Recent Updates

  • English is Canvas' language default, but you can choose to view the Canvas interface in another language.

    Note: You have the option to change the language preference for your courses. If one of your courses is set to a different language (most often for a foreign language course), the course language will override the language in your user settings.

  • You may be able to change your password in your profile settings.

    If you do not have access to change your password, your password is controlled through your institution. Contact your institution to learn how to change your password.

    If you can change your password, there are no password reset intervals, so you can change your password as little or as often as you want. However, you can keep strong passwords effective by changing them often. Here are some good password guidelines:

    • Use at least eight characters (the more the better), but most people will find anything more than about 15 characters difficult to remember.
    • Use a random mixture of characters, upper and lower case, numbers, punctuation, spaces and symbols.
    • Don't use a word found in a dictionary, English or foreign.

    Note: If you forget your password, you may be able to reset it. Learn how to reset your password.

  • If your institution has enabled profile pictures, you can add and change profile pictures in your account. If you do not see a placeholder picture in your user settings, your institution has not enabled this feature.

    There are three ways you can select a profile picture to use throughout Canvas:

    • Upload a Picture from your computer
    • Take a Picture using your computer's camera (not supported when using Safari or Internet Explorer)
    • Import from an existing Gravatar account

     

    Tips for profile pictures:

    • Please choose an appropriate picture to represent yourself. Your institution has the right to remove pictures that are not appropriate for a classroom setting.
    • Images should be square in size to prevent your picture from being resized or distorted.
    • Files can be any type (.jpg, .png, .gif) or size as long as you have room in your personal files to store the file. Canvas recommends that your profile picture be as small as possible.
    • Your personal files quota is enforced when uploading a profile picture. If you do not have enough storage space in your personal files, you will not be able to upload your profile picture. Create more space by removing some files in your personal files.
  • If your institution has enabled offline content, you can allow users in your course to download course content as an HTML file in the Modules page. This feature supports courses that use complex HTML or dynamic linking to downloaded files. Users can view the HTML file on a computer any time. Learn how to download your course HTML file.

    Exports are based on modules. To use this feature, you must allow students to view modules in the course, either by displaying the Modules link in Course Navigation or enabling modules as the Course Home Page layout. Even if your course does not include content directly in modules, course content export packages include all course files, pages, and embedded files in other course content as long as the user has permission to view them.

    Exported content does not expire, so please ensure your institution has specific online user agreement guidelines as exported content files cannot be managed by the institution. When exporting content, users are notified that they may not reproduce or communicate any of the content in the course, including files exported from the course, without the prior written permission of their institution.

    Note: If your course does not display the Offline Content option, your institution has not enabled this feature. However, you may be able to allow students to export course content as an ePub file using the ePub Exporting feature option in Course Settings.

  • Updated on: Jul 21, 2021

    How do I set a course format?

    You can set the format for a course in Course Settings. Course format shows whether the course is intended to be an on-campus course, a online course, or a blended course. Blended courses can sometimes be called hybrid courses, but the interpretation can be defined by your institution.

    For admins, currently course format reporting can only be accessed through the Courses API.

  • If your course supports Multiple Grading Periods, you can use grading periods created by your Canvas admin. Grading periods consist of a specific date range that define the grading period, including the close date when you are no longer allowed to edit grades in the grading period. Grading periods may also be weighted.

    However, the dates of each grading period can only be viewed as part of the Grading Schemes page. You may need to view the grading period dates to view how your admin has defined the grading periods.

    You can only edit grades in a current or future grading period. Once the close date for a grading period has passed, you cannot edit grades for the prior grading period. The close date may be the same date as the end date, or may extend past the end date.

  • A grading scheme is a set of criteria that measures varying levels of achievement in a course. Course-level grading schemes are grading schemes that can be defined at both the course level and the assignment level. Without a grading scheme, scores are not measured against any specific standard.

    You can enable a grading scheme created by your institution, or you can add a new grading scheme specific to your course.

    View a video about Grading Schemes.

  • Instructors can hide totals in students' grade summaries. By default, totals are visible to students. For courses using weighted assignment groups, assignment group totals are also hidden from students.

    If your course is using Multiple Grading Periods, this setting restricts students from viewing grades in any grading period, even if the Display Totals for All Grading Periods feature option is enabled.