Canvas Classic Quizzes vs. New Quizzes

Summary

This article compares the two options for quizzes in Canvas.

Canvas offers two quiz tools: Classic Quizzes and New Quizzes.

Classic Quizzes is the original built-in tool with basic question types and full SpeedGrader integration.
New Quizzes is an enhanced LTI tool, provides more question types (e.g., hotspot, ordering, stimulus) and options. As it is “new”, development is on going and some features are not yet available.

See a complete comparison of Canvas Classic and New Quizzes: Canvas | Quizzes Feature Comparison

When importing a Moodle ISU backup, your quizzes will be created as Classic Practice Quizzes.

To use Classic Quizzes, you do not need to do anything except change them from a Practice Quiz to a Graded Quiz.

You will want to stay with Classic Quizzes if you…

Use certain question types:
- Fill in Multiple Blanks
- Multiple Dropdown
- Text (no question) - there is an alternative in New Quizzes
Would like to grade an uploaded file within a quiz using the Canvas Speed Grader.
Share question banks with other courses.
Would like the number of questions in the quiz to be the max grade.
- By default, the max grade for each quiz will be the number of questions.
- You can adjust the points for individual questions to change the max grade.

You will want to migrate to New Quizzes if you…

Use certain question types:
- Categorization
- Stimulus (present content with multiple questions related to the content)
- Ordering
- Hot Spot
Have lots of quizzes and generally have multiple accommodation requests.
- In New Quizzes you can create the accommodation for the student once and it will apply to all the quizzes.
Would like all your quizzes to have the same max grade, but a different number of questions in each quiz.
- With New Quizzes, you can set the max grade for the quiz, and the questions will automatically be distributed.

New Quizzes is the future of Canvas assessments, with Classic Quizzes planned for eventual phase-out. Canvas has not yet announced a sunset date for Classic Quizzes.

Contact Canvas Support and/or Search the Canvas Instructor Guides.

Contact the ITRC if you need additional assistance.

Article ID: 167624

Created

Tue 7/15/25 5:28 PM

Modified

Tue 7/15/25 6:35 PM