How to delete a Canvas course you no longer need
You can remove a Canvas course from your dashboard by archiving it or deleting it entirely. Archiving hides the course but keeps the data; deleting removes it permanently. The steps differ depending on whether you are the course instructor or a student, and what role you hold in the course.
If you are an instructor or course designer, you have full control to archive or delete. If you are a student, you can only remove the course from your view by concluding your enrollment. The method you choose depends on whether you might need the course materials later.
Key Takeaways
- Instructors can archive a course to hide it while keeping all content, or delete it to remove it permanently from Canvas.
- Students can unenroll from a course through their account settings, which removes it from their course list.
- Archiving is reversible; deletion is not, so archive first if you are unsure whether you will need the course again.
- Archived courses do not appear in your dashboard but remain in your account under the "Archived Courses" section.
How instructors archive a Canvas course
Archiving is the safest way to remove a course from view while preserving all its content. To archive a course, go to your course and click the Settings gear icon in the left navigation menu. Scroll down to the Course State section and select Conclude this course. This marks the course as concluded but does not delete it.
After you conclude the course, click Settings again and look for the Archive this course option. Click it to move the course out of your active course list. The course will no longer appear on your dashboard, but you can find it later by clicking All Courses and filtering for archived courses.
Students enrolled in an archived course can still access it, but they cannot make new posts or submissions unless you reactivate it. If you want to prevent students from accessing the course entirely, you must delete it instead of archiving it.
How instructors permanently delete a Canvas course
Deletion removes the course and all its content from Canvas permanently. This action cannot be undone. To delete a course, go to Settings and scroll to the bottom of the page. Click Delete this course. Canvas will ask you to confirm by typing the course name. Type it exactly as it appears and click the confirmation button.
Before you delete, read any materials you want to keep. You can export the course as a Common Cartridge file by going to Settings and selecting Export Course Content. This creates a backup you can import into another Canvas instance or learning management system later.
Deleting a course also removes all student submissions, grades, and discussion posts. If any of that data is needed for your records or institutional compliance, export the course or read the grade book before you proceed.
How students remove a Canvas course from their list
As a student, you cannot delete a course, but you can unenroll to remove it from your dashboard. Click your profile icon in the top right corner and select Settings. Scroll down to Enrolled Courses and find the course you want to remove. Click the X button next to the course name to unenroll.
Unenrolling removes the course from your view, but the course still exists in Canvas. If your instructor adds you back or you re-enroll, your previous submissions and grades will still be there. If you want to hide a course without unenrolling, you can also click the three-dot menu on the course card in your dashboard and select Favorite to toggle it off, which moves the course lower in your list.
What happens to grades and submissions when you remove a course
If you are an instructor and you archive a course, all grades and submissions remain in the gradebook and are not affected. Students can still view their grades if they access the archived course. If you delete the course, all grades and submissions are deleted permanently and cannot be recovered.
If you are a student and you unenroll, your grades and submissions stay in the course. Your instructor can still see them, and you can re-enroll and view them again. Unenrolling does not erase your academic record in that course.
Restoring an archived course
If you archived a course and want to bring it back, go to All Courses and filter the list to show archived courses. Click the course name to open it. Go to Settings and click Unarchive this course. The course will return to your active course list and students will be able to post and submit work again.
You may also need to change the course state from Concluded back to Active. In Settings, find Course State and select Make this course active. After you do this, the course will function normally again.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I recover a course after I delete it?
No. Deletion is permanent and cannot be reversed. Canvas does not keep backups of deleted courses. If you think you might need the course later, archive it instead of deleting it. If you have already deleted it and need the content, contact your Canvas administrator to see if they have a system backup, though this is not may provide.
What is the difference between concluding and archiving a course?
Concluding a course marks it as finished and prevents new submissions, but it stays visible in your course list. Archiving hides it from your dashboard entirely. You can conclude a course without archiving it, or archive it without concluding it, depending on what you want students to see.
If I unenroll from a course as a student, can my instructor see my work?
Yes. Unenrolling removes the course from your dashboard but does not delete your submissions or grades. Your instructor can still access everything you submitted. If you re-enroll, you will see all your previous work again.
Can I archive a course if students are still enrolled?
Yes. Archiving does not remove students from the course. They can still view the course and their grades, but they cannot make new posts or submissions unless you unarchive it. If you want to prevent students from accessing the course entirely, you must delete it.
Where do I find my archived courses?
Click All Courses at the top of your course list. Use the filter menu to select Archived. Your archived courses will appear in a separate section. You can click any archived course to view it or unarchive it.