The fastest way to sync Canvas to Google Calendar

You can add your Canvas calendar to Google Calendar by copying your personal Canvas calendar feed URL and pasting it into Google Calendar's "subscribe to calendar" feature. The process takes about three minutes and syncs your Canvas assignments, due dates, and events automatically — you do not have to add them manually.

Canvas generates a unique calendar feed for each student. Once you subscribe, any new assignments or deadlines posted to Canvas appear in Google Calendar within a few minutes. If you drop a class or Canvas removes an assignment, those changes sync too.

Key Takeaways

  • You need your Canvas calendar feed URL, which you find in Canvas under Account Settings, then Calendars, then copy the iCal URL.
  • In Google Calendar, click the plus sign next to "Other calendars," choose "Subscribe to calendar," paste the URL, and confirm.
  • The sync is one-way: Canvas updates appear in Google Calendar, but changes you make in Google Calendar do not go back to Canvas.
  • If your Canvas calendar stops updating, check that your Canvas account is still active and that your institution has not changed the feed URL.

Finding your Canvas calendar feed URL

Log into Canvas and click your profile icon in the top right corner. Select "Account" from the dropdown menu, then click "Calendars" in the left sidebar.

You will see a section labeled "Calendars" with your calendar listed. Look for a button or link that says "iCal URL" or "Copy iCal URL" — this is the unique feed address that connects Canvas to Google Calendar. Click it to copy the URL to your clipboard. Do not share this URL with others, because anyone with it can see your Canvas calendar.

Adding the Canvas feed to Google Calendar

Open Google Calendar in a web browser. On the left side under "Other calendars," click the plus sign (+). A menu will appear with several options — select "Subscribe to calendar."

Paste your Canvas iCal URL into the text field that appears. Google Calendar will recognize it as a calendar feed. Click "Subscribe" and Google Calendar will add it to your calendar list. The calendar usually appears within a few minutes, though it can take up to an hour for the first sync.

What shows up in Google Calendar from Canvas

Canvas sends assignment due dates, quiz deadlines, discussion post deadlines, and event dates to Google Calendar. Each item includes the assignment name and the course name, so you can tell at a glance which class it belongs to.

Canvas does not send assignment descriptions, instructions, or links to the actual assignment — only the due date and title. To see full details, you still need to open Canvas. The color of Canvas events in Google Calendar is set by Google, not Canvas, so you cannot customize it the way you would a calendar you created yourself.

Troubleshooting a Canvas calendar that stops syncing

If your Canvas calendar was working but assignments have stopped appearing, the most common cause is that your Canvas account became inactive or your institution changed the feed URL. Log back into Canvas and check that your calendar feed URL is still the same — if it has changed, copy the new one and update the subscription in Google Calendar.

To update the subscription, go to Google Calendar, find the Canvas calendar in your "Other calendars" list, click the three-dot menu next to it, and select "Settings." Paste the new URL into the calendar URL field and save. If the URL has not changed and events still are not syncing, try unsubscribing and re-adding the calendar with the same URL.

Using Canvas calendar on your phone

Once you add Canvas to Google Calendar on the web, it syncs automatically to the Google Calendar app on your phone — you do not need to add it again. Open the Google Calendar app, tap the menu icon (three horizontal lines), and you should see the Canvas calendar listed under "Other calendars." Tap the eye icon next to it to show or hide it.

On iPhone, the same calendar also appears in the native Apple Calendar app if you have Google Calendar synced there. On Android, you may need to refresh the calendar app or restart your phone for the Canvas calendar to appear.

Removing the Canvas calendar if you need to

If you want to stop seeing Canvas events in Google Calendar, go to Google Calendar, find the Canvas calendar under "Other calendars," click the three-dot menu next to it, and select "Unsubscribe." This removes it from your calendar view but does not affect your Canvas account or grades.

You can re-add it anytime by following the same steps above. Unsubscribing is useful if you have finished a course and no longer need to see its deadlines, or if you are taking a semester off.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I edit Canvas assignments in Google Calendar?

No. The sync is one-way only — Canvas sends information to Google Calendar, but changes you make in Google Calendar do not go back to Canvas. If you need to change a due date or assignment details, you must do that in Canvas itself.

Will my Canvas calendar show up on Google Calendar on my phone?

Yes, once you subscribe on the web, it syncs to the Google Calendar app on any phone where you are signed into the same Google account. You may need to refresh the app or restart your phone to see it appear.

What if I have multiple Canvas accounts or institutions?

You can add multiple Canvas calendar feeds to the same Google Calendar. Repeat the process for each Canvas account — copy each iCal URL and subscribe to it separately. Google Calendar will list them all under "Other calendars" and you can show or hide them individually.

Does Canvas calendar sync in real-time?

Canvas updates usually appear in Google Calendar within a few minutes, though it can take up to an hour. It is not instant, so if an instructor adds an assignment just before class, you might not see it in Google Calendar immediately.

What happens if my institution stops using Canvas?

If your school switches to a different learning platform, your Canvas calendar feed will stop working. You can unsubscribe from it in Google Calendar and subscribe to the new platform's calendar feed if it offers one.