Canvas - Inbox Guide for Instructors

Canvas course instructors can use the Inbox tool to send messages to individual students, groups, or entire classes. Students may also send Inbox messages to their instructor or classmates. The Inbox tool works similarly to email except that messages, which Canvas refers to as "conversations", reside in Canvas instead of Outlook. The Inbox is accessed by clicking the Inbox button in the Global Navigation menu along the left side of any Canvas page.

Inbox Basics

Video Source (Canvas Video Guide)

What is the Inbox? (Canvas Basics Guide)

Selected How-to Resources (Canvas Basics Guides)

Canvas Basics Guide Index

Viewing Messages

• How do I use the Inbox?
• How do I find my unread messages in the Inbox?
• How do I filter conversations?
• How do I get notified by email when I have a new Inbox message? (UWGB KnowledgeBase Article)

Sending Messages

• How do I send a message to all course users in the Inbox?
• How do I send a message to a user in a course in the Inbox?
• How do I send a message to a user in a student group in the Inbox?
• How do I reply to a message in the Inbox?
• How do I add new people to an existing conversation?
• How do I forward a message from a conversation?
• How do I send a message to students from the Gradebook?

Cleaning Up Your Inbox

• How do I archive a conversation?
• How do I delete a conversation?
• How do I delete a message from a conversation?

Message Attachments

• How do I attach a file to a message?
• How do I record or upload media to a to a message?

Getting Help

Canvas support is available 24 hours a day! Access Canvas support options by clicking the Help button in the Global Navigation Menu located along the left-edge of any page in Canvas. The Help menu contains options for contacting Canvas support via live chat, phone, and email. For more information on contacting Canvas support, please see Canvas - Contacting 24/7 Canvas Support .