Canvas deploys contain code changes that are intended to fix bugs, improve performance, and prepare for new features. These deploys take place every two weeks and can be tested in the beta environment before the production deploy date indicated in the title of this document.
- New to deploy notes? Visit Understanding Release Notes for a guide on how to read and use this document.
- Visit the Canvas Collaborative Roadmap to explore upcoming work and share feedback. Your input helps guide future product development.
- For Canvas Platform Service changes (API, GraphQL, Canvas Data), please see the appropriate page in the Change Log.
- Institutions are responsible for conducting thorough evaluations of their custom CSS/JS with each release and deploy to assess potential impacts.
Unless otherwise stated, all features in this deploy are available in the Beta environment on 2026-08-13 and the Production environment on 2026-10-07.
Updated Features
Admin Tools
Login Activity Update- Admins
Note: This feature released to production on August 12, 2026, earlier than originally scheduled. It's also documented in the August 12 deploy notes. The details below remain accurate.
Feature Option Name to Enable | N/A |
|---|
Enable Feature Option Location & Default Status | N/A |
Subaccount Configuration | N/A |
Account/Course Setting to Enable | None |
Permissions | Users - manage login details |
Affects User Interface | Yes |
Affected Areas | Admin Tools Logging tab |
Summary
In the Admin Tools Logging tab, the Login/Logout Activity view shows the actual sign-in method used—SAML, CAS, or LDAP for new login and logout events, instead of showing "Unknown" for many single sign-on logins. Events with no sign-in method to display continue to show "Unknown." Existing records aren't affected. Admins can also search login activity across a time range for all users at once, with or without an authentication provider filter, rather than searching one user at a time.
Change Benefit
- More accurate login activity tracking: The Login/Logout Activity view shows the actual sign-in method for new login and logout events, letting admins trust the audit trail instead of second-guessing whether "Unknown" means a legacy login or lost data.
Feature Workflow
In Admin Tools, use the Logging tab to search login and logout activity.
- Click the Logging tab [1].
- Select Login/Logout Activity from the log type dropdown [2].
- Fill out the desired search fields [3].
- Click the Search Logs button [4].
Courses
Course Navigation LTI Visibility- Instructors
Feature Option Name to Enable | N/A |
|---|
Enable Feature Option Location & Default Status | N/A |
Subaccount Configuration | N/A |
Account/Course Setting to Enable | None |
Permissions | Inherent to user role |
Affects User Interface | Yes |
Affected Areas | Course Navigation |
Summary
LTI tools with course navigation placement set to admins visibility show a crossed-out eye icon in the course navigation menu. This icon indicates the tool is hidden from students.
Change Benefit
- Clearer tool visibility: A crossed-out eye icon on course navigation tools configured with admin-only visibility flags tools hidden from students, letting admins and instructors spot hidden tools directly in the navigation menu.
Feature Workflow
The Hidden icon and tool tip display for tools with visibility set to admins.
Reports
API Scope Usage Report- Admins
Beta Environment Availability | 2026-08-14 Note: This date falls outside the regular beta release cadence. |
|---|
Feature Option Name to Enable | N/A |
Enable Feature Option Location & Default Status | N/A |
Subaccount Configuration | N/A |
Account/Course Setting to Enable | None |
Permissions | Reports-manage |
Affects User Interface | Yes |
Affected Areas | Reports |
Summary
The Account Settings Reports tab includes an API scope usage report. Admins select an active API key from a list showing Client ID and Name, then choose a time duration. The report displays all scopes the key accessed during that period.
Change Benefit
- Reduced API security risk: An API scope usage report on the Reports tab in Account Settings shows every scope a selected API key accessed over a chosen time period, letting admins catch keys that are over-permissioned or behaving unexpectedly before they become a liability.
Feature Workflow
In Reports, click the Configure Run button.
In the API Key drop down menu [1], choose the desired key. Then, select the desired duration [2].
Other Updates
Rich Content Editor
File Verifier Changes- Admins
Feature Availability | Beta environment only—production availability is subject to change. Information will be updated when available. |
|---|
Beta Environment Availability | 2026-08-14 Note: This date falls outside the regular beta release cadence. |
Affects User Interface | No |
Affected Feature Areas | Rich Content Editor |
Summary
File links added through Rich Content Editors include a location tag that ties the link to the page, discussion, or other content where it appears, replacing the file verifier as the method Canvas uses to authorize access.
Change Benefit
- Reduced file access security risk: A leaked or shared verifier code can no longer be reused to access a file outside the context it was created in.
SpeedGrader
Group Excuse Consistency- Instructors
Affects User Interface | Yes |
|---|
Affected Feature Areas | Gradebook |
Summary
In SpeedGrader, excusing a group submission excuses every student in the group, while excusing an individual student in the Gradebook excuses only that student, leaving the rest of the group unaffected. Previously, excusing a group submission from SpeedGrader only excused the individual student, leaving the rest of the group members unexcused.
Change Benefit
- Consistent excusing behavior for groups: Instructors excuse a whole group in one step instead of repeating the action for each member, which saves time and reduces the risk of leaving a student unexcused by mistake.
Change Log
Date | Description |
|---|
2026-08-19 | Update
SpeedGrader: Group Excuse Consistency
-Updated Change Benefit to remove duplication |
2026-08-17 | Update Admin Tools: Login Activity Update
Note: This feature released to production on August 12, 2026, earlier than originally scheduled. It's also documented in the August 12 deploy notes. The details below remain accurate. |
