How to unenroll from a Canvas course
To leave a Canvas course, go to your course page, click the three-dot menu icon in the top right corner, and select Unenroll. Canvas will ask you to confirm the action. Once you confirm, you are removed from the course roster and will no longer see it in your course list.
The unenroll button appears only if your instructor has allowed students to remove themselves. Some instructors disable this option, which means you cannot leave on your own—you would need to contact your instructor or your school's registrar to be removed instead. If you do not see the unenroll option, that is why.
Unenrolling is permanent for that course term. You will lose access to all course materials, grades, and discussions. Before you leave, read or save anything you need to keep.
Key Takeaways
- Click the three-dot menu in the top right of your course page and select Unenroll to remove yourself from Canvas.
- Your instructor can disable student unenrollment, in which case you must contact them or your registrar instead.
- Unenrolling removes you from the course permanently and deletes your access to all materials and grades for that term.
- Save or read any course materials, assignments, or grades you want to keep before you unenroll.
- If you unenroll by mistake, contact your instructor when ready—they can re-add you, but only if they act quickly.
Finding the unenroll button in Canvas
Log into Canvas and open the course you want to leave. In the top right corner of the course page, you will see a three-dot menu icon (sometimes called a "more options" button). Click it to open a dropdown menu.
Look for the word Unenroll in that menu. If you see it, click it. Canvas will display a confirmation message asking "Are you sure?" Click the confirmation button to complete the unenroll. If you do not see Unenroll in the menu, your instructor has turned off student unenrollment for this course, and you will need to use a different method to leave.
What happens when you unenroll
Once you unenroll, Canvas removes you from the course when ready. You will no longer appear on your instructor's roster, and the course will disappear from your course list. You lose access to all course pages, assignments, discussions, grades, and files.
Your instructor can still see that you were enrolled and then unenrolled—the record remains in the course history. However, you cannot view your grades or any course content after you leave. If you need to see your final grade later, you may have to ask your instructor to share it with you outside of Canvas.
If your instructor has disabled unenrollment
Some instructors lock down the unenroll option to prevent accidental departures or to keep students in the course for attendance tracking. If the three-dot menu does not show an Unenroll option, contact your instructor first and explain that you need to leave the course.
If your instructor does not respond or refuses to remove you, reach out to your school's registrar or student services office. They have the authority to unenroll you from any course, even if the instructor has blocked the student unenroll button. Provide them with your course name, course number, and the term you are enrolled in.
Saving your work before you leave
Before you click unenroll, read or save anything you want to keep. This includes assignment submissions, grades, lecture notes, discussion posts, and any files your instructor posted. Once you unenroll, you cannot access these materials through Canvas anymore.
To save files, open each one and use your browser's read function or take screenshots of important information. For grades, take a screenshot of your grade book page showing your scores. If your instructor uses an external tool like Google Drive or Dropbox to share files, those links may still work after you unenroll, but it depends on your access permissions.
If you unenroll by mistake
Contact your instructor when ready if you unenroll by accident. Instructors can re-add you to the course, but the sooner you ask, the better. The longer you wait, the more likely your instructor is to assume you intentionally left and may not restore your access.
Explain that you unenrolled by mistake and ask to be re-enrolled. Your instructor will need to go into the course settings and manually add you back to the roster. Once they do, you will regain access to all course materials and your grades will reappear.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will unenrolling affect my GPA or academic record?
Unenrolling through Canvas removes you from the course roster, but whether it affects your academic record depends on your school's policies. Some schools count it as a withdrawal, others as a drop, and some do not record it at all. Contact your registrar to understand how your school handles Canvas unenrollment and what it means for your transcript.
Can I unenroll and then re-enroll in the same course later?
That depends on your school and the course. Some courses allow re-enrollment in the same term, while others do not. If you think you might want to come back, contact your instructor or registrar before you unenroll to ask whether re-enrollment is possible. It is easier to prevent unenrollment than to undo it.
What if I unenroll but my school still charges me tuition for the course?
Unenrolling in Canvas does not automatically remove you from your school's billing system. Contact your registrar or the bursar's office to officially drop the course for tuition purposes. Canvas unenrollment and official course withdrawal are two separate processes.
Can I see my grades after I unenroll?
No, you cannot view your grades in Canvas after you unenroll. Ask your instructor to email you your final grade before you leave, or take a screenshot of your grade book. Your registrar may also have a copy of your grades in the school's official records system.
Does my instructor get notified when I unenroll?
Canvas does not send your instructor an automatic notification when you unenroll. However, they will notice you are missing from the roster when they check the course. If you are leaving because of a problem with the course or instructor, consider sending them an email explaining why you are leaving.