Frequently Asked Questions on Canvas

Got questions about Canvas? We've got answers. Dive into this FAQ-packed guide that breaks down everything you’ve been wondering.

Written by

Catherine B.

Published on

Jun 10, 2025

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Frequently asked questions

Yes, Canvas can detect Chat GPT. Canvas learning management system doesn’t have built-in AI detection. However, it allows in-platform integration of AI detection tools, such as Turnitin.

For instance, Azula Pacific University uses the SimCheck feature (a Turnitin product) within Canvas. Therefore, any AI-generated text can be flagged as AI in Canvas the same way it would be using outside-the-platform tools.

Not directly. Canvas doesn’t have the ability to detect whether you've used ChatGPT outside of its platform. For instance, you can still use Chat GPT for:

Researching parallel to studying
Self-education purposes
Quick fact-checking

No, it can’t see your external activity. Canvas can’t track your actions on ChatGPT or any other site unless:

Monitoring software (like a lockdown browser or proctoring tool) is in use in your college or university
You paste obvious unedited AI-generated content into your submissions and the teacher will see right through it.

Yes, in most cases, teachers can tell if you use any AI tools. They suspect AI usage by:

Checking for inconsistencies in writing or tone
Tone being too technical, presenting typical AI sentence and phrase patterns
Comparing your current work to past assignments
Comparing your written assignments to your class responses

You can learn how to humanize AI text to benefit from AI ethically and not get caught by teachers.

Yes, but not directly.

Canvas cannot directly track the usage of any external software. However, the platform has some features allowing the teacher to overview the students activity during multiple choice tests.

For instance, the IT Service Desk of University of Maryland explains that Canvas has a log auditing, which can detect such actions as “Stopped viewing the Canvas quiz-taking page” and

“Resumed”. These actions will indicate to the teacher that the student may have used external resources.

Canvas cannot directly see if you switch tabs but it can notice if you stopped viewing the quiz page. So, unless you don’t close up the quiz tab, it should consider your profile active.

However, If enabled by your instructor, the quiz might require the use of the Respondus Lockdown Browser. According to Canvas’ resources, it is “a locked browser for use with

quizzes in Canvas. It prevents you from printing, copying, going to another URL, or accessing other applications during an assessment”.

Canvas doesn’t “know” that you used AI unless:

You paste AI-generated text that gets flagged later on by platform integration with Turnitin.
Your school uses external AI-detection tools to additionally check the assignments.

Canvas uses the SimCheck feature (a Turnitin product) within a platform for AI check.

No, canvas does not track tubs, unless your educational institution specifically installed proctoring software that monitors tab activity or lockdown browsers on the divide you use.

However, Canvas can track if the student “Stopped viewing the Canvas quiz-taking page”. For the teacher, this would indicate that you have entered some unauthorized external resource.

Canvas cannot detect copy and paste, but for open-ended questions, it saves student progress every few seconds, which can be visible for teachers through the “quiz log”.

It means that if you copy and paste the whole answer, the teacher could see that it was not typed in but emerged in one instance.

Depending on the setup, professors might be able to view:

When you start and submit the quiz
Time spent on questions
Quiz log record, detecting when you actively observe the question and leave the quiz page
Flagged behaviours from proctoring tools (if used), such as tab switching.

Canvas alone doesn’t detect cheating, but:

It can record quiz logs and submission timestamps
Canvas has an integrated Turnitin product, allowing to detect AI in assignment directly on the platform
Cheating detection usually relies on third-party tools
Teachers may look for patterns, inconsistencies in your submissions