how to unpublish a course in canvas

Everly

2 min read

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14-01-2025

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Canvas is a popular Learning Management System (LMS) used by many educational institutions. Sometimes, instructors need to temporarily hide a course from students. This might be for various reasons, such as needing time to finalize content, scheduling a break, or simply preventing early access. This article will guide you through the process of unpublishing a Canvas course. Unpublishing a course means students will no longer see it on their dashboard. They will also lose access to any course content.

Why Unpublish a Canvas Course?

Before diving into the how-to, let's understand the why. There are several reasons why you might want to unpublish a Canvas course:

• Course Content Under Construction: You might need time to add materials, finalize assignments, or make adjustments before students access it.
• Scheduled Break: Taking a break during the semester? Unpublishing can prevent confusion and accidental access.
• Accidental Publication: If you've accidentally published a course prematurely, unpublishing quickly rectifies the issue.
• Course Revision: If you're significantly revising a course, unpublishing allows you to work without student interference.
• End of Term: After the course ends, unpublishing removes it from student view.

How to Unpublish a Canvas Course: A Simple Process

Unpublishing a Canvas course is straightforward. Follow these steps:

Step 1: Access Your Course

Log in to your Canvas account and navigate to the course you wish to unpublish.

Step 2: Access Settings

In the course navigation menu (usually on the left side), click on the "Settings" link. This will open the course settings page.

Step 3: Locate the "Course Visibility" Option

Scroll down the settings page until you find the "Course Visibility" option. This setting controls whether students can see the course.

Step 4: Change the Visibility

The "Course Visibility" option usually has a dropdown menu or a button. Select "Unpublished."

Step 5: Confirm

Canvas may prompt you to confirm that you want to unpublish the course. Click "Yes" or the equivalent confirmation button.

What Happens When You Unpublish a Course?

Once you unpublish your course:

• Students Lose Access: Students will no longer see the course on their Canvas dashboard. They cannot access course materials, assignments, or discussions.
• Course Remains in Your Account: The course remains in your Canvas account. You can republish it at any time by following the same steps, but selecting "Published" in Step 4.
• Data Remains Intact: All course content, grades, and student data remain stored within the course. Nothing is deleted.

Republishing Your Canvas Course

When you're ready to make the course available to students again, simply follow the steps above, but choose "Published" in Step 4. Your course will reappear on the students' dashboards.

Troubleshooting

If you encounter any problems unpublishing your course:

• Check your permissions: Ensure you have the necessary instructor permissions to modify course settings.
• Contact Canvas support: If the issue persists, contact your institution's Canvas support team for assistance.

By following these simple steps, you can effectively manage the visibility of your Canvas courses, ensuring students only access content when appropriate. Remember to always double-check your settings before publishing or unpublishing.