How do I "unlock" a file?

[emily_mitchell1]

I have loaded instructional videos onto Canvas and they are published.  (Green circle with the check and everything)  When my students try to watch the videos, they get a message that the file "video" is locked.  What can I do?

[Robbie_Grant]

 @emily_mitchell1 ,

Welcome to the Canvas Community!!!!

Did you happen to add those videos to a Module or Page that is not published or locked with a date?

Robbie 

[emily_mitchell1]

I added the files then attached them to a module.  The files, modules, and assignment are published.  

[scottdennis · Accepted solution]

Hi Emily and welcome to the Community!

I believe that the reason your students see the videos as locked has to do with the visibility setting on your course Files which is currently set to not allow students to see.  When I go into student preview in your course and for instance try to look at the videos linked in the 9.2.1 lesson, I get the same message.  However, in my own course I did the following 1. uploaded 9.2.1 Part One to my course files 2. Edited a page in the course and added the 9.2.1 video from the content picker pane on the right side of my screen, 3. Chose to upload 9.2.1 Part Four to the course files right there in the content picker and which also added it to the page I was editing.   In my own course, when in student preview I can see both files.  Part One plays embedded in the page and Part Four downloads and then opens in Quicktime Player.   What steps are you taking to add your videos to the page in your module?

[emily_mitchell1]

I enabled files, and it still shows them as locked.  I did the exact same thing in this course as I did in my other course.  The other course, I have no problems with.  This is the only one that is an issue.

[scottdennis]

Hi Emily,

I just realized that in testing in my own course I tried adding the videos to the body of a page instead of to the directions of zero point no submission assignment like you have in your course.  Do you mind if I try creating a page in your course to see if it behaves any differently from the assignments?

[emily_mitchell1]

I think a colleague and I finally figured it out.

[scottdennis]

Good deal!  May I ask what your outcome was?

[emily_mitchell1]

Something, somewhere, wasn't published.  I don't have very good internet service at home so that may be part of it.  I don't honestly know. I threw my hands up and asked her to intervene.

[ldavis10]

This is a buggy aspect of Canvas! Locking and unlocking files is mysterious, and the interface or lack thereof for doing that is not user friendly, not intuitive, as we expect Canvas to be. Students find some files locked, and not others. There is no clear reason or explanation or reasonably simple workaround for that.

[ldavis10]

Why does this question say "assumed answered" and "no one else has this question"? How do I affirm that I, too, have this same question, and that it does not appear to be answered satisfactorily here...?

[scottdennis]

Hi Lincoln,

This question is marked assumed answered because Emily no longer is actively pursuing it.  You could start a new question or if you have a specific question that is related you could ask it here

[Stef_retired]

 @ldavis10 ‌, in addition to Scott's helpful advice, we have a resource that explains how our teams facilitate Q&A: How we keep your questions flowing!