Canvas File Quotas
This document includes comprehensive information about default quotas, instructor quotas, and student quotas.
Canvas file quotas dictate the available storage space for a Canvas course, group, or user. Some individual quota defaults can be modified by an account admin.
Note: Files imported into a course count toward the course storage quota. However, when courses or course items are copied into a course, the original course storage quota is inherited and the copy does not count against the new course storage quota.
Default Quotas
|
Canvas Storage Quotas |
|||
|
Course Quota |
User Quota |
Group Quota |
|
|
Default storage |
500 MB |
50 MB* |
50 MB* |
|
Quota can be changed individually |
Yes |
No |
Yes |
*Free-For-Teacher accounts have user and group quotas of 100 MB.
|
Canvas File Upload Limits |
|
|
Canvas Files |
5 GB max file size* |
|
Bulk File Uploads |
50 files at one time |
|
Media (Audio/Video) Files |
500 MB |
|
Course Import/Export |
Smaller than course quota |
*File size upload limit for file uploads in Canvas cannot be modified.
Instructor Quotas
|
Counts against quota |
Course |
User |
Group |
|
Discussion attachment (not graded) |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Profile picture |
No |
Yes |
No |
|
Course import |
Yes |
No |
No |
|
User files |
No |
Yes |
No |
|
Group files |
No |
No |
Yes |
|
Course files |
Yes |
No |
No |
*Files do not count against user quotas but still display in User files.
Course Quotas
Bulk upload files: A user with 50 or more files to upload should first zip the files and then upload the zipped file to Canvas.
Course import: Course export package file size must be smaller than the course quota as shown in course statistics. If there is not enough storage space in a course to import the export package, contact a Canvas administrator.
Discussions: Attachments added to discussions count against course quotas. Attachments added to discussion replies do not count against course quotas.
Media Files: Canvas converts video and audio files up to 500 MB through the Media tool. If a file exceeds the 500 MB limit, it can be hosted through an external source such as YouTube and embedded using the Rich Content Editor.
Rich Content Editor: Newly recorded or uploaded media via the Upload/Record Media link does not affect Canvas file quotas. However, media files uploaded via any other method (such as the Upload Files link) count toward the course quota. Images and other files uploaded to the Rich Content Editor count toward course quotas.
User Quotas
Discussions: Attachments added to graded discussion replies do not count against user quotas. However, attachments added to discussion replies in ungraded discussions count against user quotas. Attachments added to graded discussion replies are copied to a user’s user files but do not count against quotas.
Profile Picture: Profile pictures count against an instructor’s files quota. If instructors do not have enough storage space in their personal files, they will not be able to upload a profile picture.
Rich Content Editor: Newly recorded or uploaded media via the Upload/Record Media link does not affect Canvas file quotas. However, media files uploaded via any other method (such as the Upload Files link) count toward the user quota. Images and other files uploaded to the Rich Content Editor count toward user quotas.
Submission Comments: Attachments added as part of a submission comment do not count against a user’s files quota.
Student Quotas
|
Counts against quota |
User |
Group |
|
Assignment submission |
No* |
No* |
|
Discussion attachment (graded) |
No* |
No* |
|
Discussion attachment (not graded) |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Profile picture |
Yes |
No |
|
User files |
Yes |
No |
|
Group files |
No |
No |
*Files do not count against user quotas but still display in User files.
User Quotas
Discussions: Attachments for discussion replies are not counted against a student’s user quota but are copied to their user files. Attachments added as part of graded discussion replies cannot be deleted. Any attachments added as part of discussion replies are copied to a student’s user files. If students are allowed to create discussions, any files attached to student-created discussions count against course quotas.
Profile Picture: Profile pictures count against a student’s files quota. If students do not have enough storage space in their personal files, they will not be able to upload a profile picture.
Quizzes: Images and other files uploaded to the Rich Content Editor count toward user quotas. Newly recorded or uploaded media via the Upload/Record Media link does not affect Canvas file quotas.
File upload question attachments do not count toward user quotas.
Rich Content Editor: Newly recorded or uploaded media via the Upload/Record Media link does not affect Canvas file quotas. However, media files uploaded via any other method (such as the Upload Files link) count toward the user quota. Images and other files uploaded to the Rich Content Editor count toward user quotas.
Student Submissions: Any attachments added as part of a graded assignment submission are also copied to a student’s user files but are not counted against their user quota.
Group Quotas
Rich Content Editor: Newly recorded or uploaded media via the Upload/Record Media link does not affect Canvas file quotas. However, media files uploaded via any other method (such as the Upload Files link) count toward the group quota. Images and other files uploaded to the Rich Content Editor count toward group quotas.
Submission Attachments: Attachments added as part of graded group assignment submissions and group discussions are also copied to group files but are not counted against the student’s user quota. All published group files can be viewed by all group members.
Last update: 2022-05-21
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