Canvas can publish your course calendar as a feed that Google Calendar subscribes to. Once connected, assignments and course events show up next to everything else in Google Calendar. The link is one-way, so changes in Canvas flow to Google, but not the reverse.
Quick Answer
In Canvas, open Calendar and click Calendar Feed to copy the link. In Google Calendar on a computer, click the plus next to Other calendars, choose From URL, paste the link and click Add calendar.
How to Add Canvas to Google Calendar
- Sign in to Canvas in a web browser and click Calendar in the left menu.
- Click Calendar Feed, usually in the lower-right corner, and copy the link.
- Open Google Calendar on a computer. Subscriptions by URL cannot be added in the phone app.
- Next to Other calendars, click the plus sign and choose From URL.
- Paste the Canvas link and click Add calendar.
- Give it a few hours. The Canvas calendar then appears under Other calendars and syncs to the Google Calendar app on your phone.
What Syncs and What Does Not
| Item | In Google Calendar? |
|---|---|
| Assignment due dates | Yes |
| Course calendar events | Yes |
| To-do items without dates | No |
| Changes you make in Google | No, the feed is read-only |
| Updates made in Canvas | Yes, after Google refreshes the feed |
Troubleshooting
- If nothing appears, check you pasted the whole link and that you are signed in to the right Google account.
- If updates are slow, that is normal. Google refreshes subscribed calendars on its own schedule, which can take several hours or up to a day.
- If the calendar is missing on your phone, open the Google Calendar app settings, tap the calendar and turn on Sync.
- For one-off files instead of a live feed, see how to import an ICS file into Google Calendar.
Related: use Google Calendar for school.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I edit Canvas events in Google Calendar?
No. Edit them in Canvas; subscribed calendars are view-only.
How do I change reminders for Canvas events?
Set notifications for that calendar in Google Calendar settings. See how to change default notification times.
Is my feed link private?
Treat it like a password. Anyone with the link can see your course calendar.
How do I remove it?
In Google Calendar settings, select the Canvas calendar and choose Unsubscribe or Remove calendar.
Summary
- Canvas, Calendar, Calendar Feed.
- Copy the link.
- Google Calendar on a computer: Other calendars, From URL.
- Paste and add.
- Allow time for updates to sync.
Kermit Matthews is a freelance writer based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with more than a decade of experience writing technology guides. He has a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Computer Science and has spent much of his professional career in IT management.
He specializes in writing content about iPhones, Android devices, Microsoft Office, and many other popular applications and devices.