The basic path: finding the assignment and entering a grade

To grade an assignment in Canvas, you open the assignment from your course, click on the student's submission, and type a numerical grade or letter grade into the grade field. Canvas then records that grade in the gradebook automatically. The process takes about 30 seconds per student once you know where to look.

Start by going to your course and selecting Assignments from the left menu. Find the assignment you want to grade and click its name. You will see a list of all students and their submission status — some will show "Submitted", some "Not Submitted", and some "Graded" if you have already marked them.

Click on a student's name or their submission to open their work. At the top right of their submission, you will see a grade field (usually a box that says "–" or shows a previous grade). Click that box, type the grade, and press Enter or Tab. Canvas saves it when ready — you do not need to click a separate Save button.

Key Takeaways

  • Open the assignment from your course, then click a student's name to view their submission and enter a grade in the field at the top right.
  • Canvas accepts numerical grades (like 85), letter grades (like A or B+), and percentage grades depending on how your course is set up.
  • You can add written feedback in the comment box below the grade, and students will see both the grade and your comments when they open their submission.
  • The SpeedGrader tool lets you grade multiple students in sequence without returning to the assignment list each time, which is faster for large classes.
  • Grades appear in the gradebook automatically once you enter them, and you can adjust them later by opening the submission again and changing the number.

Using SpeedGrader to grade faster

If you have many students to grade, SpeedGrader is a tool built into Canvas that shows one student's submission at a time and lets you move to the next student with a single click, without going back to the assignment list. This saves time when grading a full class.

To open SpeedGrader, go to the assignment and look for a button labeled "SpeedGrader" near the top right of the page (it may also appear as a small icon). Click it, and Canvas will open the first student's submission in a larger view. Enter the grade in the field at the top, add any comments you want, then click the right arrow or press the down arrow key to move to the next student. The grade saves automatically as you move forward.

SpeedGrader also shows you a list of all students on the left side, so you can jump to a specific student if you want to skip around. Some instructors grade in order; others prefer to grade all submissions from one student at a time across multiple assignments. Canvas does not force you into either pattern.

Adding written feedback alongside the grade

A numerical grade alone tells a student what they earned, but not why. Canvas lets you add written comments directly on the submission so the student sees both the grade and your explanation together.

Below the grade field, you will see a comment box (sometimes labeled "Add a comment" or "Feedback"). Click there and type your feedback — point out what the student did well, what needs work, or what they should do differently next time. You can write as much or as little as you want. When you press Enter or click outside the box, Canvas saves the comment.

If the assignment is a document or PDF, you can also highlight text directly on the submission and add a comment to that specific part. Click the text or image you want to mark, and a comment box will appear next to it. This is useful for pointing out exactly where a student made an error or where they excelled.

Setting up your grading scale before you start

Canvas can interpret grades in different ways depending on how your course is configured. Before you grade the first assignment, check whether your course expects numerical grades (0–100), letter grades (A, B, C), or points out of a specific total. Entering the wrong format can confuse both you and your students.

To see your grading scale, go to Settings in the left menu, then scroll down to Grading Scheme. This shows you what letter grades correspond to what percentage ranges in your course (for example, A = 90–100, B = 80–89). If you want to change the scale, you can edit it here, but most instructors leave the default in place.

When you grade an assignment, Canvas will automatically convert your entry to the right format. If you type 85 and your course uses letter grades, Canvas may show it as a B. If you type B and your course uses percentages, Canvas may show it as 85. The important thing is to be consistent — pick one format and stick with it for all your assignments in that course.

Viewing and adjusting grades in the gradebook

Once you have graded several assignments, you can see all your grades in one place using the Grades tool. Click Grades in the left menu to open the gradebook, which shows every student in rows and every assignment in columns, with their grades filling the cells.

From the gradebook, you can click any grade to edit it without opening the full submission again. This is useful if you want to adjust a grade after the fact or if you notice a pattern of errors across multiple students. You can also see at a glance which assignments have the most low grades, which can help you decide whether to reteach a topic or offer extra credit.

The gradebook also shows you which students have not yet been graded (those cells will be empty or show a dash). This makes it straightforward to spot assignments you have not finished marking yet. Some instructors sort by student name; others sort by assignment date. Canvas lets you rearrange columns and rows to match your workflow.

Handling late submissions and resubmissions

Canvas tracks when a student submits an assignment and whether it is late based on the due date you set. If a student submits after the important date, Canvas will mark it as late, but you can still grade it normally — the late status does not prevent you from entering a grade.

Some assignments allow students to resubmit their work after you have graded it. If resubmission is turned on, you will see multiple submissions from the same student in the assignment view. Canvas shows you the date and time of each submission, so you can see which one is the most recent. You can grade each submission separately, or you can choose to grade only the final version. Check your assignment settings to see whether resubmission is allowed.

If you want to allow resubmission but only grade the latest attempt, open the assignment, click Settings, and look for an option about submission versions or resubmission. You can configure Canvas to show you only the most recent submission, or to let you choose which version to grade.

Returning grades to students

Once you have entered a grade, Canvas does not automatically notify the student — you have to post the grades yourself. This gives you control over when students see their marks (for example, you might want to grade the whole class before anyone sees their grade).

To post grades, go to the assignment and look for a Post Grades button or link, usually near the top of the page. Click it, and Canvas will show you options: you can post all grades at once, post only grades for students who have submitted, or post grades on a specific date. Once you post, students will see their grade and any comments you added the next time they open the assignment.

If you change a grade after posting it, the student will see the updated grade when ready. If you want to hide grades again (for example, if you made a mistake and want to fix it before students see it), you can unpost grades using the same menu.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I grade assignments on my phone or tablet?

Canvas works on mobile devices, but grading is easier on a computer because you need to see the student's work clearly and type feedback. You can view submissions on a phone, but entering detailed grades and comments is awkward. For quick checks or emergency grading, mobile works; for regular grading, use a desktop or laptop.

What happens if I enter a grade that is outside my grading scale?

Canvas will accept any number you type, even if it is outside your normal range (like 150 or –10). However, this can confuse your gradebook calculations and mislead students about their performance. Stick to grades within your scale — if you want to give extra credit, add points to the assignment total instead of entering an inflated grade.

Can students see my comments before I post the grade?

No. Comments are hidden along with the grade until you post grades. Once you post, students see both the grade and all your comments together. This prevents students from seeing feedback before you have finished grading the whole class.

How do I grade a group assignment where multiple students submit together?

Canvas treats group submissions as a single submission from the group. When you grade it, the grade goes to all members of the group automatically. If you want to give different grades to different students in the group, you will need to grade them individually instead — Canvas does not have a built-in way to split a group grade.

Can I import grades from another program into Canvas?

Yes. Go to the gradebook, click the menu icon, and look for an option to import grades from a CSV file (a spreadsheet format). You will need to format your file correctly — Canvas provides a template showing which columns to use. This is useful if you grade assignments outside Canvas and want to bring the grades back in.