Printing People Roster in Canvas with Photos

Issues

  • Student photos are missing when I print the Canvas People page.
  • Why don't profile pictures show up when I print the Canvas roster?
  • How do I print the Canvas People list with photos included?
  • The People page looks fine on screen but photos disappear when printed.
  • How do I enable background image printing in my browser?
  • Photos print as blank boxes in Canvas — how do I fix this?

Environment

This article applies to anyone printing the People page from a Canvas course and finding that profile photos do not appear on the printout.

  • Platform: Safari, Chrome, or Firefox on macOS or Windows
  • Audience: Faculty, staff, and students
  • Cause: Canvas renders profile photos as CSS background images, which most browsers suppress by default when printing

Resolution

To include photos in the printout, enable background graphics (or Print Backgrounds) in your browser's print dialog before printing.

Note: Enabling background graphics printing may also cause images on other pages and websites to print, which can use significantly more ink or toner. You can toggle this setting on and off as needed.

Safari

  1. Open the print dialog (File > Print, or Command + P).
  2. Check the Print Backgrounds checkbox in the print dialog.
  3. Click Print.

Print settings dialog with Print backgrounds and Print headers and footers options checked and highlighted.

Chrome

  1. Open the print dialog (Command + P on Mac, Ctrl + P on Windows).
  2. Click More settings to expand the additional options panel.
  3. Under Options, check Background graphics.
  4. Click Print.

Print dialog showing A4 paper size and the Background graphics checkbox selected, next to a preview of a class roster report.

Firefox

  1. Open the print dialog (Command + P on Mac, Ctrl + P on Windows).
  2. Click More settings to expand the additional options panel.
  3. Under Options, check Background graphics.
  4. Click Print.

Print dialog open with Print backgrounds option checked in settings on the right side of the screen.

Additional Help

If you need further assistance, you have several options:

  • Bowdoin Bot: Chat with Bowdoin Bot directly from any KB page for instant answers.
  • Phone: Call the Bowdoin College Service Desk at (207) 725-3030.
  • In person: Visit the Tech Hub in Smith Union during business hours.
  • Submit a ticket: Request assistance through the Service Catalog.
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