How much user storage do I have and what counts against the quota?
Students have a storage space of 60MB in canvas. Files that count against the course storage quota include:
- profile pictures
- files attached to discussion boards*
- Files uploaded directly into user files
Any file that is uploaded as part of an Assignment submission does *not* count against a student's user quota (although the files will appear in the student's user files)
*Please note that this only includes files attached to discussion posts (#2 in image below), not files uploaded through other means. When posting to a discussion board (or any Canvas feature that includes the Rich Content Editor), students should instead choose to upload files by clicking on the "upload document" button (#1 in image below) or from the menu options, select Insert>document.
How do I avoid using up user storage?
The primary reason students use up user storage is by attaching files to discussion board posts. Attaching a single video file or large Powerpoint will likely use up all storage instantly. Please consider the following alternative options:
1. Use the "Upload Document" button (or select Insert>Document from the menu options in the Rich Content Editor), as shown in the image above. Many different types of files (not just written documents) can be uploaded this way, and they will not count against your user storage, even though they will appear in your user files.
2. Store your file on Microsoft Onedrive and share a link to the file in your post. All FSU students, faculty and staff have access to several gigabytes of cloud storage on MS Onedrive. This demonstrates the process of accessing OneDrive, uploading or creating files, and then sharing them: https://framingham.hosted.panopto.com/Panopto/Pages/Viewer.aspx?id=9d700e25-9f0e-493e-85fb-ae8900e8210b. Note: Google Drive or other cloud storage solutions could also be used similarly.
3. For audio or video files, consider recording, storing and sharing your file through our comprehensive video management solution Panopto. This is the most appropriate solution for large video files. If your instructor has requested large video files from students, please encourage them to explore this option. It requires some setup on the instructor's end, so they may need to reach out to ETO for assistance.
If I have already exceeded my user file quota, how do I delete files to regain space?
NOTE: If one's quota is exceeded by uploading files directly, deleting the files from the canvas files section will cause the attached files to the assignment to be inaccessible. With a professor's permission a student can delete these files if the assignments have already been graded. Alternatively, a student can edit their discussion boards by deleting the attached document and reattaching them through one drive if the discussion assignment is still open.
To delete or view a user file in canvas click on the link below:
https://community.canvaslms.com/t5/Student-Guide/How-do-I-view-my-user-files-as-a-student/ta-p/483
Additional Resources
Canvas Resource Document: Canvas File Quotas (Student)
Canvas Resource Document: Canvas Media Comparison