Canvas - Inbox Guide for Students

Students can use the Canvas Inbox tool to send 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. This article is a collection of technical resources intended to help students use the Canvas Inbox.

Video Guide

Video Source (Canvas Video Guide)

How-to Guides

The following links point to selected articles in the Canvas Student Guide:

Full Canvas Student 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?

Sending Messages

• How do I send a message to a user in a course in the Inbox?
• How do I reply to a message in the Inbox?
• How do I send a message to a user in a group in the Inbox?
• How do I privately respond to one individual in a group message?
• How do I forward a message from a conversation?
• How do I add new people to an existing conversation?

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 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 .