Manage Selective Content Visibility in Canvas

Canvas offers versatile alternatives for tailored instruction. Learn how to manage access to course content for specific students in Canvas using module prerequisites, mastery paths, and assignment restrictions. Customize learning experiences by setting prerequisites for module content and directing students based on their performance. Assignments can be restricted to specific students, ensuring personalized access and submission.

Quick Links: | Prerequisites | Instructions | Troubleshooting |

Canvas offers several ways to decide who sees what and when in your course. This guide explains four strategies—Module Prerequisites, Differentiation Tags, Assign To, and Mastery Paths—so you can pick the approach that best matches your teaching goals.

Prerequisites

• Teacher or Designer role (or equivalent) in the Canvas course

Step-by-Step Instructions

There are several ways to control content access in Canvas. The table below summarizes each option at a glance.

Use Module Prerequisites and Requirements

Module Prerequisites allow you to gate later content until students complete required items. This is useful when students must progress in a set order. If you need visibility based on performance or cohorts, use Mastery Paths or Differentiation Tags instead. To use Module Prerequisites, do the following:

1. From the course navigation menu, select Modules.
2. Create or open the module that contains the prerequisite items.
3. In the module header, select More Options (⋮) ➔ Edit.
4. Under Requirements, choose Students must complete all of these requirements.
   
5. Add each item and choose the rule (for example, Submit the assignment).
6. Select Update Module.
7. Open the next module ➔ Edit ➔ under Prerequisites, select the previous module ➔ Update Module.
   

Use Differentiation Tags

Differentiation Tags let you assign hidden tags to students and target content to any tag variant. This is useful for sharing items with lab groups or clinical placements that don’t align with Canvas sections. If you only need a one-off extension, use Assign To instead. To use Differentiation Tags, do the following:

Create and manage tags

1. From Global Navigation, select People.
2. In the course People page, select Manage Tags ➔ Get Started (first-time only).
3. Enter a Tag Name and a Tag Set, then select Save.
4. Select students in the roster (Shift-click to multi-select) ➔ Tag As ➔ choose the tag or create another.

Release content to a tag

1. Open the page, assignment, quiz, or discussion.
2. From the edit screen, locate the Assign section.
3. In Assign to, type the tag name and select the desired tag variant.
4. Set dates if needed, then Save or Save & Publish the item.

Use Assign To

Assign To lets you limit most types of content to selected students, groups, or sections and give each a unique schedule. This is useful for make-up work or staggered deadlines within a group set or if you have sections that meet on different days. If you need to manage long-term cohorts that aren't bound to a course section, use Differentiation Tags. To use Assign To, do the following:

1. Create or open the item.
2. From the edit screen, scroll to Assign.
3. In Assign to, type a student, group, or section name and select it.
   
4. (Optional) Select Add to give another student, group, or section its own date window.
   
5. Select Save (or Save & Publish).

Use Mastery Paths

Mastery Paths route students to different activities based on their score on a source assignment or quiz. This is useful for automatic remediation or enrichment. If you need cohort-based release, use Differentiation Tags. To use Mastery Paths, do the following:

1. From Assignments (or Quizzes), create the source item and choose a grading scheme.
2. In the assignment settings, toggle Mastery Paths to On ➔ Save.
3. Define score ranges (for example, 0–69 %, 70–89 %, 90–100 %).
4. From Modules, locate the source item ➔ select Mastery Paths.
5. For each range, add or create the pages, assignments, or quizzes students should receive, then publish them.

Learn more about Mastery Paths:

• How do I use Mastery Paths in course modules?
• How do I add conditional content to a Mastery Path source item?
• How do I assign a conditional assignment for students to complete in Mastery Paths?

Troubleshooting

• Next module stays locked even after students finish work
  Check that the requirement rule is correct (for example, Submit instead of View) and that all prerequisite items are published.

• Mastery Path items do not appear
  Each conditional page, quiz, or assignment inside the path must be published; unpublished items remain invisible.

• Assign To will not accept a name
  The user may not be enrolled in the course or section. Verify enrollment, wait for any roster sync, then try again.

• Differentiation Tags menu missing
  Make sure you are in the People page inside a course, not in the Admin area, and that you have a Teacher-level role. If you still do not see the Manage Tags button, contact your local support team.

Still need help? If you run into problems or still need help, reach out to the Technology & Learning Program.