Why and when to hide a course in Canvas
You hide a course in Canvas when you want to keep it out of your students' view without deleting it. A hidden course does not appear in your students' course list, but you and other instructors can still access it. Common reasons to hide a course include preparing a course before the semester starts, archiving a course after it ends, or temporarily removing a course while you redesign it.
Hidden courses remain in your Canvas account with all their content intact. You can unhide them at any time. This is different from deleting a course, which removes it permanently after a waiting period.
Key Takeaways
- Hidden courses do not appear in your students' course list, but instructors can still see and edit them.
- You hide a course by going to Settings, clicking the Visibility tab, and selecting "Hide this course."
- Students enrolled in a hidden course will not see it in their dashboard, but they can still access it if they have a direct link.
- You can unhide a course at any time by returning to the same Settings menu and changing the visibility back.
- Hiding a course does not affect student grades, assignments, or any course content—it only changes whether the course appears in the course list.
Access your course settings
Log in to Canvas and open the course you want to hide. In the left navigation menu, scroll down and click Settings. This opens the course settings page where you control visibility, access, and other course-level options.
You must have instructor or admin permissions to access Settings. If you do not see Settings in the left menu, you do not have the required role for this course.
Find and use the visibility tab
On the Settings page, look for the Visibility tab near the top. Click it to open visibility options. You will see a section labeled "Course Visibility" with a dropdown menu or radio button options, depending on your Canvas version.
The visibility options typically include "Visible to everyone," "Visible to course members only," and "Hide this course." Select Hide this course from the dropdown or radio buttons.
Save your changes
After selecting "Hide this course," scroll to the bottom of the Settings page and click the Update Course Details button (or Save, depending on your Canvas version). Canvas will confirm that your changes have been saved.
The course will when ready disappear from your students' course lists. You will still see it in your own course list because you are an instructor.
What students see when a course is hidden
When you hide a course, students enrolled in that course will not see it in their Canvas dashboard or course list. If they try to navigate to the course using a direct link (for example, a bookmark or a link from an email), they will see an error message saying they do not have permission to view the course.
Hidden courses do not send notifications to students, and the course content remains completely inaccessible to them until you unhide it. This is useful if you are preparing a course and do not want students to see incomplete materials.
Unhiding a course when you are ready
To make a hidden course visible again, return to Settings and click the Visibility tab. Change the setting from "Hide this course" back to "Visible to everyone" or "Visible to course members only," depending on your preference. Click Update Course Details to save.
Once you unhide the course, it will reappear in your students' course lists when ready. All course content, grades, and assignments remain exactly as they were before hiding.
Common mistakes to avoid
Do not confuse hiding a course with restricting access. A hidden course is invisible to students, but a restricted course is visible but locked. If you want students to see the course but not enter it yet, use access restrictions instead of hiding.
Another common mistake is hiding a course and then forgetting where it is. Hidden courses still appear in your instructor view, usually at the bottom of your course list or in a separate section. You can always find them by scrolling through your courses or using the search function.
Do not hide a course if you need students to see announcements or receive notifications. Once hidden, students will not receive any course communications until you unhide it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can students still access a hidden course if they have the URL?
No. If a course is hidden, students will see a "You do not have permission to view this course" error when they try to access it directly, even with a saved link or bookmark. They must wait until you unhide the course.
Does hiding a course delete student work or grades?
No. Hiding a course does not affect any student data, grades, assignments, or submissions. Everything remains in the course and is preserved exactly as it was. When you unhide the course, all content and grades are still there.
Can I hide a course that students are currently taking?
Yes, you can hide a course at any time, even if students are actively enrolled and working in it. However, they will lose access when ready and will not be able to see their work until you unhide it. It is better to hide courses before the semester starts or after it ends.
What is the difference between hiding a course and deleting it?
A hidden course remains in your Canvas account with all content intact and can be unhidden at any time. A deleted course goes through a waiting period (usually 30 days) before permanent removal. If you think you might need the course again, hide it instead of deleting it.
Will students get notified if I hide their course?
No. Canvas does not send notifications to students when you hide a course. They will straightforward notice the course is no longer in their course list the next time they log in.