Some Canvas features are optional or new and can be turned on or off. This lesson gives an overview of how to manage feature options for an entire account. You can manage some features on the 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 and manage course-level feature options in Course Settings. Admins and instructors have no control over user-level feature options for other users.
By default, most feature options are set to Off and Unlocked, which means they are visible at the course level but not turned on. You can set feature options On or Off. The state you select is the default for sub-accounts and courses. You can also lock or unlock some features to prevent or allow other users to change the default at the sub-account or course level. Some features default to On, and others only display when they are enabled by your Customer Success Manager. For details on all feature options available in Canvas, visit the Canvas Feature Option Summary resource document.
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 resource document.
- In sub-accounts, you can only manage unlocked account-level feature options.
- In Free-for-Teacher accounts, you cannot manage account-level feature options.
Open Account
In Global Navigation, click the Admin link [1], then click the name of the account [2].
Open Settings
In Account Navigation, click the Settings link.
Open Feature Options Tab
Click the Feature Options tab.
View Feature Options
Available features display in the Feature Options tab. Some new features may need to be enabled by your Customer Success Manager (CSM).
Filter Feature Options
To filter by all features, enabled features, or disabled features, click the Filter drop-down menu.
Search Feature Options
To search for a feature option, type a keyword in the Search field.
View Feature Hierarchy
Once features are available, they are 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
Feature tags help identify the state of each feature. No tag means the feature is stable and ready for use in your production environment [1].
Features may 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
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
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
Features enabled by default display the Enabled icon [1].
Features disabled by default display the Disabled icon [2].
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
Locked features display the Locked icon [1].
Allowed features display the Unlocked icon [2].
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 displays 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
