Where to Find Your Course ID

Your Canvas course ID is a number that identifies your specific course in the system. You can find it in three places: in the course URL, in your course settings, or by looking at the course card on your dashboard. The fastest method is to check the URL of any page within your course — the number that appears after "/courses/" is your course ID.

If you are on your course home page right now, look at the address bar at the top of your browser. The URL will look something like canvas.instructure.com/courses/1234567. That number at the end (1234567 in this example) is your course ID. Write it down or copy it — you will need it if you are integrating Canvas with other tools, requesting technical support, or setting up third-party applications.

Key Takeaways

  • Your course ID appears in the URL of any page within your course, right after "/courses/".
  • You can also find your course ID in your course settings under the Details tab.
  • The course ID is a number only — it does not include the course name or any letters.
  • You may need your course ID when connecting Canvas to other software, contacting support, or troubleshooting integration problems.

Finding Your Course ID in Course Settings

If you prefer not to dig through the URL, you can pull your course ID directly from Canvas settings. Click the Settings link in the left navigation menu of your course. This link appears near the bottom of the menu, usually below Grades and Syllabus.

Once you are in Settings, look for the Details tab at the top of the page. Scroll down until you see a field labeled Course ID. The number displayed there is your course ID. You can click the copy icon next to it (if your Canvas version has one) or highlight and copy the number manually.

Locating Your Course ID from the Dashboard

You can also find your course ID without entering the course itself. From your Canvas dashboard (the main page you see when you log in), hover your mouse over the course card or tile for the course you need. A small menu or information box may appear showing course details.

Alternatively, right-click on the course card and select Inspect or Inspect Element (the exact wording depends on your browser). This opens the browser's developer tools. Look for the course URL in the code — it will contain the course ID after "/courses/". This method works if the dashboard does not display the ID directly, though it requires a bit more technical comfort.

Why You Need Your Course ID

Canvas course IDs serve as a unique identifier for your course across the platform. If you are connecting Canvas to Zoom, Google Classroom, Slack, or another third-party tool, that tool often asks for your course ID to sync data correctly. Support staff at your school may also ask for your course ID when you report a technical problem, because it helps them locate your course quickly in their system.

Some Canvas features and integrations also require the course ID in a URL or API call. If you are building a custom integration or using advanced Canvas features, having your course ID on hand saves time and prevents errors.

Common Places Course ID Gets Used

Third-party applications that connect to Canvas frequently ask for your course ID. Zoom integration, LTI tools (Learning Tools Interoperability), and data export services all may request this number. When you see a field asking for "Course ID" or "Canvas Course ID," paste the number you found in the URL or Settings.

If you are troubleshooting a problem with Canvas or requesting help from your school's IT department, providing your course ID upfront speeds up the process. It also helps if you are migrating a course, archiving it, or setting up course-level permissions and access controls.

What Your Course ID Does Not Include

Your course ID is always a number — nothing else. It does not contain your course name, section number, term, or any letters. If you see something like "MATH-101-001" or "Fall2024-Biology," that is your course code or section code, not your course ID. Canvas assigns the numeric course ID separately from whatever naming system your school uses.

Do not confuse your course ID with your student ID, instructor ID, or account ID. Each of these is a different number that identifies different things in the Canvas system. Your course ID identifies only that one course.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is my course ID the same as my course code?

No. Your course code (like MATH-101 or BIO-201) is assigned by your school and may appear on your transcript. Your course ID is a number Canvas generates to identify that specific section of the course in the system. You need the numeric course ID for integrations and technical support.

Can I change my course ID?

No, Canvas assigns course IDs automatically when a course is created, and they cannot be changed. If you need a different course ID, you would need to create a new course in Canvas, which is not practical for an active course. Contact your school's Canvas administrator if you believe there is an error with your course ID.

What if I cannot find the Settings link in my course?

Settings appears only if you have instructor or admin permissions in the course. If you are a student, you will not see this link. As a student, use the URL method instead — the course ID is visible in the address bar regardless of your role.

Do I need my course ID to log into Canvas?

No. You log in with your username and password. Your course ID is only needed when you are connecting Canvas to other tools, troubleshooting technical issues, or performing administrative tasks within your course.

Where do I paste my course ID when setting up an integration?

The location depends on which tool you are connecting to Canvas. Check the documentation or setup instructions for that specific tool — it will tell you where to enter the course ID. Common locations include connection settings, course linking pages, or API configuration screens.