How to submit an assignment on Canvas
Every way to turn in work on Canvas — file upload, text entry, and URL — plus how to confirm it actually submitted.
Last updated June 1, 2026
Canvas accepts assignments a few different ways depending on how your professor set them up: a file upload, a typed text entry, or a website URL. Here's exactly how to do each one, and how to make sure it actually went through.
- 1Open the assignment
From your course, click Assignments (or the item in Modules) and open the one you're turning in. Check the due date and the accepted submission types listed near the top.
- 2Click 'Start Assignment' or 'New Attempt'
This opens the submission panel with tabs for the formats your professor allows — File Upload, Text Entry, Website URL, or Media.
- 3Choose your submission type
For a file, click 'Choose File' and select your PDF or Word doc — Canvas shows the allowed file types, so match them or it'll reject the upload. For text entry, paste or type directly into the box. For a URL, paste the full link.
- 4Submit
Click 'Submit Assignment.' Canvas uploads the file and timestamps it against the due date.
- 5Confirm it went through
After submitting you'll see a confirmation and a 'Submission Details' view on the right. Canvas also emails you a receipt if notifications are on. If you don't see the confirmation, it didn't submit — re-check the file type and try again.
Common reasons a Canvas submission fails
Most failed submissions come down to a handful of fixable issues:
- The file type isn't in the allowed list (e.g. you uploaded a .pages or .odt)
- The file is too large for the course's limit
- The assignment locked at the due date and no longer accepts attempts
- You clicked 'Choose File' but never clicked 'Submit Assignment'
How to never miss the deadline again
The riskiest part of Canvas isn't the upload — it's remembering to do it at 11:59 PM. If you'd rather not babysit deadlines, Minutely connects to Canvas and submits the assignment for you at the exact due time, in whatever format the assignment accepts, after you approve the draft.
Minutely submits directly into Canvas for you — as a PDF, Word doc, or text entry — at the exact deadline, so there's no midnight upload to forget.
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Frequently asked questions
Can I resubmit an assignment on Canvas?+
Usually yes — unless your professor limited attempts or the due date has locked it. Open the assignment again and click 'New Attempt.' The most recent submission is the one that gets graded.
How do I know my Canvas assignment submitted?+
You'll see a confirmation screen and a 'Submission Details' panel with a timestamp. Canvas also sends an email receipt if notifications are enabled.
What file types does Canvas accept?+
It depends on the assignment — the allowed types are listed in the submission panel. PDF and .docx are the safest. If your type isn't listed, convert it before uploading.