Features Q&A: Canvas Release Notes (2025-07-19)

[InstContentTeam]

Looking to discuss these features from the 2025-07-19 Release Notes? Post a reply and start a conversation!

New Features

• Discussions: Manage Threaded Replies in Legacy Type Discussions
• Files: Redesigned Files Page [Added on 2025-06-23]
• User Settings: Dyslexia Friendly Font

New Feature Previews

• Canvas Portfolio

Other Updates

• Accessibility Updates: Enhanced Experience for Assistive Technology Users
• Analytics: New Analytics Default Status Update
• Analytics: Deprecation of Legacy Course Analytics

ADD FEEDBACK FOR THESE FEATURES IN Q&A TOPIC

• This topic is for feature discussion only—Please share use cases, best practices, questions, clarifications, etc. regarding this feature.
• Please thread replies as possible to keep posts organized. This will help everyone to track discussions and to participate.

ADDITIONAL FEEDBACK—WHERE TO POST IDEA SUGGESTIONS AND SUBMIT BUG REPORTS

• Idea requests for the Product Team to consider should be submitted in ideas.canvaslms.com . This is the best way to ask for additional or alternative functionality than what is included in the release. Linking to the related idea here so others can find it is encouraged!
• Bug reports should be submitted to Canvas Support. This way, cases can be connected and uniform updates can be provided to those involved. Bugs will not be triaged in this thread

[venitk]

What is a "legacy type discussion"?

[kda106]

I also have this question...we thought these were replaced in July 2024 with Discussions Redesign.

[kda106]

I also have this question...we thought these were replaced in July 2024 with Discussions Redesign.

[rmartini]

I'm very interested to see where the Portfolio update goes! I don't know that my institution will be open to the EAP, however, I wanted to mention a problem that I think I'm seeing in some of the screenshots for the Canvas Portfolio New Feature Prevew. I'm only working off of screenshots (so the colors may be slightly off even using the eyedropper tool), but it looks like some of the text doesn't meet minimum color contrast standards? I'm attaching some screenshots of some of the areas that jumped out at me (particularly the blue and purple/magenta color on the slightly gray background).

[leward]

The new portfolio options sound very interesting, particularly the scaffolded evaluation portfolio. We've been doing something similar here at Indiana University by establishing a dedicated course site for program assessment, but this sounds much nicer.  I just signed up for the preview, but I have a few questions that could perhaps be addressed here.

1.  Regarding the assessment portfolio, when evidence is assessed will it be possible to use Rubrics aligned with outcomes?  The screenshot shows a very basic review screen with status options, but no assessment of the quality of the work.  

2.  My other questions concerns the original Canvas Portfolio tool and Portfolium.  Will these options continue to be available in Canvas for the foreseeable future.  Will you be sunsetting one or both?

[audra_agnelly]

If we signup for Open Beta Portfolio, are we enabling it in Beta or are we Beta testing in our live environment. We've had numerous requests for portfolios over the years and ePortfolios were too wonky and student-driven for our K-12 audience. I'd love to test but I don't want this feature turned on for our entire account until we're able to evaluate.

[dbrace]

Hi @audra_agnelly,

I have not signed up for the preview but would be interested in knowing if you get an answer (testing in "beta" - or maybe "test", since refreshes are less frequent - and not "production").

-Doug

[dbrace]

Will the removal of the UUID from the Files API have any impact on course quotas after a course has been copied/imported?

-Doug

[jenn_stevens]

How long will people be able to switch back to Old Files?

We had a good look at New Files this morning, comparing it to issues raised in the previous release notes Q&A, and there are a few things still outstanding that we think would be useful:

• There is still no way to download all files in a course. You have to go page by page.
  • Gmail works like this as well, where "select all" only selects all the files on one page, BUT it also has a feature that pops up and says "hey you have only selected one page, would you like to apply this to the items on other pages?"
• We still can't get Shift+Click to work to select a range of files between two points. That works perfectly in Old Files.

[leward]

On a related note, although the pagination now shows the total items, there is no way to easily navigate to the last page or somewhere in the middle.  Typically, pagination widgets offer more control, at minimum first and last links.

[kwiemer_hcc]

I feel as if I'm missing something.  The Release Notes indicate that the Dyslexic Font setting is supposed to be enabled in the 7/19/2025 release, but I am unable to see it.  I do see it our Beta Environment.  Is there a Admin level setting I need to enable first - even though I see no mention in the Release Notes about that?

[mskoch]

I noticed in the Redesigned Files page, clicking on a PPTX file result in a message that says "No Preview Available" message with a download link. PPTX previews were supported in the old Files Page. They can still be viewed from modules and within the RCE. Is this temporary or is PPTX no longer a supported file format for previewing from the Redesigned Files page? I am not able to find any documentation about this. 

Another question: in the Old Files Page, if I click to preview a file, then use the browser's Back button instead of using the "Close" button to close the preview window, I would see the same view or location. In the Redesigned Files Page, if I click to preview a file from within a folder, or a search result list, then click the Back button, I am taken back to the main Files page. This change of behavior can be problematic for our instructors especially when the "Close" button on the preview window that instructors are accustomed to is now just an "X". I found myself using the Back button after previewing a file many times and had to find my way back to the previous location again. Can the Back button just close the preview window without going back to the main Files page like it was before?

[dbrace]

@mskoch,

To address the first-half: I have reported this to Canvas Support (12618497) after some testing.  The first-tier agent that I spoke with is going to escalate it.

To address the second-half: I believe this is because of differences with how Canvas displays previews and how a web browser's "Back" button works in the "Files" area.  With the old UI of "Files", technically a new link is being gone to (the format of the link being something like https://<CANVAS_INSTANCE/courses/COURSE_ID_NUMBER/files?preview=FILE_ID_NUMBER. With the new "Files" UI, the user is not being taken to a new link and the preview that appears is the same link and the content is display on top of the "Files" UI.

-Doug

[mskoch]

@dbrace 

Thank you for reporting the issue to Canvas Support and for the explanation about the Back button. I just came across an Excel (EXCL) file and it also showed the same "No Preview Available" message. I do not have examples of some of the other file types listed as supported to test with, but I hope Canvas Support will check and fix them all if there are any besides PPTX and XLSL files. 

I have another question: if a longer file name is truncated, is there a way for me to see the full file name without clicking on the file to Preview it? Hovering the mouse on the file name displays the file URL, so it does not work like the truncated assignment names on the Edit Assignment Dates page. Sometimes course files include unit title, project name, etc., at the beginning making them look the same when the full names are truncated. Sorry if I'm missing something obvious. Thanks.

[dbrace]

You are welcome @mskoch.

I did not try Microsoft Excel XLSX files. Here is what I will say to that. I hope that Instructure will check Canvas for other file types as they get Microsoft PowerPoint files working.  After Microsoft PowerPoint files are working, I will try to do my best to remember to:

1. come back here to update this Q&A area
2. try a Microsoft Excel XLSX file

As far as your other question is concerned, I do not have an answer for you what others have provided similar feedback in the  A Simpler, More Accessible Canvas Files Experience Is Here - Instructure Community - 650283  blog post from 2025-07-21.

-Doug

[mskoch]

@dbrace 
Thank you again for pointing me to the blog post from 7/21. I will keep my fingers crossed a solution will be provided for the truncated file names.