Canvas is built on open web standards and uses minimal instances of Flash, so most features are supported on mobile devices. With the growing use of mobile devices, instructors should build their courses with best practices for mobile in mind.

Canvas includes a set of default notification preferences you can receive for your courses. Notifications are sent to Canvas contact methods as specified in your account. However, you can change the default settings by setting your own notification preferences. These preferences only apply to you; they are not used to control how course updates are sent to other users. To learn more about each notification, default settings, and notification triggers, view the Canvas Notifications PDF.

Notifications are sent as one of four delivery types: send right away, daily summary, weekly summary, or don't send. If you change a setting, the change is made immediately to your account.

Notification settings apply to all of your courses; you cannot change settings for individual courses.

You can reply directly to email notifications outside of Canvas and have the reply appear in Conversations. However, please be aware that attachments added as part of an external reply are not included with the message shown in the Canvas Inbox.

Note: The Canvas by Instructure app supports setting notification preferences. However, setting preferences inside the app will override preferences in the browser version of Canvas, and daily and weekly preferences are not supported.

Canvas can upload specific image, video, and audio files as user content. 

Canvas converts video and audio files up to 500 MB through the media tool. If a file exceeds the 500 MB limit, you can host the file through an external source such as YouTube and embed it using the Rich Content Editor. To learn more about available options for using media files in Canvas, view the Canvas Media Comparison PDF.

Canvas files have quota limits set for each user area: user (personal) files, course files, and group files. Files uploaded directly to your user files or group files count against each specific quota, except for uploading a profile picture. All files uploaded into a course count against the course quota. For students, any attachments added as part of a graded assignment submission are uploaded into user files but are not counted against the user quota.

When you upload a file, Canvas will convert the file into a format supported by your browser. Media playback is determined according to browser, so if you cannot view the file, you may need to try to view the file in another browser. You may also need to enable or update the Adobe Flash plugin.

Note: If you upload a file that is not supported by the Canvas media player, you can have users download the file to view outside of Canvas.

You can view personal files that you've added to your account on the Canvas app.

The images in this lesson are shown for a phone display, but unless otherwise noted, tablet displays mirror the same steps.

Learn how to manage your personal files.

You can add media to your assignment, either as part of a text entry, or as your entire submission.

Any attachments added as part of a graded assignment submission are also copied to your user files but are not counted against your user quota. However, once the file has been uploaded as a submission, you cannot delete the file. Files are stored in the Submissions folder.

To learn more about available options for using media files in Canvas, view the Canvas Media Comparison PDF.

Notes:

• Canvas will not accept media uploads larger than 500 MB.
• Your instructor will decide what type of submissions are allowed. One or both of these options may not be available.