How to use Media Library in Canvas

The Media Library or “Panopto” tool enables instructors to upload audio and video files to their Canvas course sites for sharing with enrolled students. With Media Library, instructors can create video/audio lectures from their own computer, as an alternative to live, virtual classrooms via Zoom.

Where to find and download Panopto

What features exist in Panopto

How to record a video or screen capture using Media Library (Panopto) on Canvas

Yale has integrated Media Library, also known as Panopto, within each Canvas course. This tool allows faculty, teaching fellows, and students to record and upload content to folders in Canvas. Faculty may decide that they prefer to record and upload lectures to their courses to ensure students in different time zones or with varied technologies can watch lectures at home. The Poorvu Center offers the following tutorials on how to record a new session using Panopto. One version explains the process for MAC computer users. The other video explains the process for Windows computer users. The Panopto support website offers a step-by-step guide to accompany these videos: Windows guide for Panopto recording and MAC guide for Panopto recording.

Recording with a Windows computer

Recording with a MAC computer

How to create an assignment folder within Media Library on Canvas

An assignments folder allows students enrolled in a Canvas course to upload video and audio content to the course. As you think about assessments and course work, you can consider how students might leverage their phones or laptops to record assignments or portions of assessments (e.g. a foreign language presentation or a studio critique). Video below.

Create one assignment folder in Media Library

  1. Navigate to the Media Library section in the Canvas course navigation bar
  2. Click the gear or settings icon to go to the folder settings (note: not the “Create” button)
  3. In the overview tab, select the option to “Create an Assignment Folder”
  4. A folder with the course name will appear in the overview window
  5. After closing the overview window, the new assignment folder will appear in Media Library.

Note: Instructors can create only one assignment folder when following this process. If an instructor needs multiple assignment folders, please review the next set of steps to create multiple folders in Media Library. Multiple folders are useful when an instructor wants students to categorize their work by weeks in the semester, units of the course, or sections.

Additional instructions can be found our Creating a Video Assignment support article.

Create multiple assignment folders in Media Library

  1. Navigate to the Media Library section in the Canvas course navigation bar
  2. Below the “Sort by” text, you will see a button for “Add Folder”
  3. Click the “Add Folder” button, title the folder, and hit enter on your keyboard
  4. The title and folder will appear to students
  5. After adding multiple folders, click each folder one-by-one and complete the following steps
    • Click the gear or settings icon to go to the folder settings (Note: not the “Create” button)
    • In the overview tab, select the option to “Create an Assignment Folder”
    • A sub-folder will appear in the overview window
    • After closing the overview window, the new assignment sub-folder will appear in Media Library.

Students have the ability to see any published assignment folders and to upload content using the “Create” button for those folders. Instructors can control the settings within each assignment folder, including allowing students to see other submissions from their peers.

Change assignment folder settings

  1. Click the gear or settings icon to go to the folder settings
  2. From the overview window, click “settings” in the left-hand list of tabs
  3. Instructors can change viewing permissions in this window
  4. Click the boxes to change who can view content in the folders.

By default, only an instructor has access to all content in the folder and a student has access to only their own uploaded content. If you change the settings, you can allow students to see uploaded peer content.

How to upload videos to the Media Library in Canvas: 

  1. By default, all Canvas courses have Media Library enabled. It appears in the left-hand navigation bar
  2. After clicking “Media Library” in the navigation bar, you can click the blue “Create” button and select “Upload Media”
  3. To upload a file, click the window that appears or drag-and-drop a file into the window. Please note that you can upload up to 100 files at once. By default, the file name will appear as the title of the video
  4. The length of a video or the file size will determine how long it takes for your video to upload
  5. After the video uploads, Media Library will display a note with a green check mark to indicate you can close the upload window
  6. The videos will begin to process in Media Library. After they complete the processing sequence, students will have access to the videos
  7. You can change the title of each video by clicking “Settings” next to the video thumbnail. Click “Edit” next to the title. Then save your changes
  8. Students will have only viewing permissions for uploaded media.

Additional instructions can be found at our Uploading Media Files to the Media Library support article.

How to edit a video using Panopto

After recording a video, you might want to edit certain aspects of the video. Panopto has a robust editing suite. You trim parts of your video to remove long pauses or other disruptions. You can also add a quiz to your video, import a YouTube video clip, or add a PDF. Panopto offers a getting start guide and a video tutorial to help you learn more.