This article is for instructors who need to add videos to a Canvas course. It explains how to add videos to Canvas using Panopto. Panopto provides better playback on mobile devices and improved streaming for students with weaker internet connections. It also makes captioning, editing, and video player controls easier to manage.
Note: Course videos should be added through Panopto. Do not upload course videos to the Canvas Files area or add them with the Canvas Document tool.
Uploading a Video to Panopto
The simplest way to upload a video to Panopto from Canvas is to use the Panopto tool in the Rich Content Editor (RCE). The process will be the same in most areas of the course that use the content editor, such as Pages, Announcements, and Discussions.
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From the Canvas content editor, select the Panopto Video icon.
If the icon does not appear, it may be hidden due to page scaling. Select the More icon, shown as three vertical dots, to expand the menu.
- If the Panopto Video icon is not in the menu bar, select the Apps icon, and then select Panopto Video from the list.
- The Panopto media interface will open within the page. It may take a moment to load.
- To add a new video from your computer, select Upload.
- Drag and drop a video file into the upload window, or select the upload window to choose a file from your computer. The video will begin processing automatically.
- Select Video Embed Options if you need to adjust the display settings.
- When the upload is complete, select Insert. The page will refresh, and the video will appear in the Canvas content editor.
- Add any other content to the RCE as needed, and then select Save & Publish to make the page available to students.
Embedding a Video from Panopto
Use these steps to embed an existing Panopto video in Canvas. This includes videos that were previously uploaded to Panopto or copied to Panopto from a Zoom cloud recording.
- From the Panopto media interface, select Choose.
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Locate the video you want to embed. If you do not see the video, you may need to open the folder where the video is stored. Select the folder field above Choose, Upload, and Record. Then navigate through the folder structure or begin typing the folder name. When the correct folder appears, select it from the list.
Note: You will only see Panopto folders and videos that you have permission to access. If you cannot find a video, check that you are looking in the correct course folder or contact CMTS for help.
- Select the video you want to embed.
- Select Insert. The page will refresh, and the video will appear in the Canvas content editor.
- Add any other content to the RCE as needed, and then select Save & Publish to make the page available to students.
Resources
For more information about using Panopto with Canvas, review the following Panopto support guides:
How to Embed Panopto Videos in a Canvas Course
How to Upload Video Files
Learn About the Video Embed Options in an LMS