Create Backups

Download Backups

With one notable exception (detailed below) it is unlikely you will lose any work in Canvas (old courses don't disappear; they just get moved to the Past Enrollments section of the Courses page). Still it's a very good idea to export backup files (such CVS files for grade books and "Canvas Course Export Package" / IMSCC ZIP files for entire Canvas courses) from Canvas to wherever you save files. (Importing your "Canvas Course Export Package" file into a new Canvas shell is the equivalent of copying a past Canvas course into a new Canvas shell, it's just coming from your files rather than from Canvas.)

• How do I export grades in the Gradebook? Links to an external site.
• How do I export a Canvas course? Links to an external site.
• How do I import a Canvas course export package? Links to an external site.

In addition to backing up the gradebook and the entire course, you can also export individual Canvas quizzes, survey results, all student submissions for an assignment, and more.

Preparing to Import into a New Canvas Shell

Ideally you'll never need to use your backups (unless you switch institutions). The simplest way to copy a past course into a new one is to "Copy a Canvas Course" using the "Import Course Content" link on the "Settings" page of the new Canvas shell.

• What is the Course Import Tool? Links to an external site.
• How do I copy content from another Canvas course using the Course Import tool? Links to an external site.

But be advised that this should be the last step in preparing for the new semester, not the first.

One way you could lose your work

Imagine it's a new semester and you have just completed the following steps:

1. You received a Canvas shell for your new course.
2. You imported your old Canvas course into the new Canvas shell.
3. You made lots of updates!  
4. You publish the course and everything goes off without a hitch.

Most of the time this is how things go. But if step 4 doesn't go as expected (e.g., if the class gets cancelled due to low enrollment, or if there's an error in the CRN and the only way to fix it is to delete the current shell and create a new one), all those updates you made in step 3 may be lost.

How to avoid losing your work

• Option 1: Create Regular Backups (Worst). Think of a new official course shell as a risky place to make updates until you know for sure the course will not be cancelled and the shell will not be deleted. You could just download backups (instructions above) every time you make updates until the course begins and everything is in order. But there are two easier and more reliable ways to not lose your work.
• Option 2: Make updates in your old Canvas Shell. Your old Canvas shell isn't going anywhere. So one option is to just make all your updates there before importing the old course into the new Canvas shell.
• Option 3: Request a Development / Sandbox Shell. Request a development shell. Import your previous course into this shell. Make all updates here. When you're finished, import this Canvas shell into the real Canvas shell. 
  
  

How to Request a Development Shell

• To request a development shell (or get any other Canvas-related help), call the 24/7 Canvas Support Hotline for Faculty at 844-612-7422.
• You can also find help by clicking on "Help" in the main Canvas navigation menu.