Remove a Course by Hiding It From Your Dashboard
The fastest way to clean up your Canvas dashboard is to hide courses you no longer need to see. When you hide a course, it stays in your account but disappears from your main dashboard view — you can unhide it later if you need it back. This is different from unenrolling, which removes you from the course entirely.
To hide a course, click the three-dot menu icon in the top right corner of any course card on your dashboard. Select Hide from Dashboard from the dropdown menu. The course card vanishes when ready, and your dashboard becomes less cluttered.
Key Takeaways
- Hiding a course removes it from your dashboard view but keeps you enrolled — you can unhide it anytime by going to All Courses.
- Unenrolling removes you from the course entirely and is permanent unless an instructor re-adds you.
- You can hide multiple courses at once by using the dashboard filter menu to show only active courses.
- Hidden courses still send you notifications unless you mute them separately in your notification settings.
- To unhide a course, open the All Courses list, find the hidden course, and click the three-dot menu to select Show on Dashboard.
Hide Multiple Courses at Once Using Dashboard Filters
If you have many courses to hide, use the dashboard filter instead of hiding them one by one. Look for the filter icon or dropdown menu near the top of your course list — it usually says All Courses or shows a funnel symbol.
Click the filter and select Current Courses or Active Courses, depending on your Canvas version. This hides completed and archived courses automatically without unenrolling you. You can switch back to All Courses anytime to see everything again.
Unenroll From a Course Completely
If you want to remove yourself from a course entirely — not just hide it — you can unenroll. This is permanent unless an instructor manually re-adds you. To unenroll, click the three-dot menu on the course card and select Unenroll. Canvas will ask you to confirm before removing you.
Unenrolling is useful when you dropped a class, finished a training, or no longer need access. After you unenroll, the course no longer appears in your account at all, and you will not receive any notifications from it. If you change your mind, you will need to ask the instructor or your school's registrar to re-add you.
Turn Off Notifications for Courses You Want to Keep
Sometimes you want to stay enrolled in a course but do not want to see notifications from it. This is different from hiding — the course stays on your dashboard, but you silence the alerts. Click the bell icon on the course card to open notification settings.
You can choose to mute all notifications, mute only announcements, or keep notifications on but set them to digest mode (one email per day instead of one per message). This keeps the course visible for when you need it but stops the constant alerts.
Find Hidden Courses in the All Courses List
If you hide a course and later need to see it again, go to All Courses in the left sidebar. This list shows every course you are enrolled in, including hidden ones. Scroll through to find the course you hid.
Click the three-dot menu on that course card and select Show on Dashboard. The course reappears on your main dashboard when ready. You can also use the search bar at the top of the All Courses page to find a specific course by name instead of scrolling.
Understand the Difference Between Hiding and Unenrolling
The two actions look similar but work very differently. Hiding keeps you enrolled and keeps your grades, assignments, and messages intact — you just do not see the course on your dashboard. Unenrolling removes you from the course entirely, and you lose access to all course content.
Hide courses when you are done with them but want to keep the record, or when you want a cleaner dashboard but might need the course later. Unenroll only when you are certain you do not need the course anymore. If you unenroll by mistake, contact your instructor or registrar to get back in — Canvas does not have an undo button for unenrollment.
Manage Your Dashboard Layout After Removing Courses
After you hide or unenroll from courses, your dashboard may look empty or reorganize itself. Canvas automatically arranges remaining courses alphabetically or by enrollment date, depending on your settings. You can drag and drop course cards to reorder them manually if you want a specific layout.
You can also change how many courses appear per row by adjusting your dashboard view settings. Some Canvas versions let you switch between grid view (cards) and list view. Experiment with these options to find the layout that works best for you.
Frequently Asked Questions
If I hide a course, can the instructor still see my work in it?
Yes. Hiding a course only affects what you see on your dashboard. Your instructor can still access your assignments, grades, and messages. The course remains fully functional — you are just not viewing it from your main screen.
What happens to my grades if I unenroll from a course?
Your grades are deleted from your view when you unenroll. However, your instructor's records remain intact. If you re-enroll later, you may or may not see your old grades depending on how your school's Canvas is set up. Ask your instructor or registrar before unenrolling if grades matter to you.
Can I hide a course and still get notifications from it?
Yes. Hiding only removes the course from your dashboard view. If you want to stop notifications, you must mute them separately using the bell icon on the course card or in your notification settings. You can hide a course and keep notifications on, or hide it and mute notifications — they are separate controls.
How do I know if a course is hidden or if I unenrolled?
Go to All Courses. If the course appears there, you are still enrolled and it is just hidden. If it does not appear in All Courses at all, you have unenrolled. Hidden courses show a small eye icon or note indicating they are hidden from your dashboard.
Can I hide courses on the Canvas mobile app?
Yes. Open the course card, tap the three-dot menu, and select Hide from Dashboard. The mobile app works the same way as the web version. To unhide, go to All Courses, find the course, and tap the menu to select Show on Dashboard.