How do auto-open a preview of a linked file on a Canvas text box?

In a Canvas text box, any link to a file located in the site's Files tool can be automatically opened and displayed to users. This is frequently done in the Syllabus and Assignment tools, but will work in any tool that contains a Canvas text box (Syllabus, Announcements, Assignments, Discussions, Quizzes, Pages)

Below are directions on how to auto-open a link in a Canvas text box.

Click on the tool that contains the Canvas text box you want to link the file (Syllabus, Announcements, Assignments, Discussions, Quizzes, Pages)

Click Edit

This displays the rich text editing box.

 

Click on the "More" icon (vertical dots) and select the Documents icon then select "Course Documents"

This displays an "Add" panel on the right displaying all of the Files uploaded to the course site Files tool

Select the file you want to link from the list

Demo Institutional Access - American Art

This automatically creates a link in the text box to the file in the Files tool

Example:

Demo Institutional Access - American Art

This displays the Link Options panel on the right

Select "Preview inline," check the box for "Expand preview by Default," and click Done

Demo Institutional Access - American Art

Depending which tool you are using, click "Update Syllabus" or "Save" or "Save/Publish" or "Post"

Demo Institutional Access - American Art

This will automatically display an inline preview of the document in the tool.

Example:

Syllabus for Demo Institutional Access - American Art