Editor's Note: This post was updated on July 22, 2026, with additional rollout guidance for institutions, including information about requesting to keep Notebook disabled after the August 15 default-on date.
Notebook arrives in Canvas on July 18, 2026. This new feature gives learners a built-in way to take notes and highlight key ideas inside Canvas, helping institutions provide a more connected learning experience without requiring learners to rely on separate tools.
Notebook will be disabled by default, and administrators can opt in at the account and sub-account levels when it launches July 18. Starting August 15, 2026, it will be on by default.
Action required for institutions that wish to opt out
Institutions can disable the feature option at any time before August 15 by submitting this Google Form:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeOjUI51tvqEAjNfvZPYqWZwIVJom13dlKnAEsjHCO3ef6NHg/viewform?usp=sharing&ouid=104047578985510680194
What learners can do with Notebook
Inside any Canvas Page, learners can:
- Highlight passages they want to return to
- Mark material as “important” or “unclear”
- Leave their own notes to return to later
- View all of their notes and highlights for a course in a single Notebook, accessible from the Course navigation
Why this matters
Most learners take notes in tools outside of Canvas, piecing together study workflows across documents, paper notebooks, browser extensions, and apps. For institutions, this creates a fragmented learning experience where study materials and course content live in separate places.
Notebook brings note-taking directly into Canvas, giving institutions a more connected learning environment while helping learners keep highlights, questions, and notes connected to the course content they're engaging with.
When it's time to prepare for an exam or revisit a concept, learners can open Notebook and see their thinking across an entire course in one place.
When it's time to prepare for an exam or revisit a concept, learners can open Notebook and see their thinking across an entire course in one place.
How to enable Notebook
Notebook is opt-in at the account and sub-account levels starting July 18, 2026. Admins can enable it in Settings.
Starting August 15, 2026, Notebook will be on by default for all institutions. Institutions that don't want Notebook enabled can opt out in advance using this form:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeOjUI51tvqEAjNfvZPYqWZwIVJom13dlKnAEsjHCO3ef6NHg/viewform?usp=sharing&ouid=104047578985510680194
Need help preparing?
We encourage institutions that haven't yet enabled the feature to opt in before August 15th and explore the new functionality for students.
If you have questions about the Notebook or would like guidance preparing your institution for the transition, please reach out to your Customer Success Manager.
