Resetting a course in Canvas

Canvas allows instructors to reset a course, deleting all content and student data, which is useful for removing templates or unwanted content but is irreversible. This article explains how to reset a course, reasons and risks for doing so, and possible alternatives.

Description

Canvas allows instructors to reset a course, which means deleting all the content and student data from the course and starting over from scratch. This functionality may be useful for instructors who want to remove a template imported from the Commons, or clear out unwanted content from a course. Resetting a course is irreversible and cannot be undone, so please read through all the information below before resetting a course. Instructors should not reset any course already available to students.  

This article will explain how to reset a course in Canvas, the common reasons for doing so, the risks of resetting a course, and possible alternatives to resetting.

Environment

Canvas in your web browser 

Solution 

1. Log in to Canvas at canvas.ohio.edu. 

2. Use the Courses tab on the left global navigation menu to find your course. 

3. Navigate to the Settings section of your course. 

4. Select the Reset Course Content button on the right sidebar. 

5. Read the warning message carefully and confirm that you want to reset the course by selecting the Reset Course Content button again. 

6. Wait for the reset process to complete. You will see a confirmation message and a new course shell with no content or student data. 

Outcome: The Canvas course will be reset, all data will be deleted, and the course ID in the course URL will be changed.

Reasons for resetting a course 

• You imported a template from the Commons that you don't want to use. 

• You have a lot of unwanted or outdated content in your course that you want to remove in bulk. 

• You made a mistake or encountered a problem with your course content that you can't undo or fix. 

• You want to start over with a blank slate and redesign your course from scratch. 

Risks of resetting a course 

• Resetting a course will delete all the content and student data from the course, including assignments, quizzes, discussions, pages, files, grades, submissions, comments, feedback, analytics, and enrollments. This action is irreversible and cannot be undone. 

• Resetting a course will affect the course ID in the Canvas URL (ex. www.ohio.instructure.com/courses/1234), which may break any links or bookmarks that point to the original course. You will need to update any references to the course ID after resetting. 

• Resetting a course will also affect any cross-listed sections or groups associated with the course. You will need to re-cross-list or re-create any sections or groups after resetting. 

• Resetting a course may cause confusion or frustration for students enrolled in or who have completed it. They will lose access to their grades, submissions, feedback, and course materials. You should communicate with your students before and after resetting a course and explain the reason and the impact of the action. 

Alternatives to resetting a course 

• If you want to reuse a course shell for a new term, but you want to keep the previous content or student data, you should import the course content to a new course shell instead of resetting the existing one. This will preserve the original course and create a duplicate course with the same content. 

• If you have unwanted or outdated content in your course, but you don't want to delete everything, you can delete or unpublish individual items or modules instead of resetting the course. This will allow you to keep the content or student data that you still need or want. 

• If you made a mistake or encountered a problem with your course content, but you can’t undo or fix it, you can use the Canvas history features to restore a page to a previous state instead of resetting the course. 

• If you want to start over with a blank slate and redesign your course from scratch, you can request a manually created course.  

Get help from Canvas

• Live chat with Canvas support (Faculty) 
• Get 24-hours/7-days a week Canvas support  
  • Dial the Canvas Support Hotline number located under "Get Help" in the Canvas Global Navigation Menu 
  • Contact OIT at 740-593-1222 for questions related to logging in, test courses/manually created courses, or third-party tools (Panopto, VoiceThread, Inclusive Access, etc.) 

Get Help from OIT

• Use the Canvas Learning Management System (LMS) ticket form to submit a help ticket 
• Visit the Technology Resources and Training page for available training 

Additional resources

• How do I reset a course? 
• How do I delete pages in a course?
• How do I delete a file or folder as an instructor?
• Canvas Basics Guide  
• Canvas Instructor Guide  
• Canvas Video Guide 
• Mobile Guides 
• Canvas Course Accessibility Checklist
• Canvas LMS Implementation updates
• Canvas Experts Corner Blog