Using a commercial Gmail account to sign in to the UW's Canvas LMS and Panopto lecture capture system will end as of March 22, 2023. After this date, all individuals accessing Canvas and Panopto must use a personal UW NetID account. Note: This change only affects signing in to http://canvas.uw.edu.

How can I obtain a UW NetID account?

All matriculated students, employees, clinicians, and many affiliates have a personal UW NetID account, or are eligible to create a personal UW NetID account.

If you are an affiliate that needs to access Canvas and Panopto, and do not yet have a UW NetID account, please contact the department with which you are affiliated and ask for their assistance. The department can choose to sponsor a UW NetID account for you and then grant it access to Canvas and Panopto.

Why can't I use a Gmail account to access Canvas and Panopto?

When Canvas was initially adopted at the UW in 2012, Gmail accounts were permitted to access the LMS because the Catalyst Web Tools, which many were migrating from, permitted Gmail account access.

Since then, system capabilities, security practices, and access policies have changed substantially. To appropriately secure student data and course content, enable account lifecycles, and implement access policies, we must limit sign in to UW NetID accounts and retire the use of Gmail accounts for signing in to Canvas.

Obtaining sponsored UW NetID accounts, which offer similar assurance of identity as Gmail accounts, is a convenient, self-service process.

How can I continue to access the courses and recordings associated with my Gmail account?

To maintain access to courses in Canvas that are associated with your Gmail account, you can request that your Gmail account be merged with your UW NetID account. Note: Merging accounts combines logins, contact methods, course enrollments, and activity for the accounts. To have your accounts merged:

1. If you do not already have a UW NetID account, create a personal UW NetID account or obtain a sponsored UW NetID from your affiliated department or program.
2. Ask the employee or department that sponsored your account to use the Provisioning Request Tool to provision Canvas and Panopto access for your account.
3. From your UW email account, send a request to help@uw.edu and cc the Gmail account email address that you want to have merged. Your message will create a request in the ticketing system, and you will receive a response with a record number.
4. From the Gmail account, reply to the request record and send a message approving the account merge. After receiving your request from both accounts, a consultant will merge the accounts, and your Canvas courses and activity will be available through your UW NetID account.

How can I access my recordings in Panopto?

Before March 22, 2023, you can access Panopto and download recordings you created and then use them outside of Panopto.

To continue accessing your recordings in Panopto after March 22, 2023:

1. Obtain a UW NetID.
2. Send a request to help@uw.edu asking for your Gmail account and UW NetID accounts in Panopto to be merged.

How can I provide access for a guest teacher?

To provide access to your course, sponsor a UW NetID for the guest teacher.

1. Use the Provisioning Request Tool to provision Canvas and Panopto access for the sponsored account.
2. Add the guest to your Canvas course, assigning them the guest teacher role.

Access for non-UW students or learners

The Canvas use policy does not permit use of the UW Canvas LMS for learners who  are not enrolled at the UW. If you are interested in using Canvas for your program that serves non-UW non-matriculated learners, please send a request to help@uw.edu for more information.