How do I Modify the Default Notification Settings?
Within Canvas @ Yale, you have specific notifications that you can modify to determine how frequently you receive email notifications from your Canvas @ Yale course site. You can control your default (account-level) notification preferences AND you can control your settings within each course you are enrolled in.
For details about each notification setting, please refer to the vendor's Canvas Notifications documentation.
Please refer to out help guide for details on how to modify your course-level settings.
NOTE: Course-level notification preferences override default (account-level) notification preferences.
Notifications received from Canvas to your email address will come from "Course Name <notifications@instructure.com>".
For notification recommendations, please refer to the articles below:
Access the Notification Settings
To modify these notifications:
1. Click on "Account" on the Global Navigation.
2. From the side menu that appears, click "Notifications".

Note: Each set notification preference will become the default settings for your courses. If needed, you can change defaults notifications for each course individually as well.
Click on the Notification Icons to Modify Settings
Next each item, you can choose between four different icons. Clicking on these icons will modify the notification settings to determine how frequently you receive notifications for each item. You can see the legend of notification icons below for what each icon means.
Legend of Notification Icons
- Notify Immediately (solid bell): To receive notification right away. Delayed one-hour to capture all changes, which prevents multiple notifications at the same time.
- Daily summary (calendar with number): Daily notification via email.
- Weekly summary (calendar with date boxes): Weekly notification via email.
- Notifications off (clear bell with slash): Does not send notification for that item.

Description of Notification Types
Please see below for the description of each notification type. All notifications are customizable.
Notification Type |
What functionality is covered |
Course Activities | |
Due Date |
Assignment Due Date Change |
Grading Policies |
Course grading policy change |
Course Content |
Change to course content including: Pages, Quiz Content, Assignment Content |
Files |
New files added to your course |
Announcement |
New announcements in your course |
Announcements Created By You |
New announcements created by you, and replies to announcements you've created |
Grading |
Includes: Assignment/submission grade entered/changed; Un-muted assignment grade; Grade weight changed. |
Invitation |
Invitation for: Web conference; Group; Collaboration; Course; Peer Review reminder |
All Submissions* |
Assignment submission/resubmission |
Late Grading* |
Late assignment submission |
Submission Comment |
Assignment submission comment |
Blueprint Sync* |
Content was synced from a blueprint course to associated courses |
Discussions | |
Discussion |
New discussion topic in your course |
Discussion Post |
New discussion post in a topic you're subscribed to |
Conversations (Inbox) | |
Added to Conversation |
You are added to a conversation |
Conversation Message |
New Inbox messages |
Conversations Created By Me |
You created a conversation |
Scheduling | |
Student Appointment Signups* |
Student appointment sign-up |
Appointment Signups |
New appointment on your calendar |
Appointment Cancellations |
Appointment cancellation |
Appointment Availability |
New appointment timeslots are available for signup |
Calendar |
New and change items on your course calendar |
Groups | |
Membership Update** |
Group enrollment, and accepted/rejected |
Conferences | |
Recording Ready |
A conference recording is ready |
Alerts | |
Administrative Notifications* |
Course enrollment, report generated, content export, migration report, new account user, and new student group |
Content Link Error* |
Location and content of a failed link that a student has interacted with |
*Instructor and Admin only
**Admin only: pending enrollment activated
For more information about notifications, please see the vendor help article, "Guides for profile and user settings". For general help, please contact canvas@yale.edu.