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TC Technology Knowledge Base

Upload an image to Canvas

Updated on May 14, 2024

There are many times when you might want to add an image to Canvas, whether in a discussion forum, a written assignment, or on a wiki page. These steps will help you add an image to your personal file storage in Canvas that you can access anywhere you see the Rich Text Editor.

1. Click on your Canvas account icon and choose Files.

2. In your list of files, click the Upload button.

3. Select the image on your computer you would like to add to your Canvas file repository.

4. Once you have added the image to your Files in Canvas, navigate to the location you would like to add the image to. Click Edit.

how to upload an image to canvas assignment

5. Click the Image icon and select User Images.

6. Select User Files. Choose Images and select the image you would like to add.

7. Your selected image will appear.

Discussion Forum reply with embedded image

8. To edit the image, click on the image, then click Image Options.

Topic: Clare's Discussion - Google Chrome

8.1. Add alternative text tag to the image.

8.2. manage display options for the image., 8.3. resize the image..

9. Click Done to save the changes.

10. Click Post Reply to upload the image.

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Adding Media to Canvas

Adding media (videos, photos, etc) to assignments, discussions, and pages in your Canvas course greatly increases student engagement! It also expands the types of activities you can ask your students to do in Canvas. For example, you could create a reflection assignment that includes a TED Talk video students need to watch without having them leave the page to follow an outside link, or offer a screenshot of code with a quiz question, or provide two images for them to compare in a discussion.

This article provides basic instructions on adding media for decorative and instructional purposes. The instructions apply to any component of Canvas that uses the Rich Content Editor (Discussions, Assignments, Quizzes, and Pages). The Rich Content Editor looks like this, and we will refer to it repeatedly.

Screenshot of the Canvas Rich Content Editor interface

Embedding Images

Embedding media for which you have the link, recording videos in canvas.

Displaying images is a good first step as you learn to embed media in Canvas. The image insertion tools allow you to add still images and animated gifs. You can find the image insertion tools by clicking the image icon in the Rich Content Editor, which opens a menu of three options: upload an image, add an image saved in the course files, and add an image saved in your user files. Unless you have already uploaded a batch of images or imported them from a previous course (“Course Images”), you will probably be using the “Upload Image” option.

Screenshot of the Rich Content Editor with the image menu open

Note: The option to search for and embed images directly from Unsplash (and before that, Flickr) is no longer available as of December 2022.

Uploading and Inserting an Image File

Perhaps, however, you have specific images saved on your computer that you want your students to work from. You will need to upload this image to Canvas. Again, choose the “Upload Image” option by clicking on the image icon in the Rich Content Editor.

Follow the instructions to upload an image from your computer.

Screenshot of the image upload tool showing the options for uploading an image from the computer.

Make sure to add alt-text briefly describing the image to support accessibility! Alt-text is image description that will be displayed if the image doesn’t load, and will be read aloud by screen-reading software commonly used by people with visual disabilities. Very briefly, describe the content of the image, focusing on relevant information. (That is, if you were teaching botany, you would not say “image of a daisy.” Instead, you’d say “close-up of an open flower with a bright yellow center and many narrow, pointed, un-layered white petals.”) If the image is purely decorative, just check the “decorative image” box.

You can also adjust the image size. It is best not to increase the size, as that will decrease the quality; however, it is frequently helpful to decrease the size of a very large image.

Click submit. Your image should appear in the Rich Content Editor.

Embedding Videos from Web Sources

As with images, Canvas offers multiple ways to embed video, including one that allows you to search YouTube from within Canvas or embed a Panopto video, and one that allows you to embed a video using a link you’ve found by searching a video site directly. In the late 2020 Rich Content Editor update, the YouTube plugin was greatly improved, but some of the options for embedding a video using a link were removed.

Searching for a YouTube Video within Canvas

In the old Rich Content Editor, you could search for YouTube videos by clicking on a YouTube icon in the toolbar. Because the toolbars have changed, you now need to click on the plugin icon (which looks like a power plug) and then select the YouTube tool, which may appear as a drop-down option or in a pop-up list of plugins.

Screenshot of the Rich Content Editor with the plugin menu selected and the YouTube plugin option showing.

Clicking the YouTube option produces a search tool, which you can use to find videos and directly embed them. If you know exactly what video you want to embed, it helps to search the full title, or part of the title and the channel name. Clicking on the video thumbnail allows you to preview it. Then you can simply click the Embed button. You’ll be able to select aspects like the embedded video size.

If you already have a link to the YouTube video you wish to embed, follow our YouTube embed instructions .

Click for details on embedding with a link from specific media sources including YouTube, Google Drive, Prezi, and TED. The following instructions are general.

In the last Rich Content Editor update, Canvas removed the previous media embed tool, including the option to embed a video from a URL. This option differed from simply pasting the URL into the content (which you can still do, and it will still produce a mini-thumbnail for certain sources like YouTube) because it instructed Canvas to size and render the embedded video in a more visually pleasing way.

Now you can achieve the same effect by using an iframe. An iframe is a piece of HTML code that provides the video URL, dimensions, and other player information. You can often retrieve the iframe–frequently known as an “embed code”–from the video source.

To embed the code, you’ll need to select the embed option in the Rich Content Editor, which looks like a cloud with less-than and greater-than signs underneath it. Depending on the width of your screen, you will probably need to click the three vertical dots at the far right end of the toolbar to show additional icons. The embed option will open a box where you can paste the embed code.

Screenshot of the embed code box in the Rich Content Editor

This seems more complicated than the previous media embed tool, but produces the best results. If you cannot get an embed code, simply paste the video URL in the regular content editor window. This produces a small video preview that does not look as professional, but it is effective. The video preview will not appear while you are editing, but you will see it after saving the content. (Note that the video preview only appears for certain hosting services like Vimeo and YouTube.)

You can record video directly into your Canvas course, which is a great way to respond to students and demonstrate that you are engaged with what they’re doing. To learn more, watch this third-party video on recording video in the new Rich Content Editor .

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Caroline Toy

New Feature in Canvas: Embedding an Image Directly from Your Computer with the Rich Content Editor

by Thomas Keith | Nov 30, 2018 | Canvas , Canvas Features/Functions , How-tos

The Embed Image function in Canvas’ Rich Content Editor has long offered several different ways to find images to embed: entering an image URL, browsing within the files attached to your Canvas course, or searching Flickr. Now, a new feature makes it possible to find an image directly on your computer and embed it into a content page, assignment prompt, discussion comment, or anywhere else the Rich Content Editor appears, without first having to upload the image into your Canvas course files.

To use this feature:

1. Click the Embed Image button in the Rich Content Editor.

Rich Content Editor toolbar with Embed Image button indicated

2. Choose the Canvas tab and select the folder in which you wish to store the image. Course files is attached to a particular Canvas course, and files stored there can only be used in that course; My files is attached to the Canvas account of a particular user, and its files can be used in any course to which the user belongs. When you have chosen your location, click the Upload File button.

Image Source dialog box with Upload File button indicated

3. Browse to the image file on your computer and click Open .

Picture selected to upload to Canvas

4. Once the image has been uploaded, you can then enter alt text for screen readers and set the desired dimensions. When you are ready to embed the image, click the maroon Update button.

Image Source dialog box with Update button indicated

5. The image will now be embedded within the page, assignment, etc. Be sure to click Save to save your changes when you are done.

Sample content page with image ready to be embedded and Save button indicated

This new feature makes it possible for students, as well as instructors, to upload and embed images with the Rich Content Editor. For example, your students can now embed an image in a comment within a discussion thread, or create a multimedia wiki by embedding images on a content page (provided you set the page permissions to allow students to edit). Please note that because students, unlike instructors, do not have access to Course files , they must select My files as the location to which to upload images.

Further Resources and Getting Help

For detailed information on this new feature, see the latest Canvas Release Notes.
See also: How do I embed images from Canvas into the Rich Content Editor as an instructor?
If you need further assistance with media tools in Canvas, or if you have any other questions, Academic Technology Solutions is happy to help. You can attend one of our walk-in sessions held in the TechBar of the Regenstein Library (see our workshop schedule for upcoming sessions), or contact us to schedule a consultation.

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Embed image in a canvas discussion reply.

Do you need to "show" your work or share an image as part of a discussion reply? Here's how:

In the discussion, click Reply

canvas discussion with arrow pointing at reply

Click on the Embed Image dropdown and select Upload Image

Canvas formatting toolbar with Embed icon highlighted and arrow pointing at Upload Image option

Upload your image by dragging it into the box or by browsing through your files, then click Submit

Your image will appear in the body of your post

If the image is too big adjust it in the Image Options:

Adjust the Dimension type to have a width of 800 pixels or less

Click Post Reply

Canvas @ Tufts

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How do I embed a course image in a Canvas text box?

Instructors, TAs and Designers can embed an image from the sites Files tool into a Canvas text box

Make sure the image is first uploaded to the sites File tool.

The following example demonstrates embedding an image in a Canvas Page. However, the same steps are taken to embed an image from the Files tool in any Canvas text box (Announcements / Assignments / Discussions / Quizzes / Syllabus / Pages)

In the Canvas text box, click the insert Image icon (looks like a picture) and select Course Images

An Add panel opens up on the right side of the page.

Select the image you want to embed in the text box

The image is automatically embedded in the text box. Click Save or Save and Publish

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How do I upload a video to My Media in Canvas?
How do I record a video directly into My Media with Kaltura Capture?
How do I edit a video uploaded or recorded with My Media?
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How do I upload iPhone or Android phone videos (and images) to Media Gallery?
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How do I allow downloading of video from the Media Gallery?
How do I change the ownership of a My Media video?
How do I allow other users to edit and publish a video in My Media?
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Getting Started with Canvas Assignments

Last modification date Updated On June 8, 2023
Categories: Assignments , Canvas , Uncategorized
Categories: assessment , Getting Started , Grading

Canvas Assignments are a way for instructors to provide students opportunities to practice using the knowledge and skills they have gained or to assess student performance related to such knowledge and skills. (Creating an Assignment is the only way to create a new column in the Gradebook.)

In Canvas there are four basic Submission Types for assignments. The submission types include:

No Submission : For assignments for which you are not collecting any content from the students.
Text Entry : For students to enter text directly into a text box on Canvas.
Website URL : For students to enter a URL (usually to a blog, video, podcast, etc.).
Media Recordings : For students to upload or record media for submission.
File Uploads : For students to upload files for submission ( Restrict Upload File Types will allow you to limit which types of files may be submitted).
On Paper : For assignments students will submit in person.
External Tool : For assignments which students will submit through a third-party tool (such as Turnitin, Panopto Video Quiz, and PlayPosit).

Managing an Assignment

Managing assignment groups.

When getting started with Assignments, learn to

Create an assignment shell with the Canvas guide How do I create an assignment?

If you select Peer Reviews Appear Anonymously , annotation tools in SpeedGrader will become unavailable.

If you change the Assign To area from Everyone to select students after submissions have already begun, and do not have a second set of Assign To dates, submissions from unassigned students will disappear.

Published assignments are visible as existing outside of availability dates, but students cannot see the details.
If looking to update the due and/or availability dates on multiple assignments, see How do I bulk update due dates and availability dates as an instructor?
If choosing the option to make an assignment a Group Assignment : If only assigning to specific groups, make sure to click the X on the Everyone Else choice under Assign to .

Media Recording Assignments are not recommended due to technical reasons. Instead, have students submit media by embedding it in a Text Entry assignment through Panopto .

Clearly express expectations and criteria for grading by using a Rubric .

Be cautious limiting submission attempts, as students often make mistakes loading documents and need multiple attempts to ensure you have the correct submission.

Delete an assignment with the Canvas guide How do I delete an assignment?
This duplication process will not work for Quizzes.
Attach a rubric to an assignment for grading or to communicate expectations to students with the Canvas guide How do I add a rubric to an assignment?

Accessibility Tips

Use descriptive text for links, instead of long URLs or ‘click here’.
Make instructions brief and to-the-point. Avoid long paragraphs and sentences.
Consider allowing multiple submission types to accommodate technical limitations students may face.

Assignment Groups are a way to categorize different graded items in Canvas. For example, you may have journals, blogs, and essays which your students create in your course. Assignment Groups allow you to label and group different types of assignments separately in order to better organize and for ease when applying weighting (see How do I weight the final course grade based on assignment groups? ). When getting started with Assignment Groups, learn to

Add and delete assignment groups with the Canvas guide How do I add an assignment group in a course?
Move or reorder an assignment group with the Canvas guide How do I move or reorder an assignment group?
Make rules governing grading expectations within assignment groups with the Canvas guide How do I create rules for an assignment group?

Additional Resources

CTI Resource: What is the Assignments Index Page?
How do I bulk update due dates and availability dates as an instructor?
How do I weight the final course grade based on assignment groups?
Canvas Student Guide

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Canvas @ Yale

Canvas Assignment Tool: Overview

Updated on Mar 22, 2022

The Canvas Assignments tool is one of several native Canvas tools that allows instructors to collect student work for grading. Through the Canvas Assignment tool, students can submit their completed work and instructors can easily collect and score the work either offline (by downloading all submissions with a single button click) or online through the Canvas SpeedGrader function. Canvas Assignments can also be used to create columns in the gradebook for grading student work that is not submitted online.

Several of the External Applications integrated into Canvas work in coordination with the Canvas Assignments tool. For these tools, you will still create the Canvas Assignment as normal, but you will need to follow the detailed instructions for the specific external application to properly link it to the Canvas Assignment. Visit our Instructional Tools support page and click on the appropriate tool for details.

This article will address the following information:

Why use Canvas Assignments?

Use cases for assignments, how do i use canvas assignments in my course, what will my students see, additional resources, for students.

Canvas Assignments are a great centralized location to find and submit their coursework. It can provide students with detailed instructions for each assignment, due dates, template files for students to use when applicable, and rubrics to help students understand what is expected to achieve full credit for their work. Canvas' online grading via the SpeedGrader tool is a core feature of the Canvas Assignment tool, which allows students to quickly receive and reply to instructor comments on their work. Canvas Assignments also work hand-in-hand with the Canvas Grades area, so students can quickly see how well they did on each assignment and how they are doing overall in the course in one place.

For Instructors

Canvas Assignments streamlines the way that student work is collected. Instead of receiving digitally completed homework in the form of individual emails from each student for each assignment, instructors can create a Canvas Assignment to collect the work of all students. With Canvas' online grading tools, instructors can use rubrics for consistent grading and can use the Canvas SpeedGrader tool to provide detailed annotations on student-submitted files or simply use the one button download all submissions button to export all student files at once to their local computer. The Canvas Assignments tool also allows instructors the flexibility to assign activities to specific due dates for individual students or even create activities that are only available to certain students.

Canvas Assignments can be used in many ways—below are just a few examples of how assignments can be used in your course:

Homework Assignments
Research Papers
Written Exams
Handwritten Student Work (check out our help article for students on how to create a PDF of handwritten work )
Overall grade for course (that differs from the Canvas-calculated Totals column)
Grade for an oral exam or other activity that does not require students to hand in work
Class participation grade
Peer Review Assignments – students can be assigned to read and comment on one or more of their classmates' submissions
Group Assignments – require one submission for a group of students

Instructor and TA level users can always access the tool to create and organize activities, but the tool can be hidden from students if desired. To learn more about how to use Canvas Assignments to facilitate your online course work, please reference:

Creating an Assignment
Grading Assignments Using the SpeedGrader
Due Dates versus Display Dates
How do I automatically assign peer reviews for an assignment?
How do I view student peer review comments as an instructor?
How do I assign an assignment to a course group?
Turnitin Assignment Settings Options
Viewing a Turnitin Report (Instructor)

The actual view your students see will depend on the settings you set on your assignments. Below you can see what a student would see for an online, file upload submission type assignment.

On each assignment, instructors can set an " Available From " date, which is the date when the assignment will open for students to start submitting their work. Even though an assignment may not yet be open, students will be able to see that there is an assignment and will be able to click on it.

When a student views an assignment that has not opened for submissions yet, they will see a message showing that the assignment is locked and the date when the assignment will open, which is the " Available From " date.

When going to submit a file, the students will see the assignment instructions, points, due / available from / until dates, and the rubric (if one exists). The students will submit by clicking the " Submit Assignment " button and following the process to upload and submit their file(s).

Creating Assignments

Duplicating an Assignment
How do I exclude an assignment from the course's final grades?
How do I bulk update due dates and availability dates as an instructor?
How do I add a rubric to an assignment?
Rubrics (Vendor Guides)

Assignment Groups (For organizing assessments and weighting grades)

How do I add an assignment group in a course?
How do I move or reorder an assignment group?
How do I move or reorder an assignment?
Creating Weighted Assignments Groups

Grade Posting Policies

How do I select a grade posting policy for a course in the Gradebook?
How do I select a grade posting policy for an assignment in the Gradebook?
Using the Grade Posting Policy

Student Resources

How to create a PDF of hand written assignments
How do I submit an online assignment?
How do I upload a file as an assignment submission in Canvas?
How do I submit a text entry assignment?
How do I enter a URL as an assignment submission?
How do I submit a media file as an assignment submission?

For more help, please contact [email protected] .

Discover Instructional Tools

Assessment Finder Tool
Canvas @ Yale External Applications: Overview
Feedback & Accessibility Barriers Tool: Overview
Panorama: Overview
Blackboard Ally: Overview
FeedbackFruits: Overview
Canvas Quizzes: Overview
Gradescope: Overview
Respondus LockDown Browser: Overview
Turnitin: Overview
LabArchives: Overview
WordPress: Overview
Canvas Collaborations: Overview
Canvas Groups: Overview
Canvas Announcements: Overview
Canvas Inbox: Overview
Canvas Modules: Overview
Canvas Pages: Overview
Canvas Syllabus: Overview
Photo Roster: Overview
Canvas Discussions: Overview
VoiceThread: Overview
Ed Discussion: Overview
Perusall: Overview
Mid-Semester Feedback: Overview
Post'Em: Overview
Qualtrics LTI: Overview
Poll Everywhere: Overview
Media Library (Panopto): Overview
LinkedIn Learning: Overview
Zoom: Overview

Other Resources

Accessibility
Inclusivity
Canvas @ Yale Settings
Enrollment & Permissions
Technical Support Guides
Updates & Known Issues
Canvas @ Yale Admin / Registrar
Instructor Getting Started Guides
Course Management
Assessments, Feedback and Grades
Canvas @ Yale External Applications
Instructor FAQ
Student Getting Started Guides
Student Assessment Guides
Student FAQ

Canvas at Penn

Penn's Source for Courseware Innovation & News

New launch date for Upgraded Course Reserves (Leganto) Look & Feel – 7/6

Desktop computer with a speech bubble icon on the computer's screen.

Due to significant issues users encountered with the new Course Reserves (Leganto) User Interface (UI) that did not show up in testing, the launch was paused, and we rolled back to the Classic UI. The launch date for the new Course Reserves (Leganto) User Interface is now July 6 . Updated documentation will be available closer to that date.

Please email [email protected] with any questions.

Last Updated: 7 Jun 2024