January 6, 2026

Legacy Sunset Information

If your institution installed DesignPLUS after August 2023, the legacy sidebar will not be available in your Canvas instance–you can disregard this information.

As of January 1, 2026, the new DesignPLUS Sidebar has been set as the automatic default for all institutions that have installed the DesignPLUS Sidebar. By switching to legacy sidebar, the dpUseLegacy cookie will be set to true and automatically given an expiry time of 24 hours; the following day, the new Sidebar will once again be the default.

Users can still access the legacy sidebar by switching versions through User Settings, but only if their institution’s JavaScript allows. The legacy sidebar will continue to be available to edit legacy content. However, we strongly recommend switching to the new sidebar to upgrade content using the Upgrade tool. Please contact your Canvas administrator regarding enablement of version switching.

This will ensure that the content continues to render as expected. The legacy sidebar will be available to users until Canvas makes an update that breaks the integration, at which time your institution will have to switch to the new Sidebar.

Canvas admins can contact support@cidilabs.com to install the new DesignPLUS Sidebar if it has not already been installed.

For help or questions, please visit our Knowledge Base or reach out to our Support Team. We're always glad to assist!

Additional Resources

Helpful Knowledge Base Articles

Our support team has developed several knowledge base articles (KBA) to make sure all of our amazing customers have access information and answers to common sunset questions.

KBA - What can we expect after the DesignPLUS Legacy Sidebar sunset date?

KBA - How do I upgrade my Legacy Design Tools Content for use with the new DesignPLUS sidebar?

KBA - DesignPLUS Sidebar Resources for Legacy Customers
This article contains information specific to the transition from legacy DesignPLUS (used by customers who installed prior to August 1st, 2023) to the new Sidebar.

Helpful User Guide Resources

As users work to transition from legacy to the new sidebar, be sure to bookmark the [New] DesignPLUS User Guide! Additionally, here are a few quick links to access information about upgrading content:

Course Sidebar - Access tools that can make course-level changes

Course Upgrade - Run the Upgrade tool on multiple pages from one place.

Switching Between Versions - There is an option to continue using the legacy sidebar if your institution has upgraded to the new sidebar but still allows version switching.

Upgrade Tool - Upgrade legacy Design Tools content to be compatible with the new DesignPLUS Sidebar.

Helpful Videos

Access the DesignPLUS Training Series if you or your users are working to get up to speed on using the new sidebar. This series is broken into 8 separate videos to help you target and address your training needs:

DesignPLUS Sidebar: Introduction - Take a tour of the Sidebar interface and digest the basic information you'll want to know before getting started.
DesignPLUS Sidebar: Creating a Basic Page - Learn how to add themes, images, and styling to a basic page.
DesignPLUS Sidebar: Creating a Home Page - Use a Front Page Theme to create a beautiful, interactive Home page.
DesignPLUS Sidebar: Styling Existing Content - Practice taking some vanilla Canvas content, and give it a DesignPLUS makeover!
DesignPLUS Sidebar: Accessibility & Usability - Learn how to use all our Accessibility checkers & Usability tools.
DesignPLUS Sidebar: Using Templates - Use the Template Content tool to quickly bring in institutional and other pre-configured content.
DesignPLUS Sidebar: Elements & Resources - Get a preview into some of the more intermediate level tools in DesignPLUS.
The DesignPLUS Multi-Tool - Learn how to save time and scaffold your course content with Templates, a Module Builder, Due Date adjusters, and a Delayed Announcement Modifier.