How Do I Edit My Canvas Course Menu?

Learn how to customize your Canvas course navigation menu to create a streamlined, student-friendly experience. This guide walks you through enabling, disabling, and reordering menu items so students can easily access essential tools while reducing clutter.

Summary

Learn how to customize your Canvas course navigation menu to create a streamlined, student-friendly experience. This guide walks you through enabling, disabling, and reordering menu items so students can easily access essential tools while reducing clutter.

Environment

Canvas

Content

Why Customize the Course Menu?

• Improve student navigation and reduce confusion.
• Highlight essential tools and hide unused features.
• Maintain consistency across multiple courses.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1 - Access Course Settings

• Log in to Canvas and open the course you want to edit.
• In the left-hand menu, click Settings.

Step 2 - Open the Navigation Tab

• Within Settings, select the Navigation tab.
• You’ll see two sections:
  • Visible items (currently shown to students)
  • Hidden items (currently disabled)

Step 3 - Reorder Menu Items

• Drag and drop items in the Visible items section to change their order.
• Place frequently used tools (e.g., Modules, Assignments) near the top.

Step 4 - Hide Unnecessary Items

• Drag items you don’t want students to see into the Hidden items section.
• Common examples: Chat, Collaborations, or unused third-party tools.

Step 5 - Save Changes

• Scroll down and click Save.
• Preview the updated menu to ensure it looks correct.

Best Practices

• Keep the menu short and intuitive.
• Avoid hiding essential tools like Grades or Modules.
• Communicate changes to students in your course announcements.

Troubleshooting

• If changes don’t appear, clear your browser cache or refresh the page.
• Check Student View to confirm visibility.

Additional Resources

• Video: Crash Course – Editing Your Course menu [2:53]
• Vendor Support Page: How do I manage Course Navigation links?
• Interactive Lesson: Canvas Basics Part 1 - Course Navigation Links

Need Additional Help?

On behalf of OIT’s Instructional Design and Technology (IDT) team, we hope this tutorial is useful. If you encounter any difficulties or have questions related to this procedure, please contact our colleagues in OIT’s Support Center to have a help ticket created and assigned to the IDT team. You may contact the Support Center via email (supportcenter@uhcl.edu) or by telephone (281.283.2828). Once we receive your inquiry, a member of the IDT team will contact you as quickly as resources permit.