Canvas Feedback
Accessing Feedback for Canvas Assignment
When you submit an assignment in Canvas, your instructor can provide feedback in several ways to help you improve and succeed.
Feedback might appear as written comments, audio or video messages, or even annotations directly on your work.
You may also receive feedback through rubrics, which break down your grade into specific criteria, or from classmates if peer review is enabled.
In some cases, your instructor may upload files with extra notes or provide feedback to your whole group for group assignments.
What You’ll Learn on This Page
On this page, we will show you:
- Different types of feedback available in Canvas.
- How to access your feedback for assignments in Canvas.
- How to set up notifications so you know when new feedback is available.
These guides will show you how to access your feedback in Canvas and how to set up notifications so you’ll know when your marks and feedback are ready to view.
Once you've accessed and reviewed your feedback, it is advised to visit the Understanding and Interpreting your Feedback guide to help you approach your feedback strategically and use feedback to enhance and develop your approach to academic assessments.
Feedback Types in Canvas
When your teacher gives feedback on your assignment in Canvas, you might see these types of feedback:
Assignment comments
These appear in the Comments box for the whole assignment. They’re general comments about your work overall, rather than tied to a specific part of your submission. These comments might include text, attached files, or even audio/video messages.
Inline comments
These are comments added directly on your submitted file. Your teacher can highlight specific parts of your work and leave notes right next to them. This type of feedback is great for pointing out details or suggesting changes in a particular section of your assignment.
Rubrics
If your instructor uses a rubric, you’ll see a breakdown of your grade based on specific criteria (such as content, structure, or referencing). Rubrics often include scores and short comments for each criterion, giving you a clear idea of what you did well and where you can improve. If a rubric is attached, you can usually view it from the assignment page by clicking “Show Rubric”, which appears near the submission area.
In the below guides, we will show you how to can access your assignment feedback comments, inline feedback comments and rubrics, if they've been used:
Assignment comments
These are overall comments on your entire assignment, appearing in the main Comments box and potentially including text, files, or audio/video feedback.
This video explains how you can access these feedback comments in your Canvas assignments.
Please refer to the How do I view assignment comments from my instructor guide for full information including a step by step guide.
Please note that if you respond to a feedback comment from your instructor, they may not reply. If you have any questions about your marks or feedback, it is recommended that you contact your school directly.
Inline comments
These are comments placed directly on your submitted file, where your teacher can highlight specific sections and leave notes to give detailed, targeted feedback. This video explains how you can access these feedback comments in your Canvas assignments.
Please refer to the How do I view annotation feedback comments from my instructor directly in my assignment submission guide for full information including a step by step guide.
Please note that if you respond to a feedback comment from your instructor, they may not reply. If you have any questions about your marks or feedback, it is recommended that you contact your school directly.
Rubrics
If your instructor uses a rubric, you’ll see your grade broken down by specific criteria with scores and brief comments, giving you a clear understanding of your strengths and areas for improvement.
This video shows you how to view and access these rubrics in your Canvas assignments.
Please refer to the How do I view the rubric for my assignment guide for full information including a step by step guide.
Please note that if you respond to a feedback comment from your instructor, they may not reply. If you have any questions about your marks or feedback, it is recommended that you contact your school directly.
Being Notified When Your Grades and Feedback are Available
Canvas notifications are alerts that inform students about important updates in their courses, including when feedback on assessments becomes available.
These notifications can be delivered via your University email or push notifications through the Canvas Student application if you have this installed on your mobile devices (Mobile Phone and Tablet).
You can be notified for grades and feedback for all your courses or for selected courses. The guides below will show you how to can set up your notifications based off your preferences:
How do I manage my Canvas notification settings for all my courses?
In this short video, you'll see how to manage your notification settings for all your courses, including receiving notifications for new grades and feedback:
Further to the above video, please refer to the How do I manage my Canvas notification settings? guide for full information including a step by step guide.
How do I manage notifications for specific courses?
In this short video, you'll see how to manage your notification settings for specific Canvas courses, including receiving notifications for new grades and feedback:
Further to the above video, please refer to the How do I manage notifications for a single course? guide for full information including a step by step guide.
Canvas Android App
What is the Canvas Student App?
Using the Canvas Student App for Android is an easy way to stay fully up to date with your marks and feedback throughout the academic year.
The app can notify you as soon as grades are released, allowing you to view your marks instantly without needing to log in on a computer.
You can browse all your grades within each module, viewing feedback types such as assignment comments, inline annotations rubrics, and any uploaded feedback files directly from your phone.
How do I install the Canvas Android App and login to my Canvas account?
To download this application to your mobile/tablet device, please follow the guide How do I download the Canvas app on my Android device?.
To login to your Canvas account from this application, use the guide How do I log in to the Canvas app with a Canvas URL on my Android device?.
How do I access my feedback from the Canvas Android App?
You can easily access your marks and feedback using the Canvas Student App on your Android device.
With the app, you can check your grades as soon as they’re released and read any comments, annotations, or rubric feedback from your instructors—all from your phone or tablet.
You can find out how to view your marks and read your instructor’s feedback in the Canvas Student App on your Android device by following the How do I view assignment comments from my instructor in the Canvas app on my Android device? guide.
Canvas Apple App
What is the Canvas Student App?
Using the Canvas Student App on your iPhone or iPad is an easy way for you to stay up to date with your marks and feedback throughout the academic year.
The app can notify you as soon as your grades are released, allowing you to view your marks instantly without needing to log in on a computer.
You can browse all your grades within each module and view different types of feedback, including assignment comments, inline annotations, rubrics, and any uploaded feedback files — all directly from your Apple device.
How do I install the Canvas iOS App and log in to my Canvas account?
To download the Canvas Student App to your iPhone or iPad, you can follow the How do I download the Canvas app on my iOS device? guide.
Once installed, you can find out how to log in to your Canvas account using the instructions in the How do I log in to the Canvas app on my iOS device with a Canvas URL? guide.
How do I access my feedback from the Canvas Android App?
For full instructions on how to do this including step by step instructions, please visit How do I view assignment comments from my instructor in the Canvas app on my iOS device? guidance.