Computer Requirements: Hardware and Software
Read below for more on browsers, operating systems and other web features required for access to online courses.
To access and interact in your College of Education online course, we recommend the following:
Learn about which browsers Canvas supports here.
Canvas and its hosting infrastructure are designed for maximum compatibility and minimal requirements.
Computer Specifications
Screen Size | Canvas is best viewed at a minimum resolution of 800×600. If you want to view Canvas on a device with a smaller screen, we recommend using the Canvas mobile app. |
Operating Systems | Windows 7 and newer Mac OSX 10.12 (Sierra) and newer Linux – chromeOS |
Mobile Operating System Native App Support | iOS 10 and newer (versions vary by device) Android 7.0 and newer |
Computer Speed and Processor | Use a computer 5 years old or newer when possible 4GB of RAM 1.5GHz processor |
Internet Speed | Along with compatibility and web standards, Canvas has been carefully crafted to accommodate low bandwidth environments. Minimum of 512kbps |
Screen Readers | Macintosh: VoiceOver (latest version for Safari) PC: JAWS (latest version for Internet Explorer Edge) PC: NVDA (latest version for Firefox) There is no screen reader support for Canvas in Chrome |
Other requirements | Many courses use audio-video presentations. Students will need speakers, microphone, and headphones for the presentations. Adobe Reader – Many courses include .pdf documents which require Adobe Reader. MS Office or Open Office – Courses require updated business suite applications. Open Office is a free alternative to the MS Office suite. In order to access Virtual Private Network (VPN), go here. |