Canvas: Enable Threaded Discussions

This article addresses an issue caused by a recent Canvas update that may prevent users from replying to discussion posts. It provides a step-by-step guide to check and update discussion settings to restore full functionality in forums.

Issue:

A recent update to the Canvas system changed a setting on some courses' discussion boards. Learn more about the issue on Instructure's support site: Disallow Threaded Replies option in Discussions

Solution:

Whether you were affected by the issue, or if you simply want to enable threaded discussions within Canvas, follow the steps below to check and update your discussion settings. These steps should be repeated for each discussion board within the course.

Video Guide for Enabling Threaded Discussions

Step-by-Step Instructions:

Navigate to Discussions

• Go to the Discussions section of your course.
  

Open a Discussion

• Click on the discussion you want to check.
  

Edit the Discussion

• In the upper right corner, click on the three dots (More Options) and select Edit.
  

Review the "Disallow Threaded Replies" Setting

• Scroll down to find the "Disallow threaded replies" option.
  
• If this option is checked, uncheck it to enable threaded discussions.
  

Save Changes

• Scroll down to the bottom of the page and click Save.
  

Repeat as necessary

Repeat the steps above for each discussion board that needs to use threaded discussions.