Personalizing the Canvas Dashboard

Table of Contents 

• Introduction 
• Instructions / Solution Steps 
• Common Issues & Troubleshooting 
• Additional Resources / Related Articles 
• Contact / Escalation Information 

Introduction

This solution explains how users can personalize their Canvas Dashboard to better organize and manage their courses. The Canvas Dashboard is the first page users see after logging in and displays course cards for quick access. By customizing the dashboard, users can control which courses appear, adjust the layout, assign course nicknames, and change course card colors to make courses easier to identify. 

This solution should be used when users want to organize their courses on the Canvas Dashboard, especially if they are enrolled in multiple courses or have courses from previous terms appearing in their list. Personalizing the dashboard allows users to favorite courses, change course card colors, add nicknames, and adjust the dashboard view so that important courses are easier to identify. 

This solution is for instructors, students, and staff who want to customize their Canvas Dashboard to improve organization and quickly locate their courses. Personalizing the dashboard helps reduce clutter and allows users to prioritize frequently accessed courses. 

To personalize the Canvas Dashboard, the user must: 

• Have an active Canvas account 
• Be enrolled in at least one Canvas course 
• Be logged into Canvas through their institution’s Single Sign-On (SSO) system 
• No additional permissions or software are required. 

Solution Steps: How to Personalize the Canvas Dashboard 

Step 1: Access the Dashboard 

1. Log into Canvas. 
2. Click Dashboard from the Global Navigation menu on the left side. 

Step 2: Choose a Dashboard View 

Canvas offers three dashboard view options: 

• Card View – Displays courses as visual cards (default view). 
• List View – Displays a to-do list and recent feedback. 
• Recent Activity View – Displays recent course announcements, discussions, and submissions.

To change the view: 

1. Click the three-dot menu (Options) in the upper-right corner of the dashboard. 
2. Select your preferred view.

Step 3: Favorite Courses 

Favoriting courses allows them to appear on your dashboard. 

1. Click Courses in the Global Navigation menu. 
2. Select All Courses. 
3. Click the star icon next to the courses you want to display on the dashboard.

Only courses marked as favorites will appear on the dashboard. 

Step 4: Change Course Card Colors

Users can assign colors to course cards to make them easier to identify. 

1. From the Dashboard Card View, click the three-dot menu on a course card. 
2. Select a new color from the color palette.

Step 5: Add a Course Nickname

1. Nicknames allow users to rename a course card for easier recognition. 
2. Click the three-dot menu on the course card. 
3. Select Nickname. 
4. Enter the preferred name for the course.

Note: Nicknames are only visible to the user and do not change the official course name. 

Common Issues & Troubleshooting

Courses are not appearing on the Dashboard

• Ensure the course is favorited in the All Courses list.

Too many courses appear on the Dashboard

• Remove the star icon from courses you do not want displayed. 

The course nickname or color did not change

• Refresh your browser or log out and log back in to Canvas.

Dashboard shows old courses

• Unfavorite past courses to remove them from the dashboard view.

Additional Resources / Related Articles 

• How do I use the Dashboard as a student? 
  https://community.canvaslms.com/t5/Student-Guide/How-do-I-use-the-Dashboard-as-a-student/ta-p/417 
• How do I customize my Dashboard in the Card View? 
  https://community.canvaslms.com/t5/Student-Guide/How-do-I-customize-my-Dashboard-in-Card-View/ta-p/414 
• How do I favorite courses in Canvas? 
  https://community.canvaslms.com/t5/Student-Guide/How-do-I-customize-my-Courses-list/ta-p/500 

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.