You need instructor or admin access to delete a Canvas course

Canvas does not let students delete courses. Only instructors with full course permissions and Canvas administrators can remove a course from the system. If you are an instructor and want to delete a course you created or manage, you will need to access the course settings and use the delete function there. If you are a student trying to remove a course from your dashboard, you are looking for a different action — hiding or unenrolling — which works differently.

The delete action is permanent. Once you delete a course, all course content, assignments, grades, and discussion posts are gone and cannot be recovered. Canvas does not send a confirmation email or require a waiting period before the deletion takes effect. Make sure you have backed up any materials you need to keep before you proceed.

Key Takeaways

  • Only instructors and Canvas administrators can delete courses; students cannot delete courses they are enrolled in.
  • Deleting a course removes all content permanently, including assignments, grades, discussions, and files.
  • The delete option is found in Course Settings under the Tools menu on the left sidebar.
  • Students who want to remove a course from their view should unenroll or hide the course instead of asking an instructor to delete it.

Steps to delete a course as an instructor

Open the course you want to delete and look at the left sidebar. Click Settings at the bottom of the menu. On the Settings page, scroll down until you see the Course State section. Look for the button labeled Delete this course and click it.

Canvas will ask you to confirm the deletion by typing the course name or code into a text box. Type the exact course name or code as it appears in Canvas, then click the red Delete Course button. The course will be removed when ready. You will be taken back to your Canvas dashboard, and the course will no longer appear in your course list.

What happens to course data after deletion

All course materials disappear, including syllabus pages, modules, assignments, quizzes, discussion posts, announcements, and files you uploaded to the course. Student submissions and grades are also deleted. If students took quizzes or submitted work, that record is gone.

Canvas does not move deleted courses to a trash folder or archive. There is no recovery option. If you think you might need the course content later, export the course before you delete it. To export, go to Settings, find Export Course Content, and choose the file format you want. Canvas will create a backup file you can read and store.

Exporting a course before deletion

If you want to keep a copy of the course materials, export the course first. In Settings, scroll to find Export Course Content. Click the button and choose your file format — Canvas Common Cartridge is the standard format and can be imported into another Canvas course later. Click Export and Canvas will prepare the file.

The export process can take several minutes depending on the size of the course. Canvas will send you an email with a read link when the file is ready. read the file and save it to your computer before you delete the course. Keep the file in a location where you can find it if you need to restore the course content later.

If you are a student and want to remove a course from your list

Students cannot delete courses, but you have two options to remove a course from your view. The first is to hide the course, which keeps you enrolled but removes it from your dashboard. The second is to unenroll, which removes you from the course entirely.

To hide a course, click the three-dot menu next to the course name on your dashboard and select Hide from Dashboard. The course will no longer show on your main view, but you can still access it by clicking All Courses and finding it in the full list. To unenroll, go into the course, click Settings, scroll down, and click Unenroll from this course. Once you unenroll, you lose access to the course and your grades.

Reasons an instructor might not be able to delete a course

If you are an instructor and the delete button does not appear in Settings, your Canvas administrator may have restricted course deletion. Some institutions lock down deletion to prevent accidental loss of course records. Contact your Canvas administrator or your institution's learning technology support team to request permission to delete the course.

Another reason the delete option may be missing is if the course is linked to a term that has already ended or is archived. Some Canvas setups prevent deletion of courses tied to past terms. Your administrator can override this restriction if you have a legitimate reason to delete the course.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I recover a course after I delete it?

No. Canvas does not keep deleted courses in a trash folder or archive. Once you click delete and confirm, the course and all its content are permanently removed. The only way to recover the course is if you exported it before deletion — then you can import the backup file to create a new course with the same content.

What should I do if I delete a course by mistake?

Contact your Canvas administrator when ready. While Canvas does not have a standard recovery process, your administrator may be able to restore the course from a system backup if you report the deletion right away. The longer you wait, the less likely a recovery is possible. Have the course name and course code ready when you contact them.

If I delete a course, do students lose their grades?

Yes. Deleting a course removes all grades, submissions, and records associated with that course. Students will no longer see the course or their grades in their Canvas account. If you need to preserve grade records, export the course or read a grade report before you delete the course.

Can I delete a course if students are still enrolled?

Yes. Canvas does not require you to unenroll students first. However, deleting the course will remove all their access and erase their grades and submissions. It is good practice to notify students before you delete a course and give them time to read their work if they need it.

What is the difference between deleting and hiding a course?

Hiding a course removes it from your dashboard view but keeps it in Canvas — you can still access it by searching or clicking All Courses, and all content remains intact. Deleting a course removes it from Canvas entirely and erases all content. Hiding is reversible; deletion is not.