Guide to ElevenLabs text to speech with Canva

A captivating video or project deserves an equally compelling voiceover. Learn how to create realistic, high-quality voiceovers with ElevenLabs and incorporate them into your Canva videos and projects. 

• The success of your video depends not only on the visuals but also on the quality and authenticity of the narrator.
• Combining design tools like Canva with ElevenLabs voiceovers is an excellent choice for individuals looking to generate compelling videos. 
• Creators can choose from a wide range of narrators and features to generate professional voiceovers for Canva projects in just a few minutes.

The power of authentic narration

Creating captivating visual content has become essential for many in our increasingly digital world. Whether you’re a social media content creator or part of a production team, versatile visual creation tools like Canva are a lifesaver in more ways than one. 

However, when it comes to generating engaging video content, there’s one pesky problem—finding the right narrator to bring your vision to life. 

Although Canva includes a built-in text-to-speech (TTS) tool, its features often feel limited, especially when an authentic and engaging voiceover is required. In addition, many creators end up using the same default TTS voice, making it challenging to craft content that stands out. 

This is where natural-sounding text-to-speech tools, like the ElevenLabs TTS, step in to offer the perfect solution. With just a few clicks, you can create a captivating, natural-sounding voiceover for any Canva video, breathing life into your project without any technical headaches.

The best part? No technical knowledge or sound production skills are required—only your laptop, script, and an internet connection. 

Ready to discover how? Let’s dive in!

What is text to speech software?

Text-to-speech software, often referred to as TTS, converts written text into spoken words. Initially designed to help people with visual impairments or learning disabilities, TTS tools have evolved into multi-faceted solutions over time. 

Nowadays, text to speech software is accessible to all and widely used for a diverse range of creative goals, including audiobook narration, voiceovers, and entertainment.

The growing popularity of TTS software lies in its versatility. These tools come with various customizable settings, from voice selection and narration style to speed and tone. You can use them to read books and PDFs, narrate presentations, or generate professional-sounding voiceovers for videos. 

In recent years, predominantly thanks to AI, TTS tools have become increasingly human-like, moving far beyond the robotic voices we remember from the 2000s and early 2010s.

Popular applications of TTS tools 

As text to speech tools have advanced and improved, their range of applications has also widened over the years. 

Below are some of the most widespread applications of modern text to speech tools:

Converting written material into speech: From e-books to PDFs and website content, TTS tools make reading more accessible. Individuals looking to rest their eyes, multitask, or even improve concentration can choose to have any text read to them instead. 

Voiceover artistry: Instead of finding the perfect voiceover artist, media companies and production teams can use TTS to generate custom, authentic-sounding voiceovers. Some professional voiceover artists also use TTS by allowing their voices to be cloned for passive income.

Audiobook narration: With advanced TTS tools becoming widely accessible, creating audiobooks has never been easier. Writers and publishers can quickly generate high-quality, realistic audio versions of their work without finding a narrator or setting up a recording studio.

Digital content production: TTS is essential in content creation. Platforms like Canva are fantastic for creating visuals, but the right voiceover can take a video or presentation to the next level. Combining Canva’s visual tools with advanced TTS software like ElevenLabs makes producing professional-looking videos with compelling narration easy, even for users with no technical background. 

ElevenLabs: text to speech meets powerful AI

While there are plenty of TTS options out there, let’s be honest—not all of them sound great. The quality of narration is crucial, given that no one wants to listen to a voiceover that sounds flat or robotic. When choosing a TTS tool to narrate your Canva video, AI-powered platforms like ElevenLabs are an excellent place to start.

ElevenLabs offers a range of natural-sounding voices with customization options that allow you to tailor the narration to your specific needs. 

What makes ElevenLabs particularly useful is how easy it is to use. You don’t need a background in sound production or technical skills to generate a high-quality voiceover; you only need a script and an internet connection. 

How to use ElevenLabs TTS with Canva

Canva is an unmatched tool for digital creators. It’s intuitive, offers a vast library of templates, and allows endless customization. 

Whether you’re designing a presentation, a social media post, or a promotional video, Canva is one of the best options on the market. But when it comes to voiceovers, Canva’s built-in TTS features can feel limiting.

Fortunately, you can easily combine Canva’s visual capabilities with ElevenLabs’ TTS to create videos and visuals that stand out. Here’s how:

Step 1: Prepare and refine your script

First things first: behind every captivating voiceover, there’s an equally compelling and well-written script. 

Before you convert text into speech, you need to make sure your script is ready to go. This might seem like an obvious step, but it’s important to spend time refining your script before you convert it into audio. 

Ensure it aligns with your video’s pacing and length, and proofread it thoroughly to catch any errors.

Consider refining your script using tools like Grammarly for more precision. Reading your script out loud can also help you identify awkward phrases or unnecessary repetition.

Step 2: Sign in to ElevenLabs

If you haven’t already, head over to the ElevenLabs website and sign up for an account or log in. The platform offers a range of pricing plans, including free and paid options, depending on the features you need.

Step 3: Generate your voiceover

Once you’re logged in, paste your script into the TTS tool. 

Take a moment to choose the right voice for your project—ElevenLabs offers a variety of narrators, each with a distinct sound and narration style. 

If you want to personalize your project further, you can use the Voice Cloning tool to narrate in your own voice.

After choosing your settings, click “Generate speech” and wait for your audio file to be processed. Once the audio is ready, you can preview it and download it if you like the result (or continue refining it if you don’t). 

Step 4: Upload the audio to Canva

Next, log in to Canva and open the project where you want to add the voiceover. Click the “Uploads” button on the left-hand toolbar and upload your ElevenLabs-generated audio file.

Step 5: Add your audio to the project

Once your audio is uploaded, drag the file from the uploads section directly into your project. 

Step 6: Make any necessary adjustments

You’ll need to sync the audio with your video to create a polished final product. Adjust the volume, trim sections, and ensure the voiceover aligns perfectly with your video’s flow.

Step 7: Finalize and export your project

Once everything looks and sounds good, you’re ready to export your project. Canva allows you to download the video with the voiceover embedded, making it easy to share your finished work across different platforms.

Congratulations! You’ve successfully created a professional project with stunning visuals and engaging narration.

Final thoughts

In today’s competitive digital landscape, the quality and authenticity of your voiceover can significantly impact your project’s success. While Canva’s built-in TTS tool offers basic functionality, many users find that it lacks variety and natural-sounding audio.

This is where AI-powered tools like ElevenLabs come in handy. With ElevenLabs, you can quickly generate realistic, customizable voiceovers that match your project’s tone and style, taking your Canva projects to the next level. By combining Canva’s versatile features with ElevenLab's top-tier TTS options, you’ll create content that looks great and sounds fantastic.