site Settings > Notifications.
- Under Allowed, check that canva.com is listed. A site under Not allowed gets no alerts.
- Or open canva.com, click View site information, and turn on Notifications.

This guide checked only Chrome's steps. If you use Safari or another browser, check that browser's own help pages before you change anything.

## Why Canva alerts still don't show up

Start with Focus. According to MakeUseOf, Focus on Mac temporarily dismisses all notifications, including messages and calls. A Focus can hide Canva alerts even when Canva is allowed in System Settings. Check that first.

![Man at a laptop in an office, reviewing Focus settings that can hide Canva alerts](https://images.lazur.app/content-images/howto/turn-on-notifications-in-canva/how-to-turn-on-notifications-in-canva-2-05d084.jpg)

1. Turn off Do Not Disturb, or add Canva under Allowed Apps in your Focus.
2. If that Focus came from your iPhone or iPad, turn off Share Across Devices.
3. Set Show previews to Always for Canva.
4. Keep Canva open while you wait for alerts. MakeUseOf advises keeping important apps running.
5. Update macOS and Canva. Restart the Mac only as a last resort.

Work through these in order and test after each change. If one change fixes the problem, you do not need the rest. Test with an alert you expect, not by waiting for one at random. The MakeUseOf guide does not cover display mirroring or Low Power Mode, so check those yourself if you use them.

## Update Canva and macOS before changing more settings

Old app versions cause odd behavior. Uptodown, a third-party download site, lists Canva for Mac 1.126.2 as the latest build. The build is dated Oct 21, 2026, and the download is 223.17 MB. Compare that with the version on your Mac, and update if yours is behind.

A third-party guide also reports that Canva may disable desktop app versions older than six months. That describes Canva's policy secondhand, so treat it as a reason to update, not as Canva's exact rule.

## A worked example for a busy week

Say you run a small design business from a Mac, and you are waiting on a client to reply to a flyer. You want Canva to tell you the moment that happens. Start in System Settings, because that layer decides whether any alert reaches you at all.

Next, check Focus. If a work Focus is on during the day, Canva alerts may stop even with the switch on. Add Canva under Allowed Apps, or turn the Focus off while you wait. Then set Show previews to Always, so the first line of a message shows on screen.

Test it the same afternoon. Ask someone to send you something from Canva, then watch the screen. If nothing appears, go back to the Focus list before you touch anything else.

## Common mistakes that waste time

- Searching for the switch inside Canva's own settings. It lives in macOS System Settings.
- Turning on Allow notifications, then leaving Focus on.
- Checking only the System Settings switch while you use Canva in Chrome.
- Putting canva.com under Not allowed in Chrome, then forgetting about it.
- Reinstalling Canva before checking Focus and Show previews.

Most of these are settings, not bugs. Check the simple ones first. A reinstall takes longer than checking Focus, and it will not change a Focus setting.

## When to reset Canva data on a Mac

A third-party guide suggests one last step on the Mac. It says to delete Canva-related folders in ~/Library while keeping the app, then restart. The same guide says Canva reports that no designs are lost in a reset. That guide has no notification fixes, so a reset may not fix alerts at all.

> **Check before you delete:** Look at canva.com/help before you delete anything in ~/Library. Keep copies of any design you cannot download again.

## How Lazur helps while you work through this

Lazur is a voice assistant that lives in the notch on your Mac. Hold Option and Command, then ask where the Allow notifications switch is. Lazur draws a circle and a label around it on your screen. Ask how to reach a menu, and Lazur guides you one click at a time, waiting for each click.

Lazur does not click for you. It does not operate System Settings or Canva. You make each click, and Lazur answers out loud while it points.

If Canva is your daily tool, see the [Canva page for Mac](https://www.lazur.app/apps/canva) for what Lazur can explain and point at inside the app.

## Check that Canva alerts work

![Designer working on a laptop, testing Canva alerts after changing notification settings on a Mac](https://images.lazur.app/content-images/howto/turn-on-notifications-in-canva/how-to-turn-on-notifications-in-canva-3-345e02.jpg)

Once the switches look right, trigger an alert you expect. Check that the alert style matches your choice, and that the sound and badge behave the way you set them. If the alert shows no text, open Canva's entry again and check Show previews.

Recheck these settings after a big macOS update or after you change Focus. A small change to Focus can hide alerts again without you noticing.

## What Lazur can see and where to get it

Lazur listens and looks at your screen only while you hold the shortcut. Audio and the screenshot go to AI providers so they can answer you. They are not stored, and content is never used to train AI models.

Lazur runs on macOS, on Apple silicon or Intel Macs. Download it from the [download page](https://www.lazur.app/download), then compare plans on the [pricing page](https://www.lazur.app/pricing).

## If it does not work

- **Canva never shows an alert** Open System Settings > Notifications > Canva and confirm Allow notifications is on. Then check Focus, because it can dismiss every alert.
- **Focus hides every alert** Turn off Do Not Disturb or add Canva under Allowed Apps. If the Focus came from iPhone or iPad, turn off Share Across Devices.
- **Alerts show without text** Open Canva's entry in Notifications and set Show previews to Always.
- **Canva in Chrome gives no alerts** Open More > Settings > Privacy and security > Site Settings > Notifications. Make sure canva.com is not under Not allowed.
- **Designs will not open or alerts still fail after updates** Update Canva and macOS, then restart. As a last resort, read the reset section above and check canva.com/help first.

## With Lazur

Lazur is a voice assistant for the Mac that lives in the notch. Hold ⌥ ⌘ and ask; it sees your screen, answers out loud, points at buttons and walks you through apps. Hold fn to dictate. Free for 3 days, then $18/month: https://www.lazur.app/download

- “Where is the Allow notifications switch for Canva?”: Lazur circles the Allow notifications switch on your screen and labels it. You make the click. (Points at it)

## FAQ

### Why can't I find the Canva notification switch inside Canva?

Canva's desktop app sends its alerts through macOS, so the on and off switch lives in System Settings > Notifications. Canva's own help center would not load while this guide was checked, so confirm the labels there if yours look different.

### Is there a keyboard shortcut to turn on Canva notifications on a Mac?

This guide did not find a keyboard shortcut for this task, so use System Settings with the steps above. If you want a voice guide to the switch, hold Option and Command and ask Lazur where it is.

### Why does Canva stay silent after I turn notifications on?

Check Focus first. A Focus can dismiss all notifications, including messages and calls. Turn off Do Not Disturb or add Canva under Allowed Apps, then test again.

### Do I need to change anything for Canva in a browser?

Yes, if you use Canva in a browser. Chrome's site permission controls it, under More > Settings > Privacy and security > Site Settings > Notifications. Chrome's help page covers that setting and does not mention macOS.

### What macOS version do I need for these steps?

Apple's guide covers macOS 27, and menu names can differ on other versions. The minimum macOS version for Canva is unverified because third-party listings disagree, so check Canva's own requirements before you install.

### Will resetting Canva delete my designs?

A third-party guide quotes Canva as saying no designs are lost in a reset. Still, check canva.com/help before you delete anything in ~/Library, and keep copies of designs you cannot download again.

## Sources

1. [Change notification settings on Mac (macOS 27)](https://support.apple.com/guide/mac-help/change-notification-settings-mh40583/mac), Apple Support, checked 2026-11-09
2. [Use notifications to get alerts (Chrome Help)](https://support.google.com/chrome/answer/3220216?hl=en), Google, checked 2026-11-09
3. [Canva Desktop App: Download, Updates, Tabs and Fixes](https://www.lilachbullock.com/canva-desktop-app/), Lilach Bullock (third-party blog), checked 2026-11-09
4. [Canva for Mac download (Uptodown)](https://canva.en.uptodown.com/mac/download), Uptodown (third-party), checked 2026-11-09
5. [Not Getting Notifications on Your Mac? 7 Fixes to Try](https://www.makeuseof.com/fixes-for-mac-not-getting-notifications/), MakeUseOf (third-party), checked 2026-11-09