Hi Catherine, you can change your course navigation menu in your course settings. Regarding files though, our institution discourages the enabling of files, as it just opens a directory with no instructional context. We encourage staff to include file links within a Canvas page, as part of assignment instructions, or as an item within a module. Doing so gives context to the item and makes it easier for students to locate the intended document. When you use links, it's not necessary to enable Files in the course navigation menu, but you do need to make sure that files are published (they're published by default when you upload). Below are some guides to help with all that:
How do I manage Course Navigation links?
How do I create a file link in a page in a course?
How do I add assignment types, pages, and files as module items?
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