October 17, 2026

Canvas Dashboard Explained for New Students

The Canvas Dashboard is the home screen of Canvas LMS. After you log in to Canvas by Instructure through your school, you land here first.

What you will see

  • Course cards for every active enrollment
  • A to-do list of upcoming assignments and quizzes
  • Recent announcements and graded items
  • Quick links into Calendar and Inbox

Customize which courses appear by starring favorites. Then open Modules inside each course to find the week’s work.

Student getting-started guide