Canvas can send your assignment important date and event dates directly to Google Calendar

Canvas, the learning management system used by most colleges and universities, stores all your course dates in one place. Google Calendar can pull those dates automatically so you see assignments and exams alongside your personal schedule. The connection works one way — Canvas pushes information to Google Calendar, but changes you make in Google Calendar do not go back to Canvas.

The process takes about five minutes and requires you to be logged into both Canvas and Google at the same time. You will generate a calendar link inside Canvas, then paste that link into Google Calendar as a subscription. Once connected, new assignments and due dates appear in Google Calendar within a few hours.

Key Takeaways

  • Canvas sends assignment important date and course events to Google Calendar through a calendar subscription link that you create in Canvas settings.
  • You need to be logged into both Canvas and your Google account to complete the connection, which takes about five minutes.
  • After you subscribe, new dates from Canvas appear in Google Calendar automatically, but you cannot edit Canvas dates from Google Calendar.
  • If you drop a course or change your Canvas password, you may need to update or re-add the subscription in Google Calendar.

Find your Canvas calendar link in account settings

Log into Canvas and click your profile icon in the top right corner of the page. Select Settings from the dropdown menu. Scroll down until you see the section labeled Calendars or Calendar Subscriptions. You will see a link that says Calendar Feed or displays a URL starting with https://. This is your personal Canvas calendar link — it contains a unique token that connects your Canvas account to Google Calendar.

Copy this entire link. Do not share it with anyone, because anyone with this link can see all your Canvas assignments and due dates. If you accidentally share it or think someone has seen it, you can regenerate a new link from this same settings page.

Add the Canvas link to Google Calendar

Open Google Calendar in a new tab while staying logged into your Google account. Click the + button next to Other calendars on the left side of the screen. Select Subscribe to calendar from the menu. Paste your Canvas calendar link into the text field that appears. Click Subscribe.

Google Calendar will ask you to name the calendar — you can call it "Canvas" or "Canvas Assignments" or anything that makes sense to you. Choose a color if you want Canvas events to stand out from your personal events. Click Create calendar or Subscribe, depending on which version of Google Calendar you are using. The Canvas calendar will now appear in your calendar list on the left side.

Check that dates are appearing correctly

It can take up to a few hours for Canvas events to show up in Google Calendar after you subscribe. Refresh your Google Calendar page or close and reopen it to see updates faster. Look for assignments, quizzes, and exam dates from your Canvas courses appearing as events on the calendar. Click on any event to see the assignment name and due date.

If you do not see any events after waiting a few hours, check that you copied the entire calendar link correctly and that you are subscribed to the right calendar. Go back to Canvas settings and verify the link matches what you pasted into Google Calendar. If the links do not match, delete the subscription from Google Calendar and add it again with the correct link.

Update the subscription if you change your Canvas password

If you reset your Canvas password, your calendar subscription may stop working because the unique token in your calendar link becomes invalid. You will need to generate a new calendar link from Canvas settings and replace the old one in Google Calendar. Delete the Canvas calendar from Google Calendar by right-clicking it and selecting Unsubscribe. Then follow the steps above to add the new link.

You do not need to do anything if you straightforward add or drop a course — Canvas automatically updates the calendar link with new and removed assignments. However, if you have not seen a course assignment appear in Google Calendar after 24 hours, check that you are enrolled in that course in Canvas and that the course has a published due date.

Manage which Canvas courses appear on your calendar

The Canvas calendar link includes all your enrolled courses by default. If you want to hide assignments from a specific course, you have two options. You can uncheck the course name in Canvas settings under Calendar Subscriptions to exclude it from the feed. Or you can create a separate calendar subscription for only the courses you want to see, though this requires repeating the subscription process in Google Calendar.

Most students find it simpler to subscribe to all courses and then mute or hide individual course calendars in Google Calendar if needed. Right-click the Canvas calendar in Google Calendar and select Settings to change the color, turn off notifications, or hide it temporarily without unsubscribing.

Troubleshooting common connection problems

If events from Canvas are not showing up in Google Calendar, first check that you are looking at the correct calendar. The Canvas calendar appears as a separate calendar in your list on the left — it does not automatically merge with your main Google Calendar. Make sure the checkbox next to the Canvas calendar name is checked so it displays on your screen.

If the Canvas calendar is checked but still not visible, try refreshing your browser or logging out and back into Google Calendar. If you see old assignments but no new ones, the subscription may have expired. Delete the subscription and add the Canvas calendar link again using the current link from your Canvas settings. If you continue to have problems, contact your school's Canvas support team — they can confirm that your calendar feed is working correctly on the Canvas side.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I edit Canvas assignments directly from Google Calendar?

No. The connection is one-way only — Canvas sends information to Google Calendar, but you cannot make changes in Google Calendar that affect Canvas. If you need to change an assignment due date or add a note, you must do that in Canvas. Google Calendar will update automatically within a few hours.

What happens to my Canvas calendar if I graduate or leave the school?

Your Canvas calendar link will stop working once your account is deactivated. The subscription in Google Calendar will show an error or stop updating. You can delete the Canvas calendar from Google Calendar at that point. If you want to keep a record of your assignments, export your Google Calendar before your Canvas account closes.

Can I share my Canvas calendar with classmates?

You can share your Google Calendar with others, but do not share your Canvas calendar link directly. Sharing the link gives people access to your personal Canvas account information. Instead, export your Canvas calendar as an .ics file from Canvas settings and share that file, or straightforward tell classmates to subscribe to their own Canvas calendars.

Will the Canvas calendar show assignments from all my courses automatically?

Yes, as long as you are enrolled in the courses and the instructors have published due dates in Canvas. If an assignment does not appear after 24 hours, check that you are actually enrolled in that course and that the assignment has a due date set. Some instructors may not use Canvas for all assignments, so you may still need to check the course syllabus or email for other important date.

What if I want to stop seeing Canvas events in Google Calendar?

Right-click the Canvas calendar in Google Calendar and select Unsubscribe. The calendar will be removed from your list, and you will no longer see Canvas assignments. You can re-subscribe at any time by adding the calendar link again from your Canvas settings.