Qualitative comparison of image embedding models to power a scalable similar-image replacement system for Canva designs.

Canva offers insights into graphic design, visual communication, and creative inspiration, providing articles, tutorials, and design templates to help individuals and businesses create stunning visuals for various purposes. By exploring Canva's curated content, designers and non-designers alike can learn about typography, color theory, and layout principles for crafting compelling designs for social media, marketing materials, presentations, and more. Whether you're designing logos, posters, or infographics, Canva offers resources to unleash your creativity and bring your ideas to life.

Canva Engineering

Canva implemented a scalable similar-image replacement system using reverse image search to maintain their high-quality image library. This involved selecting a model for image embeddings, experimenting with five high-performing models, and ultimately choosing DINOv2 for its superior results in preserving image subjects and background. The new system significantly speeds up image replacement in templates and is now integrated into Canva's Template Assistant, allowing for human review and quality control. Future improvements may include better handling of symbolic and text-heavy images.

Image replacement in Canva designs using reverse image search