What Options are There to Hide the 'Next' Button?

CassidyG1143_

Hello!

We are currently trying to design our Canvas courses and are using SCORM specifically. The thing that concerns us is the next button on the bottom of the page. A learner could skip the course entirely and just hit the next button. Our knowledge checks are built into the SCORM file, so it is not like we can have the next page be a quiz or assignment that would prompt them to go back to the material. We tried testing the 'mark as complete' button, but it looks like a person can skip marking as complete and still hit next.

Does anyone have suggestions for how to hide the next button? Can javascript be used? Or is there a built in option that can help make sure people complete the page contents?

Thank you!

Jeff_F

@CassidyG1143_ - I have a few ideas for you -

Canvas does not provide a supported way to hide or disable the Next button that appears at the bottom of Pages. This includes courses that use SCORM content and module requirements. Even when Mark as Done or page view requirements are enabled, students can still click Next and move forward. Canvas treats the Next button as a navigation convenience rather than a progress control, and there is no built-in setting that changes this behavior.

When knowledge checks are built into a SCORM package, Canvas cannot use those checks to control progression. Canvas does not read internal SCORM interactions such as answering questions or passing checks. As a result, SCORM completion data cannot be used to restrict navigation, unlock module items, or block access to the next page or module. From the Canvas perspective, the SCORM item functions as embedded content rather than an enforceable assessment.

Because of this limitation, institutions that rely on SCORM based knowledge checks typically use one of two supported design approaches. The first approach is to place all instructional content and knowledge checks inside a single SCORM item for the module. In this model, Canvas navigation still exists, but there is nothing meaningful for students to skip to. All required learning activities are contained within the SCORM experience itself, making the Next button irrelevant to progression.

The second approach is to add a small Canvas level checkpoint after the SCORM item. This may be a brief assignment, quiz, or no submission activity that students must complete in order to unlock the next module. Even if the activity is minimal, it gives Canvas a requirement it can enforce. Canvas cannot verify what happened inside the SCORM package, but it can require completion of the Canvas item before allowing real progress.

Attempts to hide the Next button using custom JavaScript or CSS are not supported and are discouraged. These methods can break without warning when Canvas is updated and are not recommended for production courses. Similarly, relying on Mark as Done alone does not prevent students from navigating forward and should not be used as the sole control mechanism.

In short, when knowledge checks are embedded inside SCORM content, Canvas navigation cannot be restricted in a meaningful way. Course design must either treat the SCORM package as a self-contained learning experience or introduce a small Canvas based requirement that allows progression to be enforced at the module level.

I hope this is of use, ~ Jeff