Overview
In an effort to continually improve Canvas, Instructure releases Canvas updates in the form of monthly releases and bi-weekly deploys. Notable updates are listed below, sorted by implementation date. For a detailed breakdown of each release, please see the Canvas Release Notes.
December 19, 2026
Instructors: Enhanced Rubrics
On December 19, Canvas will transition fully to Enhanced Rubrics, replacing the current Classic Rubric experience. Enhanced Rubrics updates the interface educators use to create, manage and grade with rubrics and provides additional tools for organizing and reusing rubrics.
What happens to existing rubrics?
No migration or recreation of existing rubrics is required. Existing Canvas rubrics will remain available and will use the Enhanced Rubrics interface after the transition. Educators can continue using rubrics already associated with assignments and other course activities. The primary change is the interface used to create, edit, manage and grade with rubrics.
What will change?
Educators currently using Classic Rubrics will notice:
- A redesigned Rubrics page with options to search and sort rubrics.
- Updated tools for creating and editing rubrics, including the ability to reorder and duplicate criteria.
- Additional options to duplicate, archive and copy rubrics to other courses.
- Rubric import and export capabilities.
- Updated rubric layouts and assessment options when grading.
Do educators need to do anything?
- No action is required before the transition.
- To help educators prepare for the Spring 2027 term, all Spring 2027 courses have already been transitioned to the Enhanced Rubric.
- Educators who would like to explore Enhanced Rubrics can enable the Enhanced Rubrics feature option in their Sandbox course immediately.
- Educators who have already enabled and are using Enhanced Rubrics should experience no changes as a result of the transition.
Does Enhanced Rubrics introduce any additional functionality?
- Enhanced Rubrics supports additional capabilities, including student self-assessment and Rubric import/export capabilities.
Learn more:
- What are Rubrics?
- How do I manage rubrics in a course using Enhanced Rubrics?
- How do I add a rubric in a course using Enhanced Rubrics?
- How do I use a rubric to grade submissions in SpeedGrader using Enhanced Rubrics?
- How do I download rubric assessments using Enhanced Rubrics?
- How do I import rubric assessments using Enhanced Rubrics?
- How do I align an outcome with a rubric in a course using Enhanced Rubrics?
- Self Assessment Rubrics are here!
- How do I submit a self-assessment to an assignment using Enhanced Rubrics as a student?
- Adding a rubric in the Classic Rubric interface (available until December 19, 2026).
October 5, 2026
Instructors: Differentiation Tags
Differentiation Tags allow educators to create and organize sets of students within a Canvas course for customized instruction, such as assigning specific content or due dates to selected students.
A few key features and considerations include:
- Create and manage up to 40 tags per course from the People page.
- Create individual tags and tag sets with up to 10 variants per set.
- Tags can be used for targeted inbox messages, assignments, discussions, quizzes, pages, or modules, as well as to filter the gradebook.
- Differentiation tags are not visible to students and can be created and managed by those with the Teacher, TA, TA - No Grade Access, and Designer roles.
- Bulk tag and untag students. Note: Checkboxes displayed next to students on the people page are only used for Differentiation Tags.
- Tags should describe the instructional purpose only. Do not include sensitive or judgmental information, such as accommodation information, grades, or labels about student performance. See the Canvas Differentiation Tag Names: Educator Guide for guidance and examples.
Learn more:
- Canvas Differentiation Tag Names: Educator Guide
- Canvas Sections, Groups, and Differentiation Tags: Which Should I Use?
- How do I create and manage Differentiation Tags as an instructor?
- How do I use Differentiation Tags in the Inbox as an instructor?
- How do I assign an assignment to everyone, individual students, differentiated tags, or sections?
- How do I assign a quiz to everyone, individual students, differentiation tags, or sections?
- How do I assign a module to individual sections, differentiation tags, or students?
- How do I use Differentiation Tags in the Gradebook as an instructor?
July 19, 2025 (delayed from June 21)
All Users: Redesigned Files Page
The Files page in Canvas courses has been redesigned. A few key changes include:
- A temporary toggle allows users to switch between the new and original interface.
- Large sets of files include pagination.
- The folder tree view is removed.
- The All My Files button opens to a landing page instead of a folder tree.
- A Select All checkbox and Individual file selection checkboxes are available.
- Users can bulk Download, Delete, Move and Edit Permissions and Manage Usage rights.
- Moving files or folders by dragging them into other folders is no longer supported.
- Drag-and-drop functionality for uploading files into the upload files modal remains available.
Learn more:
June 21, 2025
Instructors: SpeedGrader Performance & Usability Enhancements
An updated version of SpeedGrader is available as an optional course feature, offering improved performance and usability. Key improvements include:
- Faster load times, especially in courses with large enrollments.
- More responsive grading interactions and reduced interface lag.
- Streamlined navigation and clearer visual indicators for common actions.
- Subtle design updates support a more consistent, user-friendly experience.
These enhancements aim to make grading more efficient and reduce friction in high-volume grading workflows.
Learn more:
June 4, 2025
Instructors: Online Attendance in Course Analytics
Online Attendance tracking and reporting is now available as part of New Analytics, designed to help instructors track student engagement in online courses more effectively. Key features include:
- Activity tracking based on selectable criteria and class days.
- Clear indicators of attendance status (present, absent, no data) across the course timeline.
- Course-wide and individual student reporting to support proactive outreach and intervention.
- Downloadable CSV reports for offline analysis or recordkeeping.
This new report helps instructors identify trends in student activity and encourages timely engagement with learners showing low or inconsistent participation.
Learn more:
May 9, 2025
Students: Assignment Enhancements
An updated student interface to view and submit Assignments. A few key changes include:
- A progress tracker has been added near the top of each assignment to indicate which stage of the submission and grading process the student is in.
- Submissions can be drafted in the assignment without requiring an immediate submission.
- A drop-down menu has been added to navigate between multiple submissions.
- In assignments with multiple submissions, rubric details and comments are displayed separately under each respective submission.
Learn more:
Students: Confetti for On-Time Submissions
Students who submit assignments on-time will see a confetti animation displayed on screen. Students who do not wish to see the confetti can disable it in their account settings.
Learn more: