How do I add and modify text in the Rich Content Editor as an instructor?

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Several features in Canvas support the Rich Content Editor, including Announcements, Assignments, Discussions, Pages, Quizzes, and Syllabus. Learn about accessing the Rich Content Editor in your course.

You can type text and you can copy and paste text from other sources into the Rich Content Editor. The Rich Content Editor also includes several formatting tools that allow you to modify your text.

The Rich Content Editor supports keyboard shortcuts for copying and pasting text.

Copy and Paste Using a PC

• Copy (Ctrl+C) and Paste (Ctrl+V)
• Copy (Ctrl+C) and Paste-without-formatting (Ctrl+Shift+V)

Copy and Paste Using a Mac

• Copy (Command+C) and Paste (Command+V)
• Copy (Command+C) and Paste-without-formatting (Command+Option+Shift+V)

Note: If you have enabled the Canvas Elementary Theme in your course, the Rich Content Editor will display a different font.

View Rich Content Editor

When creating or editing an announcement, assignment, discussion, page, quiz, or syllabus, the Rich Content Editor opens by default.

You can add and format content using the menubar [1] or toolbar [2].

Open Keyboard Shortcuts

The Rich Content Editor supports keyboard shortcuts. To view a window with a list of keyboard navigation shortcuts, click the Keyboard icon or press Alt+F8 (on a PC keyboard) or Option+Fn+F8 (on a Mac keyboard) simultaneously on your keyboard.

Resize Editor Window

You can also resize the editor window or open the editor in fullscreen view.

Enter Text

Type or paste copied text into the Rich Content Editor.

Remove Text Formatting

To remove text formatting, select the text [1], then click the Clear Formatting icon [2].

Note: To view the Clear Formatting icon, you may have to click the Options icon [3].

Change Font Size

Select the text you wish to modify [1]. Then click the Font Sizes drop-down menu [2], and select the font size you want to use [3]. You can choose from 8, 10, 12, 14, 18, 24, or 36pt sized fonts.

Change Text Style

Select the text you wish to modify [1]. Then click the Paragraph drop-down menu [2], and select the text style you want to use [3]. Choose from Heading 2, Heading 3, Heading 4, Preformatted, and Paragraph styles.

Note: By default, the primary heading for the announcement, assignment, discussion, page, quiz, or syllabus is the same as the title or name you enter when creating the course item.

Single Space Text

To create single spacing in the Rich Content Editor, press Shift+Enter (on a PC keyboard) or Shift+Return (on a Mac keyboard). This creates a line break instead of a paragraph break.

Format Text Emphasis

Select the text you wish to format [1].

To bold the selected text, click the Bold icon [2], or press Cmd+B (Mac keyboard) or Ctrl+B (PC keyboard).

To italicize the selected text, click the Italic icon [3], or press Cmd+I (Mac keyboard) or Ctrl+I (PC keyboard).

To underline the selected text, click the Underline icon [4], or press Cmd+U (Mac keyboard) or Ctrl+U (PC keyboard).

When selected text is formatted, an arrow displays above the selected option [5].

Color and Highlight Text

Select the text you wish to color [1].

To change the color of the text, click the Text Color icon [2].

To highlight the text, click the Background Color icon [3]

Select a color from the color drop-down menu [4]. You can view the color name by hovering your mouse over the color tile [5].

To remove color formatting, click the Remove Color icon [6].

To select a custom color for the text, click the Custom Color icon [7].

Select Custom Color

Use the color picker palette to select a color tone [1] and hue [2]. You can also enter RGB color codes [3] or enter a HEX color code [4]. View your custom color in the color display window [5].

To apply the color to your text, click the Save button [6].

Superscript and Subscript Text

You can format your text to appear as superscript or subscript. Select the text you wish to modify [1].

To format your text as superscript, click the Superscript icon [2].

To format your text as subscript, click the Script Arrow icon [3] and select the Subscript option [4].

Align Text

To align text, place the cursor in front of the text you wish to align [1], then click the Alignment icon [2]. From the drop-down menu you can select to align the text to the Left [3], Center [4], and Right [5].

Note: To view the Alignment icon, you may have to click the Options icon [6].  

Indent and Outdent Text

To indent text, click the Indent icon [1].

If your text is indented, you can outdent your text. To outdent your text, click the Indent Arrow icon [2] and click the Outdent option [3].

You can click the Indent and Outdent options multiple times to increase or decrease the text indentation.

Note: To view the Indent icon, you may have to click the Options icon [4].  

Align Directional Text

To align the direction of your text, click the Format link in the menubar [1], then select the Directionality option [2]. You can align your text from Left to Right [3] and from Right to Left [4].

Create Bulleted or Numbered List

Select the text you wish to include in your list [1], then click the List icon [2]. You can select a bulleted list style [3], or a numeric or alphabetic list style [4].

Note: To view the List icon, you may have to click the Options icon [5].

View Bulleted List

View the bulleted list.

View Numbered List

View the numbered list.

View Auto-Saved Content

If you reload or navigate away from a page while editing content in the Rich Content Editor, Canvas automatically saves your content in the browser cache for up to one day. When you reload the page or navigate back to the page you were editing, Canvas displays a message indicating that auto-saved content exists. You can preview the content, discard the content, or load the content into the Rich Content Editor.

Notes:

• Auto-saved content is not a guaranteed feature and may not save content in certain situations.
• The amount of local storage available may vary depending on which browser you use.
• Auto-saved content is only available on pages that only include one Rich Content Editor window.
• Auto-saved content is only available in the same browser and computer you were using when you created the original content.

Preview Auto-Saved Content

To preview content auto-saved by Canvas, click the Preview button.

Load Auto-Saved Content

To load the auto-saved content into the Rich Content Editor, click the Yes button [1]. To discard the auto-saved changes, click the No button [2].

Save Changes

Click the Save button.

Note: When using the Rich Content Editor in Discussions, the Save button may appear as the Post Reply button.

View Content

View the content created in the Rich Content Editor.