The Files section is where you upload and organise course files such as worksheets, course notes, articles, images, etc. Canvas makes it easy to click-and-drag files from your desktop directly into the Files page within your Canvas course. Within Files you can also click and drag files to organise them into folders.

Note: There is now a new interface for the Files tool, which is optional and can be toggled on/off:

Detailed information about the new interface and its benefits is provided on this blog page: A Simpler, More Accessible Canvas Files Experience

Whenever possible, limit the Canvas Files area to course files such as handouts, presentations and worksheets.

We strongly recommend the following for course readings and videos:

Course readings should be shared with your students via an ORLO reading list. Students report a strong preference for this way of sharing readings and you can also request scanning of files to improve accessibility. Contact the Bodleian Digitisation Service to request scanning of files.
Panopto should be used for uploading existing videos, or recording new ones. Panopto videos are searchable (audio and text), and they provide captions and chapter headings. Videos should not be uploaded to the Files area, due to storage limitations.

In your Account, there is a Files area which provide access to My Files (your own files, e.g. your profile photo) as well as course files.
Within a Canvas course, there is a Files area which stores all the files required for that particular course.
Files can be linked to Modules, Assignments, or Pages for easy student access within a course (so that students do not need to seek their relevant course materials within the Files structure).

Note: It is recommended that you keep the Files area within any Course Navigation menu disabled, so that it remains hidden from students. Make the materials available to students in a tailored way, such as by using the Modules or Pages tools.

Within the Files area, you can:

Create folders
Upload files
View file details
Set usage rights
Restrict access to files, including by date
Download or upload a ZIP file
Move files
Preview files
Publish and unpublish files
View the storage capacity of your course files
Drag and drop files from personal files into course files

If you need to upload lots of files once, you can use the bulk upload feature
There is a new and improved interface for the Files tool (from mid-2025), which is optional and can be toggled on/off.
To access further Canvas documentation, including a video on the new Files interface, please view the guide: How do I use Files?

Index

Creating a folder in the Files area
Uploading items to a folder in the Files area
Adding a file to a Module
Embedding a file in a Page

1. Creating a folder in the Files area

To create a folder within the Files area, click the + Folder button at the top right-hand side of the screen. Type a name for the new folder and click the tick (or press the Return/Enter key) to complete the action.

Folders are a great way to organise your content, and often allow for easier bulk uploading as you are able to easily upload all related files into one folder rather than individually.

2. Uploading items to a folder in the Files area

To add items to a folder in the Files area within a course:

Select your Canvas course and then Files from the Course Navigation menu.
Select the relevant folder (see Step 1 above).
Click the Upload button at the top right-hand side of the screen, then select any relevant item(s) from your device and click Open to complete the upload.
You can also directly drag and drop items from your device into the appropriate folder in the Files area.
It is important to use folders to help organise your stored items in a meaningful way.

Note: When adding files and folders in the Files area of Canvas, be aware that they are automatically placed in alphabetical order and cannot be rearranged.

3. Adding a file to a Module

When building content for your courses, you are able to directly add files to a Module:

Navigate to the relevant course and click on Modules.
Scroll to the module into which you would like to add a file, and click the plus button on the top right-hand side of the module.
Select File from the drop-down list, and either select the file you would like to use from all of your available files, or select New File to upload a new file from your device.
If selecting a new file, remember to select what folder you would like to save the file in (a list of all available folders in your Files area will appear for you to choose from).
Click Add item and your file will now appear as an item at the end of the module. If necessary, you can drag and drop it to a new location.

Note: Remember that, in order for your students to see any item in Modules view, it must be published.

See the Canvas guide: How do I set usage rights and manage access to course files?

4. Embedding a file in a Page

Embedding a file into a Canvas page means that the file will automatically appear on screen when a user clicks on the link in the page.

To embed a file into a Canvas Page:

Go to the page in question (from Pages, or Modules).
Click Edit in the top right corner and go into the Rich Content Editor.
Now place your cursor where you wish to insert the file.
Click the Files tab from the Content Selector on the right-hand side of the page.
If you have already uploaded your material in the Files section of Canvas, select your file from the list.
If not, click +Upload a new file, then click Browse to select the required file from your device.
When you have the file, select it, and click Open. Select the Folder drop-down menu to choose where you would like to store this file once it has been uploaded.
Click Upload, and check the Rich Content Editor to confirm your file has been uploaded (it will flash yellow upon upload and then turn blue).
Next, place your cursor over the link and click once. Following this, click the link icon.
A Link to Website URL box should pop up, click the Auto-open the inline preview for this link checkbox.
Click Save.
Your file will now automatically open when a user lands on this page.

Try to use a broad range of content in Canvas to give your students a range of learning options and activities. For example, you could upload a journal article (with suitable copyright permissions) and set up a Discussion for students to discuss the article.
Remember that content is stored within the Files menu on the left-hand Course Navigation menu – it is not stored within the Modules tool.
It is usual practice to hide the Files tool from students (Settings > Navigation) on the left-hand Course Navigation menu, and instead, surface the relevant file(s) in one of the ways described above.
As always, to streamline your file management within Canvas, you should maintain a well-organised Files structure with suitable folders and file-naming conventions.