Differentiation Tags in Canvas

Differentiation Tags let instructors assign content to specific student groups, without using sections or visible groups. These tags are only seen by instructors and are ideal for accommodations, targeted instruction, and filtering the Gradebook.

What Are Differentiation Tags?

Differentiation Tags are hidden labels instructors can assign to students within a Canvas course. Once applied, these tags enable personalized instruction by controlling access to assignments, discussions, modules, or quizzes. Use them to:

Assign different due dates or content to select students
Track accommodations or instructional needs
Filter the Gradebook by custom student sets
Send targeted messages via the Canvas Inbox

Tags are invisible to students and do not create collaborative spaces like Groups. They serve as a powerful, private instructional tool for managing diverse learner needs.

Why Use Tags Instead of Sections or Groups?

Ultimately, Tags enhance instructional flexibility and support scalable personalized learning, all without the enrollment overhead of sections or the collaborative intent of groups.

Sections: Generally tied to Banner, their structure is rigid and enrollment-focused. Ideal for course management, but not well-suited to ad hoc instructional grouping.
Groups: Designed for student collaboration. Visible to students and intended for peer interaction. Not meant for differentiated content delivery or privacy-based tagging.
Tags: Flexible, private, and entirely instructor-managed. Ideal for creating personalized learning experiences, accommodating individual needs, and managing differentiated instruction without changing enrollment or creating visible groups.

In-depth Comparison: Differentiation Tags vs. Sections vs. Groups

Feature Differentiation Tags Sections Groups Purpose Label students to personalize learning and deliver content to specific students. Manage course enrollments and instructional timing Support peer collaboration and group activities Who Creates Them? Instructor-created within the course interface Primary section is auto-generated from Banner. Instructors can create separate sections within a course Instructor-created or student-created (optional course setting) Student Visibility Hidden from students Visible in profile and notifications Visible; students can view members and interact Best For Custom content delivery (e.g., support needs, alternate formats, course variants) Organizing students by time block or campus section Group work, discussions, and shared submissions Content Assignment Supports Assignments, Quizzes, Discussions, Pages, Modules, and Gradebook filters Supports all tools, including SpeedGrader Only for group-specific assignments and discussions Gradebook Filtering Yes, by tag or tag set Yes, by section No, unless specifically using group assignments Due Date Customization Yes; Canvas prioritizes due dates as: Everyone → Section → Tag → Individual Yes, per section Not supported Overlap Allowed? Yes; students can have multiple tags but only one per tag set No; one section per course enrollment Yes; students can be in multiple groups

Get Started with Differentiation Tags

How to create and assign Differentiation Tags

Note: At this time, only users with Teacher roles in a Canvas course can create, assign, or remove Differentiation Tags.

Step 1: Open the Tag Manager

Navigate to the People area in your course navigation menu.
Select the Manage Tags button near the top of the screen.

Step 2: Add a Tag or Tag Set

If this is your first time using tags, click Get Started.

Create a standalone Tag

To create a single, standalone tag, provide a name in the Tag Name field, then select Save.

Create a Tag Set

Select Add another tag. This will create a field titled Tag Set Name
Provide a name for your Tag Set (Ex. Reading level)
Provide names for each tag in the set (Ex. Advanced, Needs support, etc.)
Select Save.

Step 3: Assign Tags to Students

Check the box beside the student(s) you want to tag.
Click Tag As and select the tag or tag set option.

Students will now have a tag icon next to their name. Click the icon to view or remove any assigned tags.

How to edit and delete tags from a course

Within the People menu of a course, select Manage Tags. Use the pencil icon to rename or adjust a tag or tag set. Use the trash can icon to delete a tag entirely

Understanding standalone Tags vs. Tag Sets

You can use standalone tags for quick, one-off needs or tag sets for structured and scalable differentiation.

Standalone Tags: Apply one-off tags like “Remote Student” or “Needs Extra Time.” Ideal for quick adjustments.
Tag Sets: Create structured tag groups like “Reading Level” with variants: “Needs Support,” “Standard,” and “Advanced.” Perfect for scaling personalized instruction.

Each course supports up to 40 tags total and 10 variants per tag set. Tags can be reused in Assignments, Quizzes, Discussions, Modules, and Gradebook filters.

How to use Differentiation Tags

Once you’ve created and assigned tags to students, you can utilize them in a couple of ways. For instance, you can use these labels to filter in the gradebook or directly assign items to a specific tag or tag set.

Filter Tags in the Gradebook

Tags appear in the Gradebook filter menu under Student Groups.

"Assign To" Integration for Assignments and Quizzes

Within an Assignment's details page, you can can assign differentiated content to tagged students via the Assign To field

Video Overview: Differentiation Tags

FAQ: Differentiation Tags

Are tags preserved during course copy or import?

No. Tags are not preserved during course copy or import.

Can I disable tags? What happens if I disable Tags?

You can disable the differentiation tag feature via your course settings. Alternatively, if you have existing tags and remove them, you'll be prompted to reassign tagged content individually if Tags are re-enabled.

Is there a limit to the total number of tags in a course?

Yes. Each course supports up to 40 tags total and 10 variants per tag set.

Can I assign tags to Teachers or other roles?

No. Tags can only be assigned to Student roles in Canvas.

I have a question that's not listed here...

Instructure offers a comprehensive FAQ on Differentiation Tags that covers common questions and advanced use cases.