Create and Edit “New” Quizzes

Last updated on March 27, 2026

Creating and managing assessments in Canvas is an essential part of supporting student learning. The New Quizzes tool offers a modern, flexible approach to building and delivering those assessments. Whether you are transitioning from Classic Quizzes or starting fresh, New Quizzes provides enhanced options for question design, accommodations, moderation, and assessment settings that align with diverse instructional needs.

This tutorial will guide you through how to migrate an existing Classic Quiz, create a new quiz from scratch, add and organize questions, adjust quiz settings, and apply student accommodations.

If you’d like to learn about Classic Quizzes, check out our tutorial called Create and Edit Classic Quizzes.

Directions

Migrate a Classic Quiz to a New Quiz

To get started in New Quizzes, if you already have a quiz built in the Classic Quiz format, use this method to copy your Classic Quiz to the New Quiz format. The Classic version is preserved, so you don’t have to worry about losing any data. Note that New quizzes cannot be migrated back to Classic Quiz format.

1. Log in to your Canvas Account.
2. Select the Course you’d like to work in.
3. Click Quizzes in the left-hand course navigation menu.
   • Note: Classic and New quizzes can be differentiated by the rocket ship icon to the left of the quiz. Classic Quizzes have an outline of the icon, and New Quizzes have a solid icon.
4. Click the More Options Menu (three vertical dots) to the right of the Classic Quiz you wish to migrate.
5. Select Migrate.
   • The New Quiz will appear at the bottom of the Quizzes menu with the same name as the original, but the rocket ship icon will be filled in. The migration process may take several minutes, depending on Canvas’ server load.

Skip forward to the Add Questions to a New Quiz or Edit Quiz Settings sections below to finalize your converted quiz.

Create a New Quiz

1. Click Modules in the left-hand navigation menu.
2. Find the module where you want the quiz to be added and click on the plus (+) button at the far right.
3. Click on the drop-down menu next to Add, and select Quiz.
4. Click Create Quiz from the top of the selections in the selection box.
5. Select the button for New Quizzes in the Quiz Engine Menu.
6. Enter a Name for the quiz.
7. Select the Quiz Type: Graded Quiz, Graded Survey, or Ungraded Survey.
   • A graded quiz is the traditional assessment type.
   • A graded survey is used to get feedback, with credit often awarded just for participating.
   • An ungraded survey is used to gather feedback, opinions, or data without affecting a student’s final grade.
8. Optionally, you can choose an assignment group for your quiz using the drop-down menu next to Group. This helps with organization for you and your students.
9. Click the blue Add Item button at the bottom right to create your new classic quiz. 
10. Click the title of the quiz you just created, usually placed at the bottom of the module list.
11. Enter Settings for the quiz as desired.
    • Points: Assign points for this quiz.
    • Assignment Group: Used for weighted assignment groups or course organization.
    • Display Grade as: Select alternate grading methods. Choose from Percentage, Complete/Incomplete, Points, Letter Grade, or GPA Scale. 
12. To exclude this quiz from the students’ final grade, check the box labeled Do not count this assignment towards the final grade.
13. Ignore the Submission Type field as it’s preselected for New Quizzes and can’t be edited.
14. In the Assign To: section:
    •  Leave the selection for Everyone or enter individual names of students selected to take the quiz.
    • Enter a Due Date and Time so the quiz appears in the students’ to-do list. 
    • Set the Available from date and time, which will unlock the quiz for students, as well as the available Until window if you would like students to lose access to the quiz at a certain time.
15. Use the + Assign To button to create alternate windows for students to create flexibility in exam delivery.
16. Click the Build button in the bottom right-hand corner to finish editing details and begin adding questions. 
17.  Click Save & Publish or Save.

Note: Once you click Save & Publish or Save on your quiz, the ability to add or create a rubric will be available at the bottom of the quiz setup dialog.

Add Questions to a New Quiz

1. Click Quizzes in the left-hand course navigation menu.
2. Click the name of the quiz you want to add questions to.
3. Click the Build button at the bottom right.
   • Alternatively, click the three vertical dots to the far right of the quiz name and choose the Build option.
4. Click Add Instructions.
   • This will open the Rich Content Editor (RCE) so you can add detailed instructions for your quiz to guide learners, clarify expectations, and ensure a smooth, accessible learning experience. You can add text, images, and videos to help guide your learners.
5. Click the blue + button to add a new question.
   • Note: This button will appear before and after every question. Use these buttons to place questions in your defined order. You can also easily rearrange questions later using the drag button, which will be outlined later in this tutorial.
6. Select the Question Type you wish to use in the pop-up window that appears.
   • At this time, there are 14 question types. For more details on New Quiz question types, see the Ready tutorial titled Create Different Types of New Quiz Questions. 
   • If you’re using Item Banks, click the folder icon at the top right. This will allow you to choose questions from any Item Banks that you have access to.
7. Enter a Question Title.
   • Question titles aren’t visible to students, but you can use these for organization and to easily locate questions or help navigate assessments. ex: ch1-sec2
8. Enter the Question Stem or Prompt into the second text box.
   • Clicking this box will open the rich content editor. You can add detailed text, formatting, images, and videos as question stems. Remember to check your question stems for accessibility.
9. Add Possible Answers.
   • Each question type will have its own type of Possible Answers. 
10. Click the button next to the correct answer.
11. Click the + Answer link to add more answer choices if necessary.
12. Click the trash can icon next to any answers you wish to delete.
13. Expand the Options panel to reveal check boxes allowing you to choose Show on-screen calculator, Vary points by answer, and Shuffle Choices options.
14. Expand Align to Outcomes to choose a course outcome to align the quiz question to if you’re using them in your course.
    • For more information about Outcomes in Canvas, see the Spotlight, Using Learning Outcomes to Measure Student Progress in Canvas.
15. Expand Item Banking to add this question to an Existing Item Bank or a new Item Bank.
    • See our Use Item Banks for New Quizzes tutorial for more information on using item banks.
16. Adjust the number of Points you want to assign to the question in the lower left corner.
    • Note: This determines the value, or percentage, of the question relative to other questions in the quiz. It does not affect the total points the quiz is worth in the gradebook.
17. Click the Speech Bubble Icon next to the points box on the bottom left to add Feedback, if desired:
    • Add Feedback for correct, incorrect, and/or all answers.
    • Click Done.
18. Click Done when you are finished editing the question
19. Repeat Steps 5-19 to add additional questions.
20. On the far right of each question are 4 small icons.
    • Click the pencil icon to edit your question directly.
    • Click the Duplicate Icon (two overlapping squares with a plus sign in the middle) to duplicate the question, saving you time in editing similar questions.
    • Click the eight-dot vertical array icon to drag and drop questions around the list to create your desired quiz question order.
    • Click the trashcan icon to delete questions from your quiz.
21. Click the Return button at the top right of your quiz when you’re done adding questions.

Edit New Quiz Settings and Add Accommodations

1. Click Quizzes in the left-hand course navigation menu.
2. Click the name of the quiz you want to edit settings for. Click Build in the bottom right corner.
   • Alternatively, click More Options (three vertical dots) to the right of the quiz name and choose Build.
3. Click Settings at the top of the page to change additional settings. 
4. Click the ‘x’ button next to any options you want to enable. A green check mark will appear next to any enabled items.
   • Settings include:
     • Shuffle questions and/or answers – Canvas will randomize the order that the questions and/or answers are displayed for each student for each test delivered.
     • One question at a time – The quiz will display a single question at a time, rather than showing a long list of all of the questions. Checking this option will expose the Allow Backtracking option. When checked, it will allow students to go backwards to review questions they’ve already answered. If not checked, students will not be able to review questions.
     • Require a student access code – Add a passcode to your quiz to ensure only authorized students can initiate the assessment at a specific time.
       • Note: There are no strict character limitations on the passcode you set, but codes should be relatively short and simple as a general rule.
     • Add a time limit – Add a time limit in hours or minutes. Leave at zero for no time limit. The quiz will auto-submit when the time limit is reached. You can extend this time for specific students in accommodations.
     • Detect Multiple Sessions – Warns students accessing the quiz from multiple devices. Sessions are highlighted in the Activity Log and will be accessible to admins and those with necessary permissions. This feature is designed to help prevent cheating, such as having someone else take the test on another computer.
     • Filter IP addresses – This lets you choose specific IP addresses that can access the quiz.
     • Allow calculator – This will provide students with a calculator to use on the quiz. You can choose a basic or scientific calculator.
     • Allow Clearing selection (Multiple Choice) – This option enables a “Clear my selection” link for students, allowing them to deselect a chosen radio button and leave a multiple-choice question unanswered. Without this enabled, students can change their answer, but not deselect all options.
     • Show custom feedback with results – This option allows instructors to display a tailored message on the student results page after a quiz is submitted. This feedback can reinforce concepts, provide post-quiz instructions, or share additional resources with all students. See our tutorial called Add Immediate Feedback to Questions in New Quizzes to learn more.
     • Disable Document Uploads – Prevents students from uploading files in the Rich Content Editor for essay question responses.
     • Allow multiple attempts – With this option, you can set the number of allowed attempts, from unlimited (default) to limited (number you determine). You can determine the Score to keep (Highest, Average, Latest, or First). Enforce a Waiting period between attempts. It also includes a Build on last attempt option, which allows students to retake a quiz only by answering questions they missed on previous attempts.
     • Hide results from students – This will give you the option to choose to Show questions, Show points possible, and Show points awarded to students after they take the quiz. This allows instructors to prevent students from sharing answers while others are taking the quiz.
5. Click the Moderate tab at the top of the page.
   • Here, you can provide accommodations for students who might need additional time or attempts on your quiz. Refer to our Use Quiz Accommodations in Canvas tutorial to learn more.
6. Click Return on the top right to go back to the Quizzes menu.