Only available to students with link

[WilliamStevenso]

Canvas has an option to make a file "only available to students with link" but does not explain how to provide a link to a student.

Does anyone know how to provide a student with a link to a restricted file in the Files section on Canvas?

[Chris_Hofer · Accepted solution]

@WilliamStevenso ...

Once you set the file to be only viewable with a link, you can go to any page in your course (or even create a new page).  Then, you can select some text to highlight that you want to make as a link.  You would select one of the options to link to an image, media, or a document, and then students would be able to open up the document from you content page.

How do I link to a document from Canvas in the Ric... - Instructure Community - 675 (canvaslms.com)

Hope this helps a bit!

[WilliamStevenso]

Still confused how creating a link on a separate page keeps the content out of the hands of all students.

I just want 1 student to be able to view the content.

Doesn't this system have a way to do that?

[Chris_Hofer]

@WilliamStevenso ...

A couple things here:

• Do you hide your "Files" course navigation menu from your students so that they cannot see your course files?  Many people do this because they link to files within their course content (including files) via their "Modules" page.
• If you create a new page in your course, as you are editing the page, there is a link while editing called "Manage Due Dates and Assign To".  When you click on this link, you can assign the page to a specific student instead of "Everyone".  Then, you can make a link to the file within the body of that page.
  • ***Just be aware that the direction for "Manage Due Dates and Assign To" will revert back to a previous interface on Wednesday, August 28, 2024.  So, depending on when you read this response, my directions may/may not be accurate.***  See Canvas Deploy Notes (2024-08-28) - Instructure Community - 612024 (canvaslms.com) for more information on this.

Do you think this will work for your needs?

[WilliamStevenso]

My files section is full of things for my students and cannot be hidden.

My class includes a case study and all of the material is in the Files section on Canvas.  I also post lectures and other tools for the students.

So, from what I am gathering here unless I hide the Files section the "only available to students with a link" is useless.  Wow.

[Chris_Hofer]

Hi @WilliamStevenso ...

So yeah...according to this Guide, How do I restrict files and folders to students in Canvas?, it states the following:

The default restriction option is to make the file only available to students with the link. The Only available with link radio button [1] makes the file available to students who are given a link to the file. The file will be hidden from students in Course Files.

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You can just create a new page and then assign it to that one student.  Then, in the body of the page, place a link to the file for that student.  Your student will be able to view/download the file, and none of your other students would be able to access it because of the permission setup you used.

I do understand why you'd want to keep your "Files" page visible to your students...because some instructors like to have folders organized there that mirror modules/chapters/weeks in a course.  (You may be doing something similar.)  But other instructors also hide "Files" from their courses and then link to those files from within other content pages in their course.

Hope this helps a bit.  Keep us posted if you have additional questions.