Canvas Guides (English)Canvas GuidesCanvas Admin GuideSettingsHow do I manage new features for an account?

How do I manage new features for an account?

Canvas is continually creating new features to improve your experience. This lesson gives an overview of how to manage feature options for an entire account. Features may be able to be activated on account, sub-account, course, and user levels. On the course level, you can give instructors the option to implement features on a course-by-course basis. Instructors can view features you've enabled in the Feature Options tab in Course Settings. Admins and instructors have no control over user-level features.

By default, most feature options are set to Off and Unlocked, which means they are visible at the course level but not turned on. However, some features default to On, and others will only appear after they are enabled by your Customer Success Manager. To view specific feature options available in Canvas, visit the current account features lesson.

Notes:

  • Feature option settings are never copied from production and always retain their default settings. Feature options must be managed individually in the test and beta environments.
  • Some feature options may not be available in sub-accounts and Free-for-Teacher accounts. For more information about available feature options in Free-for-Teacher accounts, please view the Canvas Account Comparisons PDF.
  • Sub-accounts can only manage unlocked account-level features. Free-for-Teacher accounts cannot manage account-level features.

Open Account

Open Account

In Global Navigation, click the Admin link [1], then click the name of the account [2].

Open Settings

Open Settings

In Account Navigation, click the Settings link.

Open Feature Options Tab

Open Feature Options Tab

Click the Feature Options tab.

View Feature Options

View Feature Options

Available features will appear in the Feature Options tab. Some new features may need to be enabled by your Customer Success Manager.

Filter Feature Options

Filter Feature Options

To filter by all features, enabled features or disabled features, click the Filter drop-down menu.

Search Feature Options

Search Feature Options

To search for a feature option, type a keyword in the Search field.

View Feature Hierarchy

View Feature Hierarchy

Once features are available, they will be listed by Account [1] or Course [2], depending on the feature's hierarchical level.

Each feature includes a feature description. To expand the feature box and display the description, click the arrow icon [3].

View Feature Tags

View Feature Tags

Feature tags help identify the state of each feature. A feature with no label means the feature is stable and ready for use in your production environment [1].

Features may also include a Feature Preview tag [2], which means the feature is in active development. You can opt-in to the feature and join the Community user group to help improve the feature through direct feedback. Access to the user group is noted in the description of the feature option.

View Feature States

View Feature States

As an account level admin, you can choose to enable or disable features by default in the account and all subaccounts.

If a feature can be edited at the sub-account or course level, you can choose to lock or allow editing of the default feature state at the sub-account or course level.

Manage Default Feature State

Manage Default Feature State

As an account level admin, you can choose to enable or disable features by default for the account and all subaccounts.

To enable or disable a feature, click the feature's State icon [1].

To enable the feature by default for the account and all subaccounts, click the Enabled option [2].

To disable the feature by default for the account and all subaccounts, click the Disabled option [3].

Note: Depending on feature functionality, when you enable a feature, Canvas may display a warning message asking to confirm your option, as some account features cannot be turned off once they are enabled.

View Default Feature State

View Default Feature State

Features enabled by default display the Enabled icon [1].

Features disabled by default display the Disabled icon [2].

Allow and Lock Features

Allow and Lock Features

Some features can be managed at the sub-account or course levels. As an account admin, you can choose to lock or allow those features to be edited at the sub-account or course levels.  

To allow or disallow a feature's default state to be edited at the sub-account or course levels, click the feature's State icon [1].

To lock the default feature state so it cannot be edited at the sub-account or course level, select the Lock option [2].

To allow a feature's default state to be edited at the sub-account or course level, uncheck the Lock option.

Notes:  

  • Features that can only be managed at the account level will not display a locked or unlocked icon [3]. Those features' default states are set for the account and all subaccount.
  • Depending on feature functionality, when you unlock a feature state, Canvas may display a warning message asking to confirm your option, as some account features cannot be turned off once they are enabled.

View Allowed and Locked Features

View Allowed and Locked Features

Locked features display the Locked icon [1].

Allowed featured display the Unlocked icon [2].

View Feature State Tooltips

View Feature State Tooltips

To view a more detailed description of the state of the feature preview, hover over the feature preview state icon. A tooltip explains the current state of the feature preview. The tooltip will display the following descriptions based on the feature preview state:

Account Feature Previews:

  • State: Enabled and Unlocked | Tooltip: Allowed for subaccounts/courses, default on
  • State: Enabled and Locked | Tooltip: Enabled for all subaccounts/courses
  • State: Disabled and Unlocked | Tooltip: Allowed for subaccounts/courses, default off
  • State: Disabled and Locked | Tooltip: Disabled for all subaccounts/courses

Course Feature Previews

  • State: Enabled and Unlocked | Tooltip: Optional in course, default on
  • State: Disabled and Unlocked | Tooltip: Optional in course, default off