Communicating in Canvas
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What is Conversations?
Conversations is the messaging tool used instead of email to communicate with a course, a group, an individual student, or a group of students. You can communicate with other people in your course at any time.
When would I use Conversations?
Use Conversations to:
- Send a message to someone in your course
- Send a message to your entire class (if allowed)
- Send a message to members of a group
- Reply to messages from others in your course
- Filter conversations by course or type
- View and reply to assignment submission comments
You can adjust your notification preferences to receive conversations using external channels.
How do I use Conversations?
Conversations is split into two panels and displays messages chronologically. You can view and reply to conversations and sort them by course or inbox type.
Note: If you right-click or option-click on the Inbox link, you can open your Conversation Inbox in a new browser tab to keep it handy while you are doing other tasks in Canvas.
Open the Inbox
In the Help Corner, click the Inbox link.
View Unread Indicator
If the inbox link includes a blue indicators, the indicator shows how many unread Conversations messages you have in your Inbox. Once you read the new messages, the indicator will disappear.
View Toolbar
The toolbar includes global message options. To load conversations, filter your conversations messages by course [1] and type [2]. Filtering by type lets you filter messages by Inbox conversations, Unread, Starred, Sent, Archived, and Submission Comments. You can compose a message at any time using the compose icon [3].
You can also search for conversations by user in the Search by user field [4].
View Conversation Panels
Conversations for your selected course and Inbox filter appear in the left Conversations panel.
View Conversations
The Conversation Inbox is organized chronologically from newest to oldest with the newest Conversations appearing on top [1] and the older Conversations at the bottom.
You can manually mark a conversation as read or unread by hovering over the conversation and toggling the circle to the left of the conversation [2]. To star a conversation, hover over the conversation and toggle the star to the left of the conversation [3].
View Conversation Thread
When you select a conversation [1], all messages in the conversations thread appear in the right Conversations panel [2].
Manage Conversation Thread
Within each conversation, you can reply, reply-all, forward, or delete the entire conversation thread [1]. You can also hover over an individual message and use the same commands within the individual message [2].
Select Multiple Conversations
To select multiple messages to archive [1], delete [2], mark as read or unread [3], or star [4], press the command key (Mac) or the control key (Windows) while clicking each message you want to select.
Note: You can also use the same key command to deselect a message.
To select all messages, click the command + A keys (Mac) or the control + A keys (Windows).
To select a range of messages, click the first message you want to select, hold down the Shift key, and then click the last message you want to select. All messages between the first and the last messages will be selected
How do I compose and send a message?
The compose message icon creates a new window in the middle of your screen. You can filter recipients by course, send messages to individuals, multiple recipients, or course rosters, create subject lines, and add attachments.
Note: Currently you cannot message users in multiple courses.
Open Inbox
In the Help Corner, click the Inbox link.
Compose Message
Click the Compose icon to start a new message.
Filter Course
In the Courses drop-down menu, select the course where you want to send your message. You can filter your courses by current favorite courses [1], more courses [2], concluded courses [3], and groups [4].
Note: If you filter your Course list by Concluded Courses, you will only be able to compose messages to instructors.
Add Recipient
Add your recipient in the To field. You can type the recipient's name in the To field [1], or you can use the Course Roster [2].
Type Name in the To Field
When you start typing an individual's name in the To field, Canvas will automatically populate matching names. If multiple names appear, use the arrow key to select the individual you want to message. Then press Enter. The individual's name will appear in the To field, highlighted in light blue.
If you accidentally select the wrong individual(s), press Delete (on a MAC keyboard) or Backspace (on a PC keyboard) to remove the name(s).
You can also hover over a recipient name and click the white x to delete it from the To field.
To send a message to multiple recipients, type additional names in the To field.
If you accidentally select the wrong individual(s), press Delete (on a MAC keyboard) or Backspace (on a PC keyboard) to remove the name(s).
You can also hover over a recipient name and click on the white x to delete it from the To field.
Note: If you have a long list of recipients, the To field will only show 5 lines before scrolling is enabled. If you select the Send individual messages checkbox, individual messages for all recipients will be created.
Use Course Roster
To select an individual from the course roster, click the Address Book icon [1] next to the To field. From the address book, locate the individual and select his or her name [2]. Names are arranged by last name.
To navigate back to the course roster, use the arrow icon [3].
To send a message to multiple recipients in the course roster, press the command key (Mac) or the control key (Windows) and click the name of each recipient you'd like to add to your message. Pressing the keyboard key will keep the roster window open.
Compose Message
In the compose message window, you can:
- Enter a subject line
- Optional: Select the Send individual messages checkbox to create individual messages for all recipients in the To: field.
- Type a message
- Attach files or media
- Click the Send button
Note: If you do not want a student to see all recipients and replies in the message, click the Send individual messages checkbox.
View Sent Message
Your message will appear at the top of your Sent folder until someone replies. If you have an existing Inbox message with a recipient, the message will appear as part of that message thread.
Note: A URL will automatically become a clickable link after you send the message