Lots of students plan in Notion, Todoist or Things and want Canvas assignments to show up there automatically. The honest answer: none of them read Canvas on their own, but there are workarounds. Here's what each one can and can't do.
What every option starts with
Almost every method uses your Canvas Calendar Feed link, a private .ics link that lists your dated assignments and events. Get it in Canvas under Calendar > Calendar Feed. Here's a full walkthrough.
Canvas to Notion
What works without extra tools: Notion Calendar can show events from calendars connected to your Google account. Subscribe to your Canvas feed in Google Calendar first, then you'll see due dates in Notion Calendar. They show up as events, not as rows in a Notion database, so you can't check them off.
Getting assignments into a Notion database: this needs an automation. People use tools like Zapier, Make or n8n, or open-source scripts that call the Canvas API and create a Notion page for each assignment. They work, but you need an API token from Canvas and some setup, and they can break when either side changes.
Good for: people who already live in Notion and don't mind setup.
Canvas to Todoist
Todoist doesn't turn a calendar link into tasks by itself. Its calendar features connect Todoist to Google Calendar, which isn't the same as importing Canvas assignments as tasks.
Workarounds: automation tools or community scripts that read Canvas and create Todoist tasks. Some browser extensions also add Canvas items to Todoist. Check what access each one asks for before you install it.
Good for: heavy Todoist users willing to maintain an integration.
Canvas to Things 3
Things shows events from calendars on your Apple devices in its Today and Upcoming views. Subscribe to the Canvas feed in Apple Calendar (here's how) and turn on calendar events in Things settings. They appear as events alongside your to-dos, but they aren't to-dos you can check off.
Good for: seeing due dates next to your tasks without any setup.
Quick comparison
- Notion: view due dates via Notion Calendar. Tasks need an automation.
- Todoist: no native import. Tasks need an automation or extension.
- Things: view due dates as calendar events. No checkable tasks.
- lum9a: paste the Canvas link once. Every assignment becomes a task you can check off, with reminders. No API tokens.
The simplest route
If you mostly want "every assignment, in one list, that I can check off", a tool built for that will save you the setup. lum9a reads your Canvas link, keeps it updated, and lets you add everyday tasks like "laundry" next to schoolwork. It's free, and every task you finish grows a tiny pixel world. You can still use Notion for notes.