Canvas status right now

Canvas is Instructure's learning management system used by schools and universities to host courses, assignments, and grades. If you cannot log in or see your courses, the problem could be on Canvas's end, your school's end, or your own connection — and the fix depends on which one it is.

The fastest way to know if Canvas itself is down is to check Instructure's status page at status.instructure.com. This page updates in real time and shows whether Canvas, Canvas Studio, and related services are experiencing outages. If the page shows all systems operational but you still cannot access Canvas, the issue is likely with your school's setup, your internet connection, or your browser.

If the status page shows an active incident, Instructure posts updates there every 15 to 30 minutes during an outage. You can also follow @CanvasLMS on X (formerly Twitter) for announcements, though the status page is more reliable.

Key Takeaways

  • Check status.instructure.com first — it shows whether Canvas servers are actually down or if the problem is on your end.
  • If the status page shows all systems operational, try clearing your browser cache, switching browsers, or using a different device before assuming your school's system is broken.
  • Contact your school's IT help desk or Canvas support if the status page shows a problem and it has been ongoing for more than an hour.
  • During an outage, your assignments and grades are safe — Canvas does not lose data when servers go down, and deadlines are usually extended automatically.

What the status page actually tells you

Instructure's status page breaks down Canvas into separate components: the main Canvas platform, Canvas Studio (for video), Canvas Catalog, and Canvas Credentials. An outage might affect only one of these. If you cannot access your course but can log in, Canvas Studio might be down. If you can log in but cannot see grades, the gradebook component might be the problem.

The page also shows past incidents — scroll down to see when Canvas was last down, how long it lasted, and what caused it. Most outages last between 15 minutes and two hours. Planned maintenance is usually announced at least a week in advance and happens outside school hours.

If the status page shows everything is operational but you still cannot access Canvas, write down the exact error message you see. This information is crucial when you contact your school's IT department, because it tells them whether the problem is authentication, network connectivity, or something specific to your account.

Troubleshooting on your own device

Before contacting anyone, try these steps in order. Clear your browser's cache and cookies — in Chrome, go to Settings > Privacy and Security > Clear Browsing Data, select "All time," and check Cookies and Cached Images. Then try logging in again. Cached data sometimes prevents Canvas from loading properly, and clearing it fixes the problem in roughly half of cases.

If clearing cache does not work, try a different browser. If Canvas works in Firefox but not Chrome, the problem is browser-specific and your IT department can help. If it fails in every browser on your computer, try logging in from a phone or tablet. If Canvas works on your phone but not your computer, the issue is with your computer's network or browser setup, not Canvas itself.

Restart your router if you are on Wi-Fi. Unplug it for 30 seconds, plug it back in, and wait two minutes for it to fully restart. This clears temporary network problems that sometimes block access to specific websites.

When to contact your school's IT department

Contact your school's help desk if you have tried the steps above and Canvas still does not work, or if the status page shows an active incident that has been ongoing for more than an hour. Have ready: the exact error message, which browser and device you used, when you last successfully logged in, and whether other students can access Canvas (you can ask in your course discussion board or group chat).

Your school's IT department can see whether Canvas is reachable from your school's network, whether your account is active, and whether your school's Canvas instance is synchronized with Instructure's servers. They can also check whether your school is performing maintenance on its own systems — sometimes a school's Canvas goes down even when Instructure's servers are fine.

If your school's IT department says Canvas is working and the problem is on your end, ask them to walk you through the cache-clearing steps while you are on the phone with them. They can also tell you whether your school has any known browser compatibility issues or network blocks that might affect Canvas access.

What happens to your work during an outage

Canvas stores all your assignments, grades, and course data on servers that are separate from the web interface you use to view them. When Canvas is down, you cannot see your work, but the work itself is not deleted or lost. Once Canvas comes back online, everything reappears exactly as it was.

Most schools automatically extend assignment deadlines by the length of the outage, or they give students a grace period to submit work that was due while Canvas was down. Check your course announcements or email from your instructor once Canvas is back up — they usually post instructions there. If you do not see an announcement, email your instructor and mention the outage time; most will accept late work submitted shortly after the service returns.

Outages that affect specific schools only

Sometimes Canvas is fully operational on Instructure's servers, but your school's instance of Canvas is down. This happens when a school performs updates, migrates data, or experiences network problems on its own side. The status.instructure.com page will show everything is fine, but you still cannot log in.

In this case, your school's IT department is the only one who can help. They can tell you whether maintenance is planned, how long it will take, and whether you can access Canvas from outside your school's network (sometimes school network blocks prevent access even when the service is running). Ask them for an estimated time to restoration and whether they will send an update when Canvas is back online.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I know if Canvas is down or if it is just my school?

Go to status.instructure.com. If it shows all systems operational, Canvas is working and the problem is with your school's setup or your own device. If it shows an incident, Canvas itself is down and your school cannot fix it — you have to wait for Instructure to restore service.

Will I lose my assignments or grades if Canvas goes down?

No. Canvas stores your work on separate servers from the website you use to view it. When the service comes back online, all your assignments and grades are still there. Deadlines are usually extended to account for the downtime.

What should I do if Canvas has been down for hours?

Check status.instructure.com to see if Instructure has posted an update. If the outage is still ongoing, there is nothing you can do except wait — Instructure's engineers are working to restore service. If the status page shows everything is operational but you still cannot access Canvas, contact your school's IT help desk.

Can I access Canvas on my phone if the website is down?

The Canvas mobile app uses the same servers as the website, so if Canvas is down, the app will not work either. If the app works but the website does not, the problem is with your computer or browser, not Canvas itself.

What if my instructor says Canvas is working but I cannot see my grades?

Clear your browser cache and try again. If that does not work, try a different browser or device. If grades still do not appear, contact your school's IT department — sometimes the gradebook component has a separate issue that does not show on the main status page.