Canvas Release Notes (2025-03-15)

Upcoming Canvas Changes

2025-05-17

Breaking Change: Gradebook Icon Update for LTI Assignment and Grade Service

For more information, please see Upcoming Canvas Changes.

In this Canvas release (15 March), the Copy Course and Import Content pages are updated to the latest version of InstUI, Instructure’s internal design language. Instructors can set default discussion view preferences, including thread expansion and sorting options, with the ability to lock these settings.

This update also enhances structural clarity by refining semantic markup for improved content hierarchy and relationships. Additionally, error feedback in forms and interactive elements has been improved with clearer messages, consistent error states, and enhanced focus indicators for accessibility.

Further updates include Lucid’s inherited developer key, which includes the Context.id.history variable to support course copies and duplicate assignments. When the New Login/Registration UI for Identity feature option is enabled at the root account level, the redesigned interface improves accessibility and supports future identity updates. This release also includes updates to Enhanced Rubrics and Enhanced Assignment Change Logs.

All Resources | Features in this release may be included in product blogs and other content areas.

Institutions are responsible for conducting thorough evaluations of their custom CSS/JS with each release and deploy to assess potential impacts.
Subscribe to the Canvas release notes to be notified of updates.

New Features

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Copy Content

Copy Course Page Enhancements

Instructor

Beta Environment Availability	2025-01-20
Production Environment Availability	2025-03-15
Location to Enable Feature	None
Name of LTI Tool	None
Permissions	Manage Course Content-Add
Related APIs	None
Affects User Interface	Yes
Affected Areas	Settings, Course Copy
Related Ideas	None
Previous Feature Mention	Canvas Release Notes (2025-02-15)

Summary

The Copy Course page has been updated to the latest version of InstUI, Instructure's internal design language. When a term is selected, the dates default to the term's dates. Instructors must contact their admin to update the term dates. If an instructor's time zone differs from the course timezone, both the local and course timezones are displayed.

Change Benefit

This update enhances user experience by providing a modern, consistent interface through the latest version of InstUI. Displaying local and course timezones improves scheduling accuracy for users working across different timezones.

Feature Workflow

Copy Course Term Field and Start Date Field Text

When a term is selected [1], the dates default to the term's dates. Instructors must contact their admin to update the term dates [2].

Copy Course Local and Course Timezone

When the Adjust events and due dates option is selected, both the local and course dates and times are displayed.

Feature Video

Not Available

Discussions

Default View Settings

Instructor Student

Beta Environment Availability	2025-02-17
Production Environment Availability	2025-03-15
Location to Enable Feature	None
Name of LTI Tool	None
Permissions	Discussions-create Discussions-moderate
Related APIs	None
Affects User Interface	Yes
Affected Areas	Discussions, Announcements
Related Ideas	[Discussions] Instructor control over discussion view settings

Summary

When creating or editing a discussion, instructors can configure the default view settings, including thread collapse/expansion and sorting options for students, with the ability to lock these preferences if needed. Additionally, the Sorting section of Discussions and Announcements is redesigned.

Change Benefit

This feature allows instructors to structure discussions in a way that aligns with their teaching approach, guiding student engagement and interaction.

Feature Workflow

Discussion Edit Page with Default View Options

Instructors can configure the default discussion view by setting the default thread state [1] and optionally locking it for students [2]. They can also define the default sort order [3] and choose to lock it [4] if needed.

Sorting section of Discussions

The Sorting section in Discussions and Announcements is redesigned.

Feature Video

Not Available

Import Content

Import Content Page Enhancements

Instructor

Beta Environment Availability	2025-01-20
Production Environment Availability	2025-03-15
Location to Enable Feature	None
Name of LTI Tool	None
Permissions	Name of Permission relevant to feature area
Related APIs	Name of API(s) w/ link(s), if the feature can be managed via API
Affects User Interface	Yes
Affected Areas	Course Settings
Related Ideas	None
Previous Feature Mention	Canvas Release Notes (2025-02-15)

Summary

The Import Content page is updated to the latest version of InstUI, Instructure's internal design language. The import button text is updated to Add Import to Queue and when an instructor's timezone differs from the course timezone, both the local and course timezones are displayed.

Change Benefit

This update enhances the user experience by updating the Import Content page to the latest InstUI version, providing a modern and consistent design. It also clarifies the import process with updated button text, improving workflow efficiency.

Feature Workflow

Updated Import Content Button

On the Import Content page, the user interface and the import button text are updated to Add Import to Queue.

Import Content Page Local and Course Timezone

When the Adjust events and due dates option is selected, the local and course dates and times are displayed.

Feature Video

Not Available

Feature Options

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Feature options allow institutions to enable newly developed Canvas functionality according to their preferred time frame. Unless otherwise noted, all feature options are opt-in and do not require any action by a Canvas admin until a feature's enforcement date is announced. For a complete list of feature options, please see Canvas LMS Feature Options.
A feature preview label indicates a feature option in active development, which is being built directly through user feedback. Feature previews deploy updates outside the regular Canvas release schedule and are posted in the Related Releases section in Canvas Releases & Deploys.
Please reference the table below each feature heading for specific feature information. For general information about feature options, please see the Canvas Release Notes FAQ.

Login

Login and Registration Enhancements

All Users

Feature Option Name to Enable	New Login/Registration UI for Identity
Enable Feature Option Location & Default Status	Account (Disabled)
Beta Environment Availability	2025-01-20
Production Environment Availability	2025-03-15
Subaccount Configuration	No
Permissions	Account-level settings-manage
Affects User Interface	Yes
Affected Areas	Login Page
Mobile App Support	Not available
Free-for-Teacher Availability	Available on 2025-03-17
Feature Option State	Production-ready
Related Ideas	None
Previous Feature Mention	Canvas Release Notes (2025-02-15)

Summary

When the New Login/Registration UI for Identity feature option is enabled at the Root Account level, the Login and Registration user interface is redesigned for accessibility and enables future identity enhancements.

Note: User interface will vary with Theme Editor branding.

Change Benefit

This update ensures a consistent and seamless login experience by reworking the Login/Registration user interface to accommodate identity changes.

Feature Workflow

Canvas Login Page

The Login and Registration page interface is redesigned.

Login Page with Google and Microsoft Authentication Options

The placement of the Login with Google and Login with Microsoft buttons is updated for users utilizing Google and Microsoft OAuth Authentication methods.

Parent Registration Page

The Parent Registration form page interface is also updated.

Additional Details

The updated Login User Interface and URLs do not support running custom javascript/css overrides for security reasons.

Feature Video

Not Available

Other Updates

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Accessibility Updates

All Users

Over the coming months, a series of updates will be introduced to enhance Canvas's accessibility, intuitiveness, and equity, with a focus on improving usability for assistive technology users. These updates will include changes in the following areas:

Enhanced Structural Clarity

Refined semantic markup in the user interface to improve communication of content relationships and hierarchy.

Improved Error Feedback

In the user interface, improved error messages in forms and interactive elements provide clearer and more accessible feedback. Error messages were added to required fields that previously lacked them, while existing error states were updated to follow a consistent pattern. Focused states for missing or incorrect fields ensure a uniform experience for all users, whether using a mouse, keyboard, or screen reader.

Developer Keys

Lucid Developer Key Update and Course Copy Support

Admin

Beta Environment Availability	2025-02-17
Production Environment Availability	2025-03-15
Location to Enable Feature	None
Name of LTI Tool	Lucid- Contact Customer Success Manager (CSM)
Permissions	Inherent to user role
Related APIs	None
Affects User Interface	No
Affected Area	Developer Keys
Related Ideas	None

Summary

Lucid’s inherited developer key includes the Context.id.history variable to support course copy and duplicate assignments. However, duplication of Lucid usage within the Rich Content Editor is not supported.

Note: As part of this update, Lucid developer keys with customizations are reset to match Instructure’s default settings. Instructure will run a script before and after the update to restore customizations as accurately as possible, but the admin should verify that their settings are correct. There may be a short window (up to 4 hours) where the default key is visible in instances before customizations are restored.

Change Benefit

This update enables Lucid to support course copy and duplicate assignments, improving consistency and ease of use when reusing content. By including the Context.id.history variable, Lucid can better track and manage copied courses and assignments.

Feature Video

Not Available

Feature Preview Change Log Updates

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A Feature Preview indicates a feature option in active development. Users who opt in to the feature and join the Community user group can help improve the feature through direct feedback.

The following Feature Previews have updates related to this release available in the User Group change log. When this feature option is available for general use, the feature option will be announced in the Canvas Release Notes.

Enhanced Rubrics

Student Self Assessments

Instructor Student

For more details related to this release, see the Enhanced Rubrics: Release Change Log.

Assignment Enhancements

Student Self Assessments

Instructor Student
For more details related to this release, see the Assignment Enhancements: Release Change Log.

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Comments

theJBRU

I would like additional detail and clarity on this item:

Enhanced Structural Clarity

Refined semantic markup in the user interface to improve communication of content relationships and hierarchy.

Since many customizations rely on specific HTML structures, knowing in advance what changes are being made to the semantic markup would allow for adjusting any of those customizations proactively.

rmartini

On the Import Content Page, I'm curious to know why the button text is changing from "Import" to "+ Add to Import Queue"? The current text (just saying "Import") seems to make more sense to me, especially when nothing else on the page is called an Import Queue.

Also, others pointed this out in the February 2025 notes already, but I'd also like the "Select Content Type" drop down to keep "Copy a Canvas Course" as the first option. In most cases, instructors will be choosing that option so it should remain at the top. But I'm still seeing "Canvas Course Export Package" first and then "Copy a Canvas Course."

Select Content Type drop down with "Copy a Canvas Course" as the second option

Under the "Content imports" section (in production, it's "Current Jobs"), I'm noticing that the "Partially Completed" alert may not meet accessibility standards for color contrast. In production, these alerts appear as "Completed" but with an orange background (that also doesn't meet color contrast standards but Beta looks like a slightly darker orange). I'd probably prefer the new alert be just a bit darker so there's sufficient color contrast for AA for regular text. The other colors (green and gray) meet that standard already.

Partially Completed alert with color contrast error from Colour Contrast Analyser

snugent

I have the same concern as @rmartini has. The new order of items in the Select Content Type drop-down menu will confuse instructors. The concern I stated in last month's release notes appears to have not changed in beta. This concern is about the Search for a course field, which is currently displayed as a drop menu and a search field if the user doesn't have too many courses on their ID and is not an admin. It would be nice to know how many courses invoke the removal of the drop-down menu. My dummy instructor that I tested this with only has six courses. I have updated my ticket (11726556).

mary_speight

Including the course settings in the course content copy is causing issues in future terms. We allow our faculty to update their participation from "term" to "course" if they want their students to have access outside the regular term dates. This used to not be an issue, however the copy process updates the new course to "course" as well but without any access date restrictions. Screenshot 2025-06-17 161929.png

I'm going to create a ticket, but this is already causing issues in our summer sessions and will be a much larger problem for our fall term.

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