What you can change on your Canvas dashboard
Canvas lets you rearrange cards, hide courses you're not taking right now, and change how your to-do list appears. You cannot change the overall color scheme or add custom widgets, but the built-in options cover most ways students actually use the dashboard. The changes you make are saved to your account, so they stay the same each time you log in.
The dashboard is the first page you see after logging in. It shows your courses as cards, a to-do list of upcoming assignments, and sometimes announcements or calendar events. Each of these elements can be moved, resized, or hidden depending on what you need to see first.
Key Takeaways
- You can drag course cards to any position on your dashboard and resize them to show more or less information at a glance.
- The to-do list can be sorted by date, course, or priority, and you can hide courses from it without removing them from your account.
- Cards can be hidden entirely using the menu in the top right corner of each card, and you can restore them later if you change your mind.
- Your customizations save automatically and appear the same way on any device where you log into Canvas.
How to move and resize course cards
Click and hold the top of any course card, then drag it to a new position on your dashboard. Canvas arranges cards in rows, and dragging one card will shift others to make room. Release the mouse when the card is where you want it.
To make a card larger or smaller, look for the small arrow or resize handle in the bottom right corner of the card. Drag it outward to expand the card or inward to shrink it. A larger card shows more details about the course, such as recent announcements or assignment due dates. A smaller card shows only the course name and a link to enter the course.
Hiding and showing courses on your dashboard
If you have many courses, your dashboard can feel crowded. You can hide any course card without dropping the course or losing access to it. Look for a menu icon (three dots or a gear) in the top right corner of the course card. Click it and select "Hide from dashboard" or a similar option depending on your Canvas version.
Hidden courses still appear in your course list on the left side of Canvas, and you can enter them anytime. To show a hidden course again, scroll to the bottom of your dashboard and look for a section labeled "Hidden Courses" or click the menu icon next to "Courses" in the left navigation. Select the course you want to restore.
Customizing your to-do list
The to-do list shows upcoming assignments, quizzes, and discussions across all your courses. By default it sorts by due date, but you can change the sort order. Look for a menu or filter icon near the top of the to-do list section. Most Canvas versions let you sort by course name, due date, or priority.
You can also hide specific courses from your to-do list without hiding the course card itself. Click the menu icon next to the course name in the to-do list and choose "Hide from to-do list." This is useful if you want to focus on one or two courses at a time. The assignments are still there — you just won't see them in the to-do list until you show the course again.
Changing what appears on your dashboard
Canvas may show additional cards beyond courses and to-do items, such as announcements, a calendar, or recent activity. You can hide any of these cards using the menu in the top right corner. Click the menu and select "Hide" or "Remove." These cards can be restored the same way you restore hidden courses — look for a section at the bottom of the dashboard or in the dashboard settings.
Some Canvas instances let you add cards that aren't visible by default. If you see an "Add Card" button or a plus icon on your dashboard, click it to see what's available. Your school may have added custom cards for tutoring resources, library hours, or other student services.
Saving and syncing your customizations
Canvas saves your dashboard layout automatically as you make changes. You do not need to click a save button. If you move a card and then close the browser, the card stays in its new position the next time you log in.
Your customizations are tied to your Canvas account, not to a specific device or browser. If you log into Canvas on your phone, tablet, and laptop, each device can have its own dashboard layout. Changes you make on one device do not affect the layout on another device. This means you can set up your phone dashboard differently from your laptop dashboard if that works better for how you study.
Troubleshooting dashboard customization
If you drag a card and it snaps back to its old position, your browser may not have finished loading the page. Wait a few seconds and try again. If the problem continues, refresh the page and try moving the card once more.
If you accidentally hide a card and cannot find it again, look for a "Restore" option or a settings menu on your dashboard. Some Canvas versions have a "Customize Dashboard" button that shows all available cards and lets you turn them on or off. If you still cannot find what you're looking for, your school's Canvas support team can reset your dashboard to the default layout, and you can customize it again from scratch.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make my course cards show assignment due dates without entering the course?
Yes, if you resize the course card to be larger. A bigger card displays recent assignments, announcements, and due dates at a glance. A smaller card shows only the course name and a link to open it. Drag the resize handle in the bottom right corner of the card to adjust the size.
Will my dashboard customizations show up on the Canvas mobile app?
The Canvas mobile app has its own layout that does not sync with your web dashboard. You can customize the mobile app separately, but changes you make on the web version will not appear on your phone. The mobile app typically shows courses in a list rather than as cards.
What if I want to see all my courses at once but my dashboard is too crowded?
Make the course cards smaller by dragging the resize handle inward. Smaller cards take up less space and let you fit more courses on one screen. You can also hide courses you are not actively taking right now and restore them later when you need them.
Can I change the order of my to-do list items?
You can sort the to-do list by due date, course name, or priority, depending on your Canvas version. Click the sort menu near the top of the to-do list section. You cannot manually drag items to reorder them, but sorting by the option that matters most to you (like due date) usually puts the most urgent work at the top.
Do I need to customize my dashboard, or can I leave it as the default?
The default dashboard works fine for most students. Customization is optional and meant for people who want to see certain information first or hide courses they are not using right now. If the default layout works for you, there is no reason to change it.