Microsoft Education: Setup for a Canvas Course
The Microsoft Education app brings popular Microsoft experiences seamlessly into Canvas, including Teams Assignments, OneDrive files, Teams collaboration, meeting scheduling, OneNote, and more. This guide will cover setting up the integration for a single Canvas course. For a complete overview, visit the Microsoft Education Overview resource.
Setup Instructions
Before you or your students can use Microsoft Education in Canvas, you’ll need to complete a one-time setup process. It takes about three minutes. If you have any questions or run into issues, contact Canvas Support.
Step 1: Enable Microsoft Education (If Missing)
Microsoft Education should be an option in the course navigation menu. If it's not, you'll need to enable it before proceeding. To do this, navigate to Settings and select Navigation.
Add Microsoft Education to your course navigation by dragging it to the top area, or selecting the three dots and choosing Enable. Then, save your changes. Learn how to manage Course Navigation Links
Step 2: Open Microsoft Education
Refresh the page and select Microsoft Education from the course navigation. Feel free to use the Learn more prompts to delve into each aspect of the integration. When you're ready, select Continue setup to continue.
Step 3: Configure Microsoft Education Options
Choose which Microsoft services to enable. OneDrive, Teams Meetings, and Assignments are selected by default. You can change this anytime from Course Settings, but you are selecting which services you want to enable for the course.
You may also choose to create a Microsoft Team for your class to enable collaboration in Microsoft Teams outside of Canvas.
Note: Creating a Team here is different from Canvas Groups. The Team will appear in the Microsoft Teams app (desktop, online, mobile) outside of Canvas.
Step 5: Finalize
Select Done to complete the setup process. You'll see a "We're setting up your class" message,
After a few moments, the setup will be complete. The Microsoft Education area will reflect the options you enabled during setup. Review the "Microsoft Education: Overview and Guides for Each Tool" section below to learn more about these options, and find guides on utilizing each one.
Microsoft Education App: Overview and Guides for Each Tool
OneDrive File SharingOneDrive is accessible through the Microsoft Education menu in course navigation. Supported functionality includes:
- Insert and share OneDrive files through the Rich Content Editor without managing permissions
- Full support for course copy (links don't expire)
- Assignment submissions through student OneDrives
- Individual and group collaborations based on OneDrive files
- File management and organization directly from the Microsoft Education menu
Learn how to get started with the following resources:
Teams MeetingsTeams Meetings are accessed through the Microsoft Education menu. Supported functionality includes:
- Schedule and edit Teams Meetings from Canvas
- Automatic roster syncing multiple times daily and when Canvas roster changes occur
- Single-click Add Entire Class option to add the full course roster to a meeting invite — no manual setup required
- Option allowing anyone in the course to join and view meetings
- Organized views for upcoming, personal, and previous meetings
- Instructor-only attendance tab for at-a-glance meeting participation
-
Meet Now option for instant meetings or quick link sharing
Schedule Teams Meetings in Canvas
Course Groups and TeamsA course group is created when you first set up Microsoft Education for a course. Creating a Team space is separate and optional, giving instructors more control and reducing unused Team spaces.
Create a Team / Group from a Canvas Course
Class Notebook (OneNote)Create a shared Class Notebook via OneNote, accessible to all students in your course. Notebooks include sections with controlled visibility and editing permissions, plus the ability to add custom sections. No manual enrollment required.
Create a Class Notebook in Canvas
ReflectMicrosoft Reflect supports student well-being through emotional check-ins. Create check-ins to gauge how students are doing and view aggregated results to help inform instructional decisions.
Create Check-ins with Reflect in Canvas
Assignments and Learning AcceleratorsA dedicated Microsoft Education assignment type supports a variety of assignment formats with full gradebook integration:
- Quizzes created from Microsoft Forms
- Assignments using Microsoft templates from Word, Excel, and PowerPoint
- Flip video submissions for short-form video assignments
- Learning accelerators for reading comprehension, speaking practice, math, and more
Assignments and Learning Accelerators Guide
Reading CoachReading Coach is a free, AI-powered reading fluency tool that helps students build confidence and improve reading skills through guided practice. Educators can create reading assignments, monitor student progress, and review fluency metrics — all from within Canvas.
Reading Coach in Canvas
Frequently Asked Questions
What happens to Microsoft Education content if I copy a course but haven't completed setup in the new course?Students will see a notice that setup has not been completed and will be unable to access the content until the instructor completes the initial Microsoft Education setup in the new course.
Can I enable more app options later?Yes. Open the Microsoft Education menu, click your profile icon, and go to Course Settings to toggle additional features on or off.
Can I delete my Course Group?Yes. In the Microsoft Education app, select the profile icon, open Course Settings, and choose Delete Course to remove the group and all associated Teams data.
What happens if I delete the Course Group?It cannot be recovered. Files linked through the app will break and display "File Not Found" errors. You must re-embed affected content.
The window is bright, does the Microsoft Education menu support dark mode?Yes. Select the profile icon within the Microsoft Education menu. Then, select Theme, and choose your view option.
Do I need to set up Microsoft Education for each course?Yes. You will need to go through this setup process for each course you plan on utilizing Microsoft Education features for.