How to set up Canvas with LTI 1.3 in Flat for Education
Last updated October 23, 2026
Flat for Education connects to Canvas with LTI 1.3, the current standard for adding learning tools to Canvas. A Canvas admin sets up Flat for Education once with dynamic registration, then teachers add it to each of their courses with a Client ID. Teachers and students sign in from Canvas, classes are created automatically, students are added the first time they open Flat for Education, and grades go to the Canvas gradebook. This guide is for Canvas admins and teachers.
Why use LTI 1.3?
LTI 1.3 is the setup we recommend for schools and districts. One setup by your Canvas admin covers your whole school or district, there's no Consumer Key or Shared Secret to share, and grades go to the Canvas gradebook as the real points earned (for example 18 out of 20). See LTI 1.3 vs LTI 1.1 for a side-by-side comparison, or the Canvas overview to find the right guide for your role.
For admins
The setup has three parts: copy a registration link from Flat for Education, register it in Canvas, then share the Client ID with your teachers. It takes about 10 minutes. Teachers then add Flat for Education to their own courses.
Before you start
You need two things:
- Admin access to your Canvas instance, to create a developer key.
- A Flat for Education Admin or Support admin account, to copy the registration link. See roles and permissions.
If you're in charge of IT and don't have a Flat for Education account, contact our support team and we'll add you as a Support admin. A Support admin can manage integrations without using a school license.
Step 1: Copy the registration link from Flat for Education
In Flat for Education, open Settings > Integrations and click Canvas. A window opens with your registration URL. Click Copy to copy it.
The registration link is unique to your school's Flat for Education organization. Share it only with your Canvas admin.
Step 2: Register Flat for Education in Canvas
Next, paste the registration link into Canvas. Canvas and Flat for Education then exchange all the settings they need automatically.
Open Developer keys
In Canvas, open Admin, choose your account, then click Developer keys in the left-hand menu. Click + Developer Key and choose LTI Registration.
Paste the registration link
Paste the link from step 1 into Dynamic Registration Url, then click Continue.
Complete the setup
Flat for Education opens inside the Canvas window. Review the details and the privacy notice, then click Complete Setup.
Check data sharing and placements
Choose which user data Canvas shares with Flat for Education. All user data lets Flat for Education show your students' names and match existing accounts by email address.
Then check the placements, which decide where Flat for Education appears in Canvas. Keep them all on to use every feature:
- Course Navigation: the Flat for Education link in each course's left-hand menu.
- Assignment Selection and Link Selection: adding Flat for Education assignments and links.
- Editor Button: embedding scores in Canvas pages.
Enable the developer key
Click Enable & Close. Flat for Education now appears in your Developer keys with its state set to On, and a Client ID in the Details column (for example 10000000000006). Copy the Client ID: you'll share it with your teachers in step 3.
Step 3: Share the Client ID with your teachers
Send the Client ID from step 2 to your teachers. They'll use it to add Flat for Education to each of their courses.
For teachers
Once your Canvas admin has set up Flat for Education with LTI 1.3, add it to each course where you want to use it. Ask your admin for the Client ID first.
Add Flat for Education to your course
Open the Apps settings of your course
Open the course where you want to add Flat for Education, then go to Settings and open the Apps tab. Click + App.
Add the app by Client ID
In Configuration Type, choose By Client ID. Paste the Client ID from your admin, then click Submit.
Check the installation
Open a Canvas course where Flat for Education has been added and look for Flat for Education in the course navigation on the left. You can also create an assignment, choose External tool as the submission type and click Find: Flat for Education should be in the list.
Open Flat for Education from your Canvas course before your students do. This creates your class in Flat for Education, so your students can join it when they open it.
Next steps
Can I test LTI 1.3 before switching from LTI 1.1?
Yes. LTI 1.1 and LTI 1.3 can run in the same Canvas instance at the same time, so you can try LTI 1.3 in one course while your teachers keep using LTI 1.1. Your students' work is kept when you switch, because Flat for Education matches them to their existing accounts.
- Complete step 1 and step 2 to create and enable the developer key.
- In a single test course, add Flat for Education by Client ID.
- Test as a teacher and as a student: open Flat for Education, create an assignment, submit work and check the grade in SpeedGrader.
- When everything works, share the Client ID with your teachers.
Use Student View in your test course. Canvas signs you in as its built-in Test Student, so you don't need a separate student account, and it doesn't use a Flat for Education license.
If you test with a real student account instead, use one that isn't a teacher in any Canvas course. If the account is a teacher in another course, Flat for Education adds it as a teacher, and it won't see assignments the way a student does.
Troubleshooting
Most setup issues come from permissions or from where the app is installed. Check the questions below first, then see the Canvas FAQ for error messages teachers and students may see.
Getting help
Still stuck? We're happy to help! Contact our support team and we'll work through it with you. To help us find the issue quickly, include your Canvas domain, the Client ID and a screenshot of any error message you see.
Frequently asked questions
Who can set up Flat for Education with LTI 1.3?
You need a Canvas admin account, because the developer key is created for your whole Canvas instance. You also need a Flat for Education Admin or Support admin account to copy the registration link. If you're in charge of IT and don't have one, contact our support team.
Does LTI 1.3 cover all our Canvas sub-accounts?
Yes, when you create the developer key in your main Canvas account, with no separate keys per school. Teachers in every sub-account then add it to their courses with the same Client ID.
Do teachers need a Client ID or Consumer Key?
Teachers need the Client ID, but not a Consumer Key. With LTI 1.3, your Canvas admin shares the Client ID, and teachers use it to add Flat for Education to each of their courses. The Consumer Key and Shared Secret are only for LTI 1.1.
Why can't my students sign in to Flat for Education after the setup?
First, check that their teacher has opened Flat for Education from the course at least once. Then check that Flat for Education has been added to that course, and that the developer key shares user data with Flat for Education. If it still doesn't work, contact our support team.