Table of Contents
Introduction
To explain how instructors can personalize the Course Navigation Menu in Canvas by showing, hiding, and reordering the tools that appear in the left-hand menu of a course. In many Canvas courses, the navigation menu may include tools that are not being used, which can create confusion for students and make it harder to locate important course materials. By adjusting the navigation settings, instructors can hide unused tools and organize the menu in a way that simplifies the course layout and better supports the structure and flow of the course.
This solution should be used when instructors want to simplify or organize their Canvas course navigation so that students only see the tools and links that are relevant to the course. It is especially helpful when building or revising a course, preparing a course for a new semester, or when students report difficulty finding materials. Adjusting the Course Navigation Menu allows instructors to remove unnecessary links, highlight commonly used tools such as Modules or Assignments, and create a cleaner, more student-friendly course experience.
For instructors who want to customize the Course Navigation Menu in Canvas to better organize their course. It allows them to control which tools appear in the left-hand menu, hide tools that are not being used, and arrange the order of the remaining links. The goal is to create a cleaner and more intuitive course layout so students can more easily find important materials and resources.
Before personalizing the Course Navigation Menu in Canvas, the user must be enrolled in the course with a role that has permission to edit course settings (such as Teacher, Instructor, or Course Designer). The user must also have access to the Canvas course where the navigation changes will be made. No additional tools or software are required, as these settings are available directly within the Course Settings area of Canvas..
Instructions / Solution Steps
Faculty can customize which links appear in the Course Navigation Menu (the menu on the left side of a Canvas course). This helps simplify the course for students by hiding tools that are not being used.
Step 1: Open Your Course
- Log in to Canvas.
- Select the course you want to edit from the Dashboard or Courses menu.
Step 2: Go to Course Settings
- In the Course Navigation Menu on the left side of the course, click Settings.
Step 3: Select the Navigation Tab
- At the top of the Settings page, click the Navigation tab.
- You will see two sections:
- Top section: Items currently visible to students.
- Bottom section: Items hidden from students.
Step 4: Reorder or Hide Links
You can personalize the menu in the following ways:
- To reorder links
- Click and drag a tool (for example: Modules, Assignments, Discussions) to the desired position in the list.
- To hide a link
- Drag the item from the top list to the bottom list.
- To enable a hidden link
- Drag the item from the bottom list to the top list.
Step 5: Save Your Changes
- Scroll down to the bottom of the page.
- Click Save.
- Your Course Navigation Menu will update immediately.
Important Notes
- Some tools may be automatically hidden until they contain content.
- Changes apply to students, but instructors will still see most tools even if they are hidden.
- Hiding unused tools can make the course cleaner and easier for students to navigate.
Common Issues & Troubleshooting
Navigation changes do not appear for students
- Ensure you clicked Save at the bottom of the Navigation page after making changes.
- Remember that instructors may still see certain tools even if they are hidden from students.
Some tools cannot be moved or hidden
- Certain course links (such as Home, Announcements, Modules, or Grades) may be locked by the institution and cannot be disabled or moved.
A tool is hidden but students can still access it
- If content is directly linked within a Module, students may still access the item through the module even if the navigation link is hidden.
Tools automatically appear in the menu
- Some tools become visible once content is added. For example, adding a discussion or assignment may automatically enable the related navigation link.
Changes do not immediately appear for students
- Ask students to refresh their browser or log out and log back into Canvas to see the updated navigation menu.
Additional Resources / Related Articles
Manage Course Navigation Links (Canvas Instructor Guide)
- Official Canvas guide explaining how instructors can enable, disable, and reorder navigation links in their course.
- How do I manage Course Navigation links?
- Canvas allows instructors to control which links appear in the course menu and to hide links that are not needed for students.
Use the Course Navigation Menu as an Instructor
- Explains what the course navigation menu is and how instructors and students use it within a Canvas course.
- How do I use the Course Navigation Menu as an instructor?
- The Course Navigation Menu appears on the left side of a course and provides access to course tools such as Modules, Assignments, Discussions, and Grades.
Use Course Settings in Canvas
- Provides an overview of the Course Settings area where navigation customization is performed.
- How do I use Course Settings?
- In the Navigation tab of Course Settings, instructors can drag and drop links to reorder them or hide them from students.
Contact / Escalation Information
If you encounter issues personalizing the Course Navigation Menu in Canvas, or if the navigation settings are not saving or behaving as expected, you may contact the Kean Canvas Learning Technologies Support Team for assistance.
Please submit a support request through the IT Help Desk portal using the Canvas support catalog. When submitting a ticket, include the following information to help expedite troubleshooting:
- Course Name and Course ID (Example: 2026SP*BIO*1000*01)
- A brief description of the issue
- Screenshots of the issue (if available)
- The specific tool or link in question that you are trying to access
If the issue involves permissions, locked navigation items, or course template restrictions, the request may need to be reviewed by the Learning Technologies Management Team.
For urgent issues affecting active courses, you may also contact the IT Help Desk directly:
- Help Desk Website: helpdesk.kean.edu/support/home
- Phone: 908-737-6000
- 24/7 Canvas Support can be found by clicking on Help in the Global Navigation section and clicking Chat with Canvas Support (Faculty). They can also be reached via Hotline at 855-781-8511.
The support team will review the request and assist with troubleshooting, permissions, or configuration changes as needed.