Canvas Portfolio: Quick Start Guide for Students

This article is meant to help Students using start using the Canvas Portfolio Tool.

Regardless of whether the Portfolio is for Showcase or Evaluation, the building process is the same.

The new Canvas Portfolio tool is now generally available as of November 2025, offering an updated experience for students to showcase their work and growth. This guide provides the quickstart steps for students using the new system. For a guide with screenshots, please view this “How do I use Portfolios as a student?” article hosted by Canvas/Instructure.

Accessing and Creating a Portfolio

Log in to Canvas and click the Account link in the Global Navigation Menu (far-left sidebar).
Select the Portfolio link from the user navigation menu that appears.
On the Portfolios page, go to the Showcase tab to create your own student-led portfolio.
Click the Create showcase portfolio button.
Add a descriptive Name for your portfolio, an optional Cover image, and a brief Description.

Adding Content (Evidence) and Organizing

You can organize your portfolio into sections and add "evidence" which can be existing assignments or new custom entries.

Add Sections

To create a new organizational section (e.g., "Academic Work" or "Leadership & Activities"), click the Add section link.
Give the section a name and select the evidence you want to include in it.
Use the Manage sections link to reorder sections and evidence using drag-and-drop.

Add Evidence

Click the Add Evidence link within a section to include content. You have two main options:

Add Assignment from Course: Select previously submitted assignments from your active Canvas courses. This seamlessly integrates your coursework into your portfolio.
Create New Evidence: Create custom entries for projects, extracurricular activities, professional experiences, or reflections not tied to a specific Canvas submission.
- For custom evidence, you can add a title, descriptive text entries, file uploads (up to 25MB each), links, media, and skill tags.
- Crucially, you can add personal reflections here to explain your learning journey and growth, which is a core component of portfolio learning.

Add Content (Artifacts)

This is where you showcase your work. The new Portfolio tool allows you to pull content directly from your courses.

Add Files/Media: Upload files, images, or general media from your local storage.
Add Course Submissions: Import past assignments you have submitted in Canvas courses directly into your portfolio.
Add Rich Text/HTML: Write reflections, descriptions, or your educational philosophy directly in a text editor.

Reviewing and Sharing Your Portfolio

Save as Draft: Click the Save as draft button to continue working privately at a later time.
Publish: When you are ready to finalize and share your portfolio, click the Publish portfolio button.
Share: Once published, use the share options to generate a unique public link or share directly to LinkedIn.
Export: You can export your portfolio in various formats, including PDF and HTML.
Delete: To delete the portfolio

Submit the Portfolio for an Assignment

Teacher-Assigned Portfolio Instructions

In teacher-created portfolios, you can view the Portfolio Instructions [1] and Evidence Requirements [2], then begin submitting your work.

Submitting a Course Assignment

To submit or view the Canvas Assignment, click the Go to Assignment button.

Submitting a Project, Extracurricular Activity and Professional experience

In your Portfolio, read the general instructions [1], then open the assigned project in Evidence Requirements [2]. In the project tray, review the project instructions [3], add Evidence Details [4] and any supporting materials. Click Save as Draft button [5] to continue later, or the Submit button [6] to submit the assignment.

Manage Portfolio Comments

You can revise and resubmit portfolio entries based on instructor feedback [1]. Status indicators provide real-time updates, showing which items are submitted for review and which have been marked complete [2].