How do I customize the Canvas Help Menu for an account?

The Help Menu assists users in your institution by displaying a list of Canvas help resources. Depending on their role, users can view up to eight default help options. As an admin, you can reorder or hide default links in the Help menu. You can also add custom help links for your institution and choose if they should be available to all users or specific user roles. You can highlight links by adding a New label to a link or by featuring the link in the Help menu.

You can also change the Help icon and text that displays throughout Canvas.

This article shows how to access the Help Menu Options directly from the Global Navigation Menu. However, you can also access the Help menu options in Account Settings.

Notes:

  • Canvas Help menu customizations are only available at the account level and automatically apply to all subaccounts. When opening the Help menu, only admins can view the customization link.
  • Help menu customizations are not available in Free-for-Teacher accounts.
  • The Help menu links also display when a user accesses the Help link in the Login page. However, the Ask Your Instructor a Question and Ask the Community links are never part of the Help menu in the Login page since the Login page does not associate a user by role.
  • The Help menu includes a Show Welcome Tour link which displays a short welcome tour for Admins, Instructors, and Students. This link cannot be disabled.
  • Release note links can be added to the Help Menu by enabling the Embedded Release Notes feature option. When the feature option is enabled, this feature cannot be customized in Account Settings.

Customize Help Menu

Access Account

In Global Navigation, click the Help Menu link [1], then click the Customize this menu link [2].

View Help Menu Options

View Help Menu Options

In the Settings tab, locate the Help menu options section.

Customize Name

Customize Name

By default, the Canvas Help menu text displays as Help. To change the text, enter the new name in the text field.

The name of the Help menu displays in Global Navigation, the footer of the login page, and the top menu bar in SpeedGrader. The name should be no more than 30 characters.

Customize Icon

Customize Icon

By default, the Help navigation icon displays as a question mark. To change the navigation icon, select another icon from the included icon set. The selected icon displays a square border.  

The navigation icon currently only displays in Global Navigation. To best assist your account users, the navigation icon should compliment the name of the Help menu.

Update Settings

Update Settings

Click the Update Settings button.