Why does my course show a lock on the Canvas dashboard?

Quick Links: | Environment | Solution | Root Cause |

Students using unsupported third-party browser extensions to modify their Canvas experience see a lock icon on the Canvas dashboard, leading them to believe the course might be locked.

Environment

• Canvas
• Student Role
• Card View Dashboard
• Certain unsupported 3rd party browser extensions
• Courses where the instructor has disabled showing students' total grades

Solution

Installing third-party browser extensions that modify the Canvas experience can cause stability issues and potentially compromise your privacy. It is not recommended to use browser extensions to modify Canvas's user interface. Chico State does not support the use of third-party browser extensions that modify the Canvas interface.

To fix the issue of seeing a lock icon on your courses, follow these steps:

1. Open your browser (Chrome, Firefox, or Edge).
2. Navigate to the browser's extensions or add-ons settings:
   • Chrome: Select the three vertical dots in the top-right corner > More tools > Extensions.
   • Firefox: Select the three horizontal lines in the top-right corner > Add-ons and Themes > Extensions.
   • Edge: Select the three horizontal dots in the top-right corner > Extensions.
3. Locate and disable any browser extensions that modify the Canvas experience.
4. Refresh the Canvas dashboard to verify that the lock icon has been removed.

Now your Canvas dashboard will no longer display the lock icon.

Root Cause

When an instructor disables the total grades display in Canvas, a lock icon appears instead of the grade for users of some unsupported third-party browser extensions. These extensions modify the Canvas dashboard, causing unexpected behavior. Disabling the extension removes the lock by reverting the dashboard to its intended state, where no grades or locks are displayed if the instructor has disabled grade visibility.

Still need help? Reach out to Learning Technology Services for further assistance.