Technical Details

Canvas is easy to use, but it will work a lot better in certain situations than in others. So, for those who need to know or encounter problems accessing/working in Canvas, here are the technical details:

Computer Specifications

Canvas and its hosting infrastructure are designed for maximum compatibility and minimal requirements.

Screen Size

      • Canvas is best viewed at a minimum of 800x600, which is the average size of a notebook computer. If you want to view Canvas on a device with a smaller screen, we recommend using the Canvas mobile app Links to an external site..

Operating Systems

Mobile Operating System Native App Support

      • iOS 7 and newer (versions vary by device)
      • Android 4.2 and newer

Computer Speed and Processor

      • Use a computer 5 years old or newer when possible
      • 1GB of RAM
      • 2GHz processor

Internet Speed

      • Along with compatibility and web standards, Canvas has been carefully crafted to accommodate low bandwidth environments.
      • Minimum of 512kbps

Screen Readers

Supported Browsers

Because it's built using web standards, Canvas runs on Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS, Android, or any other device with a modern web browser.

Canvas supports the current and first previous major releases of the following browsers:

 

Some browser plugins or extensions may conflict with Canvas and affect functionality. If you experience behavior that does not allow you to view or participate in Canvas courses, please ensure you have disabled any extensions or plugins that interact directly with your web browser. If you have upgraded your browser but you are still seeing the warning banner, try logging out of Canvas and deleting your browser cookies. Learn how to clear your cache on a Mac or a PC.

Required Components

Flash Links to an external site. is required for recording audio and video in the Canvas Rich Content Editor. Other than these features, Flash is not required to use most areas of Canvas. Please note that some browsers may no longer support Flash.

The Java plug-in Links to an external site. is required for screen sharing in Conferences. Please note that some browsers do not support Java. Otherwise, there are no other browser plug-ins used by Canvas.

Update Your Desktop Browser

There are a couple of different ways to update your desktop browser.

 

 

1. Every time you open your browser, it will check to make sure it is using the most current version. If it is not updated, your browser will prompt you with a notification and walk you through the update process.

2. Download the latest version of your desktop browser directly. Click the name of your browser below to visit your browser's download page:

Browser Privacy Settings

We recommend following any browser security policies established by your institution, especially if you are using Canvas on a computer provided by your institution.

Some browsers may occasionally make modifications to privacy settings to protect users from possible unsecured content. Unsecured content is identified with the prefix http:// in the URL and can create mixed content in your Canvas Page. Secured content is identified with the https:// prefix in the URL. 

If you are using a browser that is affected, please be aware of possible restrictions. The following are known issues in specific browsers that may block or create mixed content within Canvas. Known Browser Behaviors Links to an external site.

Chrome Security

Google Chrome verifies that the website content you view is transmitted securely. If you visit a page in your Canvas course that is linked to insecure content, Chrome will display a shield icon in the browser address bar.

You can choose to override the security restriction and display the content anyway by clicking the shield icon and then clicking the Load unsafe script button.

Chrome Media Permissions

Chrome has its own media permission within the browser. To use your computer camera and microphone within any Canvas feature, you will have to approve two permissions:

  1. Allow access to Canvas via the Adobe Flash Player Settings. This prompt appears in the center of the video and audio pop-up windows, or the center of the browser if you are accessing Conversations.
  2. Allow access to Canvas via Chrome's media permission settings. This prompt appears just below the address bar. Click the Allow button.

Firefox Security

Firefox verifies that the website content you view is transmitted securely. If you visit a page in your Canvas course that is linked to insecure content, Firefox will display a shield icon in the browser address bar.

You can choose to override the security restriction and display the content anyway by clicking the shield icon, clicking the Keep Blocking drop-down menu, and selecting the Disable Protection on This Page option.