The Canvas LMS helps teachers to engage their students with video-based learning and collaboration tools. Though specially made for higher education, Canvas LMS can is used to create eLearning modules for businesses and organizations. The tools enable the users to create content such as assignments, quizzes, discussions, and video conferences.

Canvas enhances the learning experience by offering students the ability to access their courses, grades, and educational resources on the go through its website and mobile app. This level of accessibility and flexibility supports modern educational needs, allowing students to engage with their coursework anytime and anywhere.

Canvas Instructure LMS Features

1. Modern, easy-to-use interface: Made to be responsive and accessible, the Canvas interface is easy to navigate on both desktop and mobile devices. It’s user-friendly as you can go through all the options with ease.

 2. Papers and Projects: With the help of Canvas, Papers, and Projects of the teacher or the various papers/projects submitted earlier to students to the institute (or teacher) can also be published and made available to the students undergoing the course.

As these students are registered through the Canvas portal they may be allowed to read and study these materials for their own benefit. Also, this makes it a very good database for storing the projects and papers submitted to the institute or the teacher

3. Track progress: Educators and learners can track progress and completion with an array of options for tracking individual activities or resources at the course level.

Convenient file management: Drag and drop files from cloud storage services including MS OneDrive, Dropbox, and Google Drive.

4. Notifications: When enabled, Canvas students can receive automatic alerts on new assignments and deadlines, and forum posts and also send private messages to one another.

5. Encourage collaboration: Built-in collaborative publishing features foster engagement and encourage

How to Set Up Canvas

Canvas is an open-source LMS, you can use it for free, even if your school isn’t using Canvas. With Canvas Free-for-Teacher, you can create an account and have access to the important features and functionality. So, if you are not using Canvas through your school, you can create your own account.

How to Use Canvas Student

Usually, the Canvas LMS portal connects teachers and students and is used to view grades, manage active enrollments and assignment submissions, share course documents, and facilitate message correspondence between students and teachers but as a student, you need to create an account by using an invitation code sent to you by your teacher.

Thus, if you do not already have a student account in the Canvas, you need to create an account before you can login to the Canvas student portal.

Meanwhile, if you are using Canvas through your school, you may already have an account and only need to accept a course invitation. You’ll receive your login information from your school through email.

You can create a student account when you accept the course invitation if you do not already have one. Here is how to sign up for an account in the student Canvas portal.

Canvas Student Sign Up

To sign up student Canvas account, your teacher will provide you with a join code to link you directly to the course. You’ll receive this code directly from the Canvas email that invites you to join the course, but if you don’t yet have an account, you can set one up for yourself without an email link.

1. To sign up for a student account, open a browser and enter canvas.instructure.com into your browser.

2. Remember you must have a join code from your school to create your account.

3. Click the Need a Canvas Account? link once the page opens.

4. Two options will appear, “Sign Up As a Teacher” and “Sign Up As a Student” click the “I’m a Student” button.

Fill in the following fields:

• Enter the course join code in the Join Code field. This code will be sent to you by your school, the email is different from your email invitation to join the course.
• Enter your name in the following field.
• Enter your username in the Username field.

• Create your password in the Password field.
• Confirm your password by typing and repeating your password in the Confirm Password field.

5. Click the check button to agree to the Canvas terms of use.

6. Complete the Captcha to confirm that you are not a robot (if enabled by your school).

7. Then, click the Start Learning button to complete your sign up.

If you have not received your join code via email and you want to create an account in the Canvas student portal please contact your school for help with your login credentials.

How to Accept Canvas Course Invitations

To join your school’s Canvas course, you will receive an email that contains your school’s Canvas URL including the email address to use for your login.

1. In order to accept the course invitation, click the Get Started button.

2. Canvas will redirect you to your course and request you to accept the enrollment. Click the “Accept” button.

3. If you do not have an account, you’ll be asked to sign up. But if you already have a Canvas account, you only need to click the “I Have a Canvas Account” button. You’ll be taken to the Canvas student login page where you enter your username and password.

Canvas Code

A Canvas code is a unique series of letters and numbers that identifies a particular course. By entering this code into the Canvas website or app, a student can enroll themself in the course with ease.

As a teacher, once you have your class code, share it with your students so they can enroll in your course.

How to Get Canvas Invitation Code

Your teacher will provide you with a join code to link you directly to the course through your email. This code will be sent to you differently from the Canvas email that invites you to join the course. Use the code to login and join the course.

Canvas Student App

The Canvas Student App is created to be used on a mobile phone. You can use a mobile browser when an action in the app links directly to the browser, such as when a student takes certain types of exams and quizzes.

With the app you can view your grade, submit assignments, join the courses and interact with your fellow students on the go.

However, the Canvas Student app cannot be used for big events like Conferences or Collaborations.

You can also access Canvas by using any browser on your Android/iOS device. However, mobile browsers may not give you access to the full interface and features may not work properly as compared to using Canvas in a fully supported desktop browser. It also gives reduced support for mobile browsers on tablet devices.

Canvas Parent Sign Up

Parents can sign up for Canvas to monitor their children’s performance in the school. They can link their Canvas account to their student’s accounts so they can view assignment dues dates, announcements, and other course activities. However, parents can only view the course activities but cannot join the course.

Here you’ll learn how to use canvas for parents especially those who do not have a Canvas account and want to monitor their students in their courses.

To create a parent Canvas account, you will need the Canvas URL linked with the school where your student is admitted. You can contact your student’s school if you do not already have the Canvas URL. But if you already have an account from your student’s school, log in to Canvas with the details given to you.

Once you have a parent account, you may be able to see your student information through the Canvas Parent website or the app. However, as a parent, you must have a student pairing code to be able to monitor a student.

You can ask your students to generate the pairing codes from their User Settings if the school permits. The teacher may also be able to generate pairing codes.

To sign up for a Canvas parent account:

1. Enter Canvas URL on a browser.

2. Click the account link at the top of the page.

3. Click the “Parents sign up” here link.

4. Fill in the following information:

5. Enter your name in the Your Name field.

6. Enter your email in the Your Email field.

7. Enter your password in the Password field.

8. Confirm your password in the Re-enter Password field.

9. Fill in a pairing code to link your account to your student in the Student Pairing Code box.

10. Accept Canvas terms of use by clicking the checkbox.

11. Then, click the Start Participating button.

From here you’ll be redirected to your dashboard.

Canvas Dashboard

The Canvas dashboard is a page where you have an overview of the courses that you’re enrolled in and any activities which need to be given attention.

On the Canvas Portal, students will be taken to the dashboard after they login or it can be accessed by clicking the user menu in the nav draw. You can login to the Canvas student portal either from your school’s webpage or by using their direct Canvas URL.

Canvas.com Student Login Portal

Some schools create Canvas within their website, in such a case, you may only need to login into your school’s internal system to use Canvas.

To login to student Canvas:

1. Open your Canvas URL. Your login page will appear in the window.

2. You can Find your Canvas URL on the Course Invitation message sent to your email.

3. Click the “Get Started” button.

4. If you do not find your school’s Canvas URL, open a browser and type in https://www.instructure.com/canvas/login/free-for-teacher.

5. Then search for your school when the page opens.

6. When your school appears, click the name to be directed to your school’s Canvas login page.

7. Enter your username and password

8. Click the Login button.

You can also use the Canvas URL to log in to the Canvas Mobile Student app. If your account is linked with your school Canvas and you do not know your username and password you can contact your site administrator.

Canvas Student App Login Guide

Once you download the Canvas Student app from the Play Store or App store you can use the app to access your Canvas account. You can enter your school’s name into the app to find your account.

To log in with the app:

1. Open your Android device and tap the Canvas Student icon.

2. Tap the “Find My School” button

3. Enter the full name of your school.

4. The name will appear in the search list, then tap the name.

5. Once you find your institution, you can now see the Canvas URL at the top of your phone screen.

6. Enter your username and password.

7. Tap the “Log in” button.

If you are having difficulties logging in to the student Canvas portal of your school contact your teacher or administrator for assistance.

Canvas Student app for PC

1. Use your browser and go to  https://www.instructure.com/en-gb.

2. Select the link at the top of the page to the special installer packages for Windows.

3. Choose the version to download.

4. Follow the instructions available on the website to complete the download.

Please note that the actual installation takes the order of 5 minutes. Please be patient while the installer goes about its business.

5. Once you have Canvas running “Create a new course” for your Question and Quiz practice area. You need only provide a name and a short name at this point.

Once your course has been created return to the ‘Home’ page and bookmarks the URL in your browser.

That’s it. You now have your own Canvas installed on your own PC.

You can also login to your school’s Canvas environment by using a web browser such as Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox.

See Also our Guide on Moodle Student Portal Login and Its Roles in Education

Can I Delete My Canvas Student Account

You can delete your Canvas account if you no longer want to use it.  You can request to delete your account at any time. Deleting your Canvas account cannot be reversed and will delete all Canvas information including courses, assignments, grades, and participation. You can request to have your account deleted if you are sure you absolutely no longer require any access to your Canvas activity and information.