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Turn your own notes into a Canvas quiz in minutes

Writing Canvas quiz questions from scratch takes hours. Upload your slides, PDFs or notes and get multiple-choice, true/false or open questions with explanations, ready to check before you post them.

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Writing a Canvas quiz from your own notes

Most instructors learning how to make a Canvas quiz already have the lecture slides or reading they want to test. Canvas handles delivery, timing and grading well, but every question still has to be written, and that step often takes longer than changing the quiz settings.

Use Shuffle Answers to reduce answer-order patterns between students
Set a Time Limit only when the quiz is meant to be timed
Decide Allowed Attempts and when correct answers are shown before publishing
Review each generated question against your slides before posting it

Example Canvas quiz settings and question types to know

Which Canvas question type lets a student select more than one correct option?Multiple answers. Unlike multiple choice, more than one option can be marked correct, which suits questions with several true statements.

What does the Shuffle Answers setting do in a Canvas quiz?It randomizes the order of answer choices for each student, which makes it harder to copy answer positions from a neighbor.

What happens when a timed Canvas quiz reaches its Time Limit?The attempt is submitted automatically when the time runs out, so students should save their progress before the limit.

Which setting controls how many times a student can take a Canvas quiz?Allowed Attempts. You can set a fixed number or allow unlimited attempts, depending on whether the quiz is for practice or grading.

What does the Show Correct Answers option control in Canvas?Whether students can see the right answers after submitting, which you can limit to a date window so answers are not shared before a later session.

Generate the full set

Questions from your material

Upload PDF, DOCX, PPTX, plain text or photos of pages. Every question is drawn from the content you provide.

Explanations for every answer

Each multiple-choice, true/false or open question comes with a short explanation you can keep, edit or remove.

Export for Canvas

Export QTI 2.1 on the Pro plan, or PDF and DOCX on Plus, so questions can move into your course.

How it works

Upload your material

Add a PDF, slides, a Word file or notes. Photos of printed pages are read with text recognition.

Pick question types

Choose multiple choice, true/false or open questions, then check each question and its explanation before using it.

Add it to Canvas

Export a QTI 2.1 file on the Pro plan and import it through Canvas course import, or copy questions into a Canvas quiz by hand.

Canvas gives you the quiz shell: question types such as multiple choice, multiple answers, true or false and short answer, plus settings for time limits, attempts and when results are shown. DeckOwl covers the step before that, turning your notes into question text and explanations that you then review.

Always review generated questions against your course material before you publish. Check that each answer is supported by your slides and that the wrong options are plausible rather than obviously false.

Explore related topics

Canvas Quiz Prep Guide

Check quiz settings, then practice with questions made from your own notes and slides.

How Canvas quizzes work

Question types, attempts, timing and grading, plus a faster way to draft quiz questions.

Make a Canvas Quiz from Your Notes

Generate quiz questions with explanations from your notes for a Canvas course.

Print a Canvas Quiz or Make Your Own

Why Canvas quizzes may not print, and how to make a printable practice quiz from notes.

Video Quiz in Canvas, Step by Step

Turn lecture notes into video quiz questions with explanations for your Canvas course.

Get a Canvas Quiz Access Code

Where Canvas access codes come from, and how to practice for the quiz with your own notes.

Canvas quiz code: what to do

Why only your instructor can give the code, and how to practice from your own notes while you wait.

Canvas Quiz as a Student: Practice Guide

Why students usually can't build Canvas quizzes and how to make practice ones.

Frequently asked questions

How do I add a question to a Canvas quiz?

Open the quiz in your course, select Edit, and add a new question. Choose a type such as multiple choice or true or false, enter the text and correct answer, then save.

How many questions should a Canvas quiz have?

Match the number to the time limit and the scope of the material. A quiz on a single lecture can be much shorter than one covering a whole unit.

Is there a free plan?

Yes. The free plan includes 3 generations per month and studying in the browser, but exports are not included.

Which plan includes QTI export for Canvas?

QTI 2.1 export is on the Pro plan at $14.99 per month. Plus, at $39 per year or $7.99 per month, includes PDF, DOCX, Anki and CSV export.

Generate free quizzes

Keep exploring the topic

Review the main ideas visually or practice recalling them.