Quick Tip: File management tips & tricks
This week, we’re taking a look at the of Canvas courses. You can access your course files by clicking the Files link in the course navigation menu on the left.
Every file in your course – whether you uploaded it as a Module item or within the Rich Content Editor in a Page, Assignment, Quiz, or Discussion – will show up here in the Files page. You may also see files and folders that were imported from other Canvas courses and/or migrated from Blackboard.
Here are some tips and tricks to help you manage files in your Canvas courses:
Keep an eye on your course file quota
Each course has a 2GB file size quota. If you hit that quota, you will no longer be able to upload files to that course until you remove some files. You can view how much space you have left in the bottom left corner of the Files page.
- Tip: Files that tend to be larger in size include narrated PowerPoints, image files, and video files. In order to minimize course size, we recommend that you upload video files to Kaltura and then embed them in the course. We also recommend resizing images prior to uploading so that they do not take up as much space in your course files.
- Did you know? Files that were imported from another Canvas course do NOT count against your course quota.
Overwrite (replace) files to avoid duplication
If you upload a file more than once, you will end up with multiple versions of the same file in your course. Each duplicate file will have a number added at the end of the file name.
To avoid duplication, you can overwrite an existing file when you upload a new version, as long as you keep the file names the same. To do this, go to Files and navigate into the folder in which the existing file resides. Then there using the Upload button or drag and drop. A prompt will pop up; click the Replace button to overwrite the existing file with the new one.
- Did you know? When you replace a file, any links to that file in your course will automatically point to the new version.
Adjust file viewing permissions
Just as you can publish modules, content, and assessments in your course, you can also control publishing settings at the file level. By default, when you upload a file as a Module item or via the Rich Content Editor, that file will be available for students to view. However, you can also .
- Did you know? Files will inherit the permissions of the folder in which they reside. If students are seeing a locked icon when they try to view a file, image, etc., double-check the publishing status of the folder where the file is located.