The Canvas Inbox is not intended to replace your email, but it functions similarly to email.

Messages in your inbox are referred to as conversations.

Why use inbox when I already have email?

For the purposes of course facilitation and delivery, the messaging system in Canvas makes it easy to manage conversations by course, by section, by group, and/or by student without having to know their email address or create a distribution list.

Here are some other reasons to consider using the Inbox for course-related correspondence:

You can send messages to an entire course, just a section, or a student without knowing their email addresses.
When a student emails you, you'll know exactly which course and section he/she is enrolled in.
Conversations are threaded and kept organized by student name.
You can see the profile pictures of students (assuming they have added one) when reading student messages.
Your messages can be written in text or be recorded as a video or audio directly from the new message interface.
All messages sent via the Gradebook will be archived in your Inbox.
All comments made on assignments through the SpeedGrader will be archived in your Inbox.
All discussion replies made in your course or group discussions will show up in your Inbox.

View the Conversations Video Tutorial (Links to an external site.), and consult the Canvas Guides for step-by-step instructions on how to use the Inbox.