How to organize design assets

Design & Visuals, Files & Documents

Jump to tools ↓

Jump to tool:

Canva

Webflow

🏆 Recommended for this task

🏆 Recommended

Canva

Best for: Designers, marketers, and teams who need an integrated platform for creating visuals, videos, and brand assets.

Free Plan Available$120 / year

How to in Canva

Open Projects: From the Canva Home screen, click Projects in the left sidebar to access folders.
View Folders: In the Projects panel, click the Folders tab to see all folders you have created.
Create a Folder: In the top-right corner, click Add New > Folder to create a new folder. Name it after the content category (e.g., Social Media).
Create Subfolders: Inside an existing folder, click Add New > Folder to create subfolders like Instagram, Facebook, etc.
Move Items via Drag: From the Projects view, drag assets or designs into the target folder to relocate them quickly.
Move from Asset Menu: In Projects or the design editor, select an asset, click the three-dots icon, choose Move To Folder, and pick the destination folder.
Move a Design to a Folder: With a design open, go to File > Move To Folder, then select or create the target folder.
Access Folder Contents Inside a Design: In the design editor, open Projects (left panel) to browse folders and load assets directly into your canvas.
Use Projects for Quick Asset Access: From the left Projects panel, type the folder name in the search bar to locate it fast, then click to view its contents.
Store Uploads Efficiently: After uploading files in Canva, go to Uploads, select items, and use Move To Folder to place them in the right folder.
Organize Elements and Assets: Use folders to separate templates, images, animations, and frames so you can reuse them without hunting.
Starred for Quick Access: Star items you reuse often so they appear under Starred for even faster retrieval.
Maintain Folder Structure: Regularly audit and rename or reorganize folders to reflect current content categories and workflows.

Try Canva Tool details

This link may be an affiliate link. If you sign up through it, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.

Alternatives

Webflow

Best for: Helps cross-functional teams coordinate content creation and project work. Ideal for teams needing a centralized workspace for writing, media, and design tasks.

Paid Required$14 / month

How to in Webflow

Open Assets Panel: In the left toolbar, click the Assets icon to open the panel.
Review File Types: Familiarize yourself with supported assets: images, documents, audio, and animations.
Upload Assets: Click the cloud upload icon, or drag files into the panel to add images, documents, audio, and animations.
Rename Assets: Hover the asset, click the more options icon, then Edit Settings. Change the Name, and click Save.
Create Folders: Click New Folder in the Assets panel. Name the folder and press Create. Optionally choose a parent for nesting.
Move Assets to Folders: Drag assets into a folder or use Move to… to relocate them.
Add Alt Text: Hover the asset, More Options > Edit Settings, enter Descriptive Alt Text, and Save. If decorative, mark as Decorative.
Compress Images: Select an image, More Options > Compress, choose AVIF or WebP, then Compress. Repeat for bulk as needed.
Replace Assets: Hover the asset, More Options > Replace, select the new file, then Open. Note: the asset URL will change.
Duplicate Library Asset: For a shared Library asset, hover the asset, More Options > Duplicate to create a local copy.
Copy Link / Preview: Hover the asset, More Options > Copy Link to copy the public URL, or Open Link to preview in a new tab.
Search, Filter, and Sort: Use Filter to limit by type or folder, Search to locate by name, and Sort by Newest, Oldest, A-Z, or Z-A.
Use On Canvas: Drag image or animation onto the canvas to create an image element or Lottie/Rive element.
Background Images: Select an element, go to the Style panel, and set a background image from Assets.

Tool details

Quick Comparison

Tool	Free Plan?	Min Price
Canva	Yes	$120 / year
Webflow	No	$14 / month

Which tool should you choose?

Canva

Canva's built-in folder system is the fastest path to a clean, repeatable design workflow. It keeps assets, templates, and uploads organized for quick retrieval and reuse, saving you time and keeping your branding consistent across projects.

Webflow

Webflow's Assets panel centralizes all assets, allowing you to upload, rename, replace, and link items from one place. It enables quick previews, drag-and-drop organization with folders, and sharing via Libraries, keeping your design system consistent and speeding up asset reuse across pages.