Fix Feedback on Teaching Launch Error

Quick Links: | Environment | Enable 3rd Party Cookies | Root Cause |

When selecting the Feedback on Teaching link in a Canvas course, users see the error message: "Launch validation failed. Please make sure you have 3rd party cookies enabled in this browser and that you are not in private or incognito mode." This prevents users from accessing Class Climate to view or submit course evaluations. The error appears immediately upon clicking the link and blocks all further interaction with the tool.

Canvas "Feedback on Teaching" page displaying the Class Climate error message: "Launch validation failed. Please make sure you have 3rd party cookies enabled in this browser and that you are not in private or incognito mode.

Environment

This article is relevant to you if:

  • You are accessing Canvas at Chico State
  • You are attempting to launch Feedback on Teaching (Class Climate) from a course
  • You are using Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, or Safari
  • Your browser is configured to block third-party cookies, OR you are browsing in private/incognito mode

Enable 3rd Party Cookies

To fix the Class Climate launch error, follow these steps based on your browser:

Google Chrome

  1. From the top-right corner of Chrome, select the three-dot menu (⋮)
  2. Select Settings
  3. From the left sidebar, select Privacy and security
  4. Select Third-party cookies (or Cookies and other site data in older versions)
  5. Select Allow third-party cookies

Mozilla Firefox

  1. From the top-right corner of Firefox, select the menu icon (☰)
  2. Select Settings
  3. From the left sidebar, select Privacy & Security
  4. Under Enhanced Tracking Protection, select Standard, or select Custom and ensure Cookies is not set to "All third-party cookies"

Safari (Mac)

  1. From the top-left of your screen, select Safari
  2. Select Settings
  3. Select the Privacy tab
  4. Clear the Prevent cross-site tracking checkbox
  5. Clear the Block all cookies checkbox

After updating your browser settings, return to Canvas, refresh the page, and select the Feedback on Teaching link again. Class Climate should now load and allow you to access your course evaluations. If you were in a private or incognito window, switch to a standard browser window before retrying.

Root Cause

When you launch Feedback on Teaching from Canvas, Class Climate authenticates you using an LTI (Learning Tools Interoperability) handshake that relies on third-party cookies. Because Class Climate is hosted on a different domain than Canvas, the browser treats its session cookie as a third-party cookie. When the browser blocks these cookies—either through privacy settings or by running in private/incognito mode—the authentication handshake fails and Class Climate returns the launch validation error. This is expected behavior of the LTI integration and not a defect in Canvas or Class Climate.

Still need help? Faculty and staff can reach out to the Technology & Learning Program. Students can reach out to the Center for Technology Equity.

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