Add a custom Canvas URL

BetterCampus normally detects your school's Canvas URL automatically. If your school uses a custom Canvas address that isn't recognized, you can add it manually.

What is a custom Canvas URL

Most schools use a Canvas URL that follows a standard pattern like yourschool.instructure.com or canvas.yourschool.edu. BetterCampus recognizes these automatically.

Some schools use a custom Canvas address—often a portal URL or unique subdomain. If BetterCampus doesn't activate on your school's Canvas site, you may need to add your custom URL.

Enter your Canvas URL

1. Open the BetterCampus extension. Click the BetterCampus icon in your browser toolbar to open the popup.

2. Go to the Other tab. Click the "Other" tab at the top of the popup.

3. Find the Canvas URL field. Look for the field labeled "Your Canvas URL" under the Setup section.

4. Enter your URL. Type or paste your Canvas URL. You can enter multiple addresses by separating them with commas.

5. Save your changes. Click outside the field or navigate away—your URL saves automatically.

Multiple URLs

If you have more than one Canvas address, enter them all separated by commas:

canvas.school.edu, portal.myschool.edu

Each URL will be saved separately. BetterCampus will recognize Canvas pages on any of the domains you add.

How URLs are saved

When you enter a full web address, BetterCampus saves just the hostname:

• https://canvas.university.edu/courses/123 becomes canvas.university.edu

• https://school.instructure.com becomes school.instructure.com

You can paste full URLs directly—BetterCampus extracts and saves the hostname automatically.

Invalid entries (text that isn't a valid URL) are saved exactly as you entered them. If something doesn't work as expected, check that you're entering a real web address.

Clear saved URLs

To remove all saved custom URLs and start fresh, use the Clear All option in settings. This removes all custom Canvas URLs at once—you can always add them back later.

When you need a custom URL

You might need to add a custom Canvas URL if:

• BetterCampus doesn't appear on your school's Canvas site

• Your school uses a student portal that redirects to Canvas

• Your Canvas address doesn't match the standard patterns BetterCampus recognizes

If you're not sure what your Canvas URL is, find your school's learning platform URL first.

Still not working

If BetterCampus still doesn't show up after adding your custom URL:

• Make sure you're signed into your Canvas account—BetterCampus only works when you're logged in

• Refresh the page after saving your URL

• Check that you're on a Canvas page (not the Canvas website homepage or a different site)

For more troubleshooting steps, see BetterCampus isn't showing up.