Canvas: Using the Accessibility Checker

Summary

The Canvas Accessibility Checker is a built-in tool that scans content created within the Rich Content Editor (RCE) to ensure it meets WCAG 2.1 standards. As of February 21, 2026, Canvas is also launching a new Course Accessibility Checker tool, providing a centralized dashboard for instructors to manage accessibility across an entire course.

 

How-To

Task: Use the Canvas RCE (Rich Content Editor) Accessibility Checker

Use this tool while editing individual Pages, Assignments, or Discussions to catch errors in real-time.

Instructions

Step 1 - Open the Editor:  Navigate to any content area (like a Page) and click Edit.

Step 2 - Locate the Icon:  Look for the Accessibility Checker icon (small person in a circle) located in the bottom right of the editor window.

  • If issues are found within the open content, a numbered notification will appear next to the icon.

Step 3 - Review Issues:  Click the Accessibility Checker icon to open a sidebar. 

  • The tool will highlight the specific area(s) of concern in your text.

Step 4 - Apply Fixes:  Follow the prompts in the sidebar (e.g., adding alt text or adjusting colors). Click Apply for each change to save it.

For more information please visit Canvas' support - How do I use the Accessibility Checker in the Rich Content Editor?  

 

Outcome

You are able to use the Canvas RCE Accessibility Checker to review and fix accessibility concerns in real time while editing content in the Canvas RCE.

 

New Course-Level Accessibility Checker

As of February 25, 2026, this tool expands beyond the editor-only tool above to provide a course-wide view of accessibility. 

  • Visibility: Visible to Instructors only.
  • Location: Found in the Course Navigation Menu  as a tab titled "Accessibility" or in the right hand course navigation in a tab titled "Check Accessibility".
  • Functionality: It allows you to identify, remediate, and validate issues across all Canvas-created content, such as Pages and Assignments, from one interface.
  • AI Integration: Some institutions may have IgniteAI features   enabled to help automate remediations through June 2026.

Need Instructions? Use the How Do I Use the Accessibility Checker in Canvas Guide. 

What the Course-Level Checker Scans For

The tool specifically verifies the following common accessibility components:

  • Color Contrast:  Checks if text color is distinct enough from the background.
  • Image Alt Text:  Ensures images have descriptive text or are marked as decorative.
  • Headings:  Verifies that heading levels are not skipped (e.g., jumping from H2 to H4) and stay under 120 characters.
  • Tables:  Checks for descriptive captions and properly designated header rows/columns.
  • Lists:  Ensures lists are formatted using the editor's list tool rather than manual symbols.

 

Known Limitations

While powerful, the checker does not identify every possible issue.

  • External Files:  It cannot scan PDFs, Word documents, or PowerPoints uploaded to the course.
  • Video/Audio:  It does not check for the presence of closed captions or transcripts.
  • Alt Text Quality:  It only catches missing alt text; it cannot determine if existing alt text is accurate or helpful.

 

Further Readings

How do I use the Accessibility checker in the rich content editor?  

How do I use the Course Navigation Menu as an instructor?  

Our Commitment on Course Accessibility - Improved Tooling Coming Soon   ​​​​​​​- Instructure Product Blog (Jan. 30, 2026) 

Accessibility: Accessible Course Design

 

Need additional help?

Submit a Canvas (myCourses) support request or visit the Technology Help Desk Support page to locate your local campus contact information or to submit an online technology support request.  For password issues you must call or visit the Help Desk in person.  

 

Print Article