Hello! I'm trying to clone a course, but nothing seems to be working. I've been using Canvas for many years and this is the first time this has ever happened, so I'm hoping someone can help! Here is what I've tried: * "Copy this course" (and I've tried both selecting items and copying the whole course) * "Import course content" (also tried both selecting items and importing everything) * creating a new course, then copying over a whole module from the parent course * logging out and back into FFT * restarting my computer * using a private window (I'm using Firefox) The message is always "Failed" and the issue is "There was an unexpected error, please contact support." Any suggestions? Or perhaps something is happening on Canvas' side? Thank you! Gina

Thank you, Jeff! Yeah, I've also never seen this, which is why it's so mysterious that no method of cloning/copying works! I guess I will reach out to support - I just know that they sometimes can't get to FFT requests quickly, so I wanted to start here in case anyone had any insights. And since we're using FFT Canvas, there's no institutional admin, so I don't know that there are any permissions preventing me from copying courses. I appreciate your response! :)

Warmly,
Gina

NoahBoswell

Hey @ginahyena1 ,

Thanks for your patience!
Noah

JeffCampbell

Are you able to use the Export menu to export a copy of the course? If it lets you do that, download the file to your computer. Then go to the Import menu and select Canvas Course Export Package as the option from the menu before uploading the file you downloaded.

MichelleLiu73

I've been using Canvas for about a year. I, too, have been trying for the last 48 hours to "copy" my course. Nothing has worked. Everything has failed. I even created a course with one file, and I tried to make a copy of that course— it couldn't. I think there is something wrong with the Canvas copy course function. I'm about to start teaching for the Spring semester and need to set this course up— I'm super worried.

RandeeBaty1984_

I'm having this exact issue when I try to copy courses. I've used Canvas for years, both the paid version and free version at 3 different schools and never had this issue. I've started recreating the courses from scratch since time is a factor, but I would love to see this function working properly.

Thank you so much, @NoahBoswell! I really appreciate your help in forwarding this to the technical team!

Warmly,
Gina

Hi @JeffCampbell! Thanks for responding! I did try this method, but according to Noah, it's a technical issue on Canvas' side - he and others have gotten the same message when trying to copy a course. So, hopefully, it's resolved soon! :)

Thanks!
Gina

Hi @MichelleLiu73! I'm sorry you're also having trouble copying your course, but I'm glad to know that it's a larger issue and not just me because that means it will probably be resolved quickly! Noah (see his comment above) has forwarded the issue directly to Canvas, so I hope you'll be able to copy your course in time!

Warmly,
Gina

LastStarfighter

Copying function not working!

"Copy this course" (and I've tried both selecting items and copying the whole course)
"Import course content" (also tried both selecting items and importing everything)
creating a new course, then copying over a whole module from the parent course
logging out and back into
restarting my computer
Using App and Chrome browser
Located in Destin, Florida

I think it is something happening on the Canvas side.

Thanks

Hi @RandeeBaty1984_! I actually just heard back from Canvas Support and they said "It seems there is something wrong with the import tool itself, our engineers are looking into this already."

So, hopefully, it will be resolved quickly!

Warmly,
Gina

Hi @LastStarfighter! Thanks for sharing that you're also not able to copy courses. Canvas Support said that the Canvas engineering team is currently working on it, so hopefully it's fixed soon! :)

Warmly,
Gina

janellynnp_01

I am having the same issues in one of my courses, too!

RandeeBaty1984_

Thanks so much for the info!

Hi @janellynnp_01! The Canvas engineering team is working on it, but I test out the copy function a couple of times a day just in case it starts working before we get notified. As of this morning, though, it's still not working. Hopefully, it will be sorted out soon! :)

If anyone else has courses starting in the next week, what are your plans if the copy function isn't repaired soon?

The best I've come up with so far is to:

open a new course site
reconstruct the first 1-2 modules manually
when copy is restored, copy the rest of the course modules over one at a time

I would love to know if anyone has any other efficient way to deal with this problem. My classes start next week so I'm getting really anxious about not being able to copy & update Fall courses.

Gina—I am using FFT at a Blackboard institution. There are no permissions required for me to copy a Canvas course. I really hope they fix this soon but I'm concerned that if it's just FFT affected it won't be.

MichelleLiu73

Wed Jan 14, 2026 @ 3:34 pm (EST):
Hi @AnneHird3958777. I am having this exact same issue. I had to set up my course yesterday, since it requires students to install software before the first day of class. I sent out an email giving the link to last semester's Fall 2025 course, but I told them there would be a new link coming (hopefully once the Canvas team fixes the copy function) for Spring 2026. In the meantime, with my current course, I had to close/make unavailable the homework/exam solutions from Fall 2025. I had to re-create the assignments from the first week (with manually copying and pasting). For any old exams/quizzes, just make it available to one person (myself as a dummy student) so that it won't show up as an icon as Final Exam 2025. One thing that is weird is that your "People" list will include students from last semester and this semester mixed in. It only makes a difference when I need to give specific students permission to view specific things (because past students names will pop up), and you could manually delete the previous students. For now, this is my work-around as I wait. Good luck to everyone. Please share any more tips!

Using a past course is a good idea.

If your Canvas isn't tied to your registrar's system, you should be able to delete last semester's students and all data attached to them. I haven't found a way to do this in a batch, just one by one on the People page but my classes are small.

One additional thought—I may use last year's sites so that I still have my Fall semester grades, discussions, etc if there's a late grade dispute. Unlikely, but…

@AnneHird3958777 I had the same thought (FFT being a lower priority), but I also hope that's it's fixed very soon or I'll also be manually copying course modules over next week! 😅

MichelleLiu73

Friday 1/16/2026, To everyone, how is everyone doing with their course? I just tried the "copy course" function, and sadly, it still does not work. I've renamed my Fall 2025 course to just be the course name, and I gave my students the link. I had to close any exam answers, and I had to "deactivate" former students. Any idea when this will get fixed? I love Canvas and am hoping for the best!

lorizc

As of this morning - 1/19/2026 - I am still getting "Fail" errors. One thing I have noticed is that the Files are copying over, but everything else — modules, settings, quizzes, assignments, etc — is not. So if you have to build from scratch, having the Files helps a little bit.

AR98100419

20 Jan 2026 - this functionality is still erroring out - anyone else have better luck?

hi Noah, this is exactly what I've been experiencing for the last three weeks with no remedy. Are you aware that there is a fix or that this is a canvas-wide event? Best, Ed

Hello Gina, your situation is exactly mine. Has the technical team contacted you? Are you still in the same situation?

thanks so much, Ed

Hello again, Gina,

Thank you for your update, it's encouraging!

As of today, it's still not copying, so I'm not sure if it's something they have to work on an individual account basis or a global solution.

As of today, my courses are still not copying. I hope this is a global fix and not a one-at-a-time solution. That might take a while to get to each account. I look forward to hearing back from someone on the Tech side.

Best, Ed

Hi JeffCampbel, this is what I normally do every year. So far, this year is not working. What

Has anyone heard back from the canvas engineering team concerning this problem?

Same here. I still haven't gotten any update on the ticket I submitted on Jan 12, just the usual auto reply that it had been received. I had to start from scratch with a new site for each of 3 courses.

It's starting to look like FFT accounts are no longer being supported. I may have to go back to Blackboard next semester because I can't take risks like this again.