Canvas
Starting August 2023, All Instructure-Hosted Canvas URLs (except the base URL
field, i.e. the issuer) should be changed from https://canvas.instructure.com
/... to https://sso.canvaslms.com
/...
Any previous URLs that are currently working do not need immediate change, but you should consider updating these as they may not continue to work in the future (date to be determined).
The Instructure team has provided a detailed article on the URL change for Instructure-Hosted Canvas URLs. The instructions below have incorporated this change.
Unlike other LMSes, Canvas does not support dynamic registration. It does however support a semi-automated registration using JSON. This guide explains how to register an LTIAAS tool into Canvas with the Automatic JSON method and manually.
Automatic JSON registration
Summary
Canvas automatic JSON registration is only available for customers that purchase the dynamic registration
feature.
To set up LTIAAS with Canvas JSON you need to:
- Add a developer LTI Key in Canvas
- Install the LTIAAS tool into Canvas
- Register the Canvas provided details into LTIAAS
- Do a test launch
Step 1. Add a developer key in Canvas
- Login to your Canvas LMS as an administrator.
- Navigate to 'Admin' -> [your account name] -> 'Developer Keys'
- Click the '+ Developer Key' button followed by the '+ LTI Key' dropdown
- In the resulting form, enter the following information:
- Key name:
Your Tool Name
- Method:
Enter URL
- Redirection URI(s):
https://your.ltiaas.com/lti/launch
- JSON URL:
https://your.ltiaas.com/register/canvas
- Key name:
- Click the 'Save' button at the bottom when the form is filled.
- After saving, find the newly registered tool's key on the list of keys and make sure the State is switched to 'ON'
- Note the number in the details column. It will be used as the
Client ID
in the next steps
Step 2. Install the LTIAAS tool into Canvas
- In the Canvas Admin menu, navigate to 'Settings' -> 'Apps'
- Click the '+ App' button
- In the resulting form choose:
- Configuration Type:
By Client ID
- Client ID:
[The Client ID number you found in the previous series of steps]
- Configuration Type:
- Click the 'Submit' button
- In the resulting dialog, click 'Install'
- The tool will now show up in the 'External Apps' table.
Step 3. Register the Canvas provided details into LTIAAS
A registration can be done within the LTIAAS Portal. Start by logging in to your account and navigating to the Registrations
page. Then click on the + Add Registration
button.
Enter the information that the LMS provides for its LTI endpoints using the table below as a guide.
LTIAAS Registration API Name | Canvas Provided Name (Instructure Cloud) | Canvas Provided Name (Self Hosted) |
---|---|---|
name | Any name you would like that helps you identify your LMS | |
Client ID | The client ID found in the first sequence of steps | |
URL | https://canvas.instructure.com | https://[YOUR_CANVAS_URL] (or, at times) https://canvas.instructure.com |
Authentication Method | JWK_SET | |
Authentication Key | https://sso.canvaslms.com/api/lti/security/jwks | https://[YOUR_CANVAS_URL]/api/lti/security/jwks |
Access Token Endpoint | https://sso.canvaslms.com/login/oauth2/token | https://[YOUR_CANVAS_URL]/login/oauth2/token |
Authentication Endpoint | https://sso.canvaslms.com/api/lti/authorize_redirect | https://[YOUR_CANVAS_URL]/api/lti/authorize_redirect |
Replace [YOUR_CANVAS_URL] with the base URL of your canvas instance. For example: canvas.my-university.edu or canvas.instructure.com. More information about the Canvas LTI 1.3 endpoints can be found on Instructure's website.
If a registration is not working, one of the likely causes is an incorrect URL
. Please try both https://canvas.instructure.com
and https://[YOUR_CANVAS_URL]
.
Click submit when you have made the necessary changes. Also, you can edit these values at any time.
Step 4. (Optional) Edit the registration
If at any time you want to edit or delete a registration, simply click on the blue pencil icon on the leftmost column of the table for the registration item you want to change.
By default, all new registrations are activated upon creation. There may be an instance where a platform was registered, but you don't want the registration to be active. You can activate/deactivate a registration by clicking on the true/false
button on the Active column of the table.
Step 5. Do a test launch
You may need to add placements for the newly installed tool before adding it to certain places within the LMS.
- Follow the instructions on the Canvas website to add an external tool assignment to a course: How do I add an assignment using an external app?
- When choosing an external tool, choose the newly registered tool from step 1.
Manual Registration
Summary
To set up LTIAAS with Canvas using Manual Registration, you need to:
- Add a developer LTI key in Canvas
- Install the LTIAAS tool into Canvas
- Register the Canvas provided details into LTIAAS
- Do a test launch
Step 1. Add a developer key in Canvas
Login to your Canvas LMS as an administrator.
Navigate to 'Admin' -> [your account name] -> 'Developer Keys'
Click the '+ Developer Key' button followed by the '+ LTI Key' dropdown
In the resulting form, enter the following information:
- Key name:
Your Tool Name
- Method:
Manual Entry
- Redirection URI(s):
https://your.ltiaas.com/lti/launch
- Title:
Your Title
- Description:
Your Tool Description
- Target Link URI:
https://your.ltiaas.com/lti/launch
- OpenID Connect Initiation Url:
https://your.ltiaas.com/lti/login
- JWK Method:
Public JWK URL
- Public JWK URL:
https://your.ltiaas.com/lti/keys
- Key name:
Further down in the form, select the services your tool needs. The screenshot below shows an example of a tool that uses assignments, grades, and the launch context (i.e. the course ID).
Toward the bottom of the form, add placements for your tool. These are the locations in the LMS where your tool can be added. If you are using Deep Linking, select
LtiDeepLinkingRequest
. Otherwise, selectLtiResourceLinkRequest
for a basic LTI launch.Click the 'Save' button at the bottom when the form is filled.
After saving, find the newly registered tool's key on the list of keys and make sure the State is switched to 'ON'.
Note the number in the details column. It will be used as the
Client ID
in the next steps.
Step 2. Install the LTIAAS tool into Canvas
- In the Canvas Admin menu, navigate to 'Settings' -> 'Apps'
- Click the '+ App' button
- In the resulting form choose:
- Configuration Type:
By Client ID
- Client ID:
[The Client ID number you found in the previous series of steps]
- Configuration Type:
- Click the 'Submit' button
- In the resulting dialog, click 'Install'
- The tool will now show up in the 'External Apps' table.
Step 3. Register the Canvas provided details into LTIAAS
A registration can be done within the LTIAAS Portal. Start by logging in to your account and navigating to the Registrations
page. Then click on the + Add Registration
button.
Enter the information that the LMS provides for its LTI endpoints using the table below as a guide.
LTIAAS Registration API Name | Canvas Provided Name (Instructure Cloud) | Canvas Provided Name (Self Hosted) |
---|---|---|
name | Any name you would like that helps you identify your LMS | |
Client ID | The client ID found in the first sequence of steps | |
URL | https://canvas.instructure.com | https://[YOUR_CANVAS_URL] (or, at times) https://canvas.instructure.com |
Authentication Method | JWK_SET | |
Authentication Key | https://sso.canvaslms.com/api/lti/security/jwks | https://[YOUR_CANVAS_URL]/api/lti/security/jwks |
Access Token Endpoint | https://sso.canvaslms.com/login/oauth2/token | https://[YOUR_CANVAS_URL]/login/oauth2/token |
Authentication Endpoint | https://sso.canvaslms.com/api/lti/authorize_redirect | https://[YOUR_CANVAS_URL]/api/lti/authorize_redirect |
Replace [YOUR_CANVAS_URL] with the base URL of your canvas instance. For example: canvas.my-university.edu or canvas.instructure.com. More information about the Canvas LTI 1.3 endpoints can be found on Instructure's website.
If a registration is not working, one of the likely causes is an incorrect URL
. Please try both https://canvas.instructure.com
and https://[YOUR_CANVAS_URL]
.
Click submit when you have made the necessary changes. Also, you can edit these values at any time.
Step 4. (Optional) Edit the registration
If at any time you want to edit or delete a registration, simply click on the blue pencil icon on the leftmost column of the table for the registration item you want to change.
By default, all new registrations are activated upon creation. There may be an instance where a platform was registered, but you don't want the registration to be active. You can activate/deactivate a registration by clicking on the true/false
button on the Active column of the table.
Step 5. Do a test launch
You may need to add placements for the newly installed tool before adding it to certain places within the LMS.
- Follow the instructions on the Canvas website to add an external tool assignment to a course: How do I add an assignment using an external app?
- When choosing an external tool, choose the newly registered tool from step 1.
Next steps
Now that you have your LTI tool set up in an LMS, you can start receiving LTI launches. Please see the Receiving your first LTI launch guide for more information.