Canvas Guides (English)Canvas GuidesCanvas Instructor GuideRich Content EditorHow do I create hyperlinks to course, group, and user files in the Rich Content Editor as an instructor?

How do I create hyperlinks to course, group, and user files in the Rich Content Editor as an instructor?

You can use the Rich Content Editor to insert hyperlinks to document, image, and media files stored in your course, group, or user files. If you are using the Rich Content Editor in a course, you can access files in the Course Files and User Files folders. If you are using the Rich Content Editor in a group, you can access files in the Group Files and User Files folders.

Notes: 

  • If you set a file as not visible to students in Course Files and link to that file in the Rich Content Editor, students will be able to view that file using the link in the Rich Content Editor.
  • To create hyperlinks to group files, you must open the Rich Content Editor within a group.

Open Rich Content Editor

Open Rich Content Editor

Open the Rich Content Editor when creating or editing an announcement, assignment, discussion, page, quiz, or syllabus.

Note: The Rich Content Editor supports keyboard shortcuts. To view the Keyboard Shortcuts menu, click the Keyboard icon or press ALT+F8 (PC keyboard) or Option+F8 (Mac keyboard).

Select Link Location

To insert a link displaying the name of the file (e.g., Reading-Assignment.pdf), click to place your cursor in the location in the Rich Content Editor where you want the link to appear [1].

To insert a link to a file at a certain point in the text, select the text for your hyperlink [2].

Open Course Links

To view all links and files available in course and user files, click the Link Options arrow [1] and select the Course Links option [2].

If you are accessing the Rich Content Editor from within a group, select the Group Links option [3].

Note: To view the Links icon, you may have to click the Options icon [4].

View Add Sidebar

View Add Sidebar

By default, the Add sidebar displays course links. To view all available course, group, or user files, click the Add drop-down menu [1] and select the Files option [2].

View Files

Group Project Requirements: Biology 101

To view course files, click the Course Files link [1].

To view your user files, click the My Files link [2].  

If using the Rich Content Editor within a group, you can select a group file by clicking the Group Files link [3].

Sort Files

Sort Files

To sort the displayed files by image, document, or media file type, click the All drop-down menu [1] and select the file type to sort files [2].

Sort Files

To sort the displayed files by date added or alphabetically, click the Date Added drop-down menu [1].

To search for a file, enter the file name in the Search field [2]. You must enter at least three characters for search results to display.

Select File

View and Sort Files

Click the name of the file you want to link in the Rich Content Editor.

Note: The text will flash before turning into the hyperlink.

View Link

View the link displaying the name of the file [1] or the hyperlinked text [2].

Save Changes

Save Changes

Click the Save button.

Notes:

  • The assignment, discussion, pages, and quizzes details pages display a Save & Publish button.
  • The Syllabus page displays an Update Syllabus button.
  • Discussion replies display a Post Reply button.

View Content

View Content

View the content. To view the linked file, click the link [1].

To download the file, click the Download icon [2].

Note: Links to external URLs display an Open icon [3].