How to drop the lowest quiz score in Canvas
Short answer: put the quizzes in one assignment group, open the group’s Options menu (three dots), choose Edit, and type 1 in the Lowest Scores field. Or open Course++ and type: “Drop each student’s lowest score in the Quizzes group.”
The problem
Everyone has a bad quiz day. Canvas can forgive one.
The setting lives on the assignment group, not on the quizzes, and it only works if your quizzes are in the same group. Many courses have them scattered.
hidden in the group menuquizzes must share a group
The fix
Say which group. Course++ sets the rule.
This is a course setting, so Course++ asks first. Canvas then does the dropping for each student. Course++ never looks at anyone’s scores.
1 sentenceasks before it changes
Prompts you can copy
Open your Canvas course, open Course++ beside it, and paste one of these. Change the names and numbers to match your course.
Drop each student’s lowest score in the Quizzes group.
The basic version.Put every quiz into one Quizzes group, then drop the lowest two scores.
When quizzes are spread across groups.In the Quizzes group, drop the lowest score but never drop the Final Exam Review quiz.
When one item must always count.Which assignment groups have drop rules, and what are they?
A check. It only reads; nothing changes.
How to drop the lowest score in Canvas by hand
- In Course Navigation, click Assignments.
- Make sure all the quizzes are in the same assignment group.
- Click that group’s Options menu (three dots) and choose Edit.
- Type how many to drop in the Lowest Scores field.
- To make sure one item always counts, click Add an assignment under the never-drop rule and pick it.
- Click Save.
Good to know
- The group needs enough scores. A student needs one score more than the number dropped, plus any never-drop items, before every drop takes effect.
- Canvas drops what helps the student most. It removes the score that gives the best result for the group, which is not always the lowest percentage.
- Weights come first. If you also weight groups, see how to weight assignment groups.
- Course++ asks first. It shows the rule change and waits for your yes. It can’t see which scores were dropped.
Questions teachers ask
Can Canvas drop the lowest quiz grade?
Yes. Edit the assignment group that holds the quizzes and enter a number in the Lowest Scores field. Canvas applies it to each student.
Where do I set the drop rule in Canvas?
On the assignment group, not on each quiz. Open the group’s Options menu, choose Edit, and fill in the Lowest Scores field.
Can I stop a certain assignment from being dropped?
Yes. In the same Edit window, click Add an assignment under the never-drop rule and choose the assignment.
Can Course++ set this rule?
Yes. Name the group and how many to drop. It asks first, because it is a course setting.
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Canvas steps checked against Instructure’s own Canvas guides in October 2026. Canvas changes its screens from time to time, and schools turn features on and off, so a button may be named a little differently in yours.