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University of Iowa

University Libraries

ICON links to library resources: Home

Page to describe how to link to electronic library materials, including the off-campus access

How do I link to an external URL in Canvas?

Follow these instructions to place an URL to electronic library resources in Canvas. 

1. Open Modules 

2. In Course Navigation, click the Modules link

3. Click the Add Item button

4. Click the Add [Item Type] To: drop-down menu and select the External URL option

                                     

Type or paste the URL in the URL field [1]. Give your External URL a Page Name [2]. To have the URL open in a new browser tab, click the Load in a new tab checkbox [3]. Choose whether or not to indent the item in the module drop-down menu [4]. To add the item to the module, click the Add Item button [5].

View the link in the module. A hyperlink icon indicates the item is an external URL link. To publish an external URL, click the unpublished icon. The hover text will confirm you want to publish the external URL.

                                     

Note: When adding an External URL to a module, the dialog box includes an option to load the URL in a new browser tab. When this option is selected, Canvas will display the page to students outside of Canvas. If the External URL is part of a module requirement, Canvas will also register the progression so that the module footer will appear and allow the student to advance to the next module item. When this option is not selected, the content is embedded in an iFrame for easy viewing. However, some sites have disabled embedding and require users to open the content in a new window. Users can open the link in a new window by right-clicking the link and selecting the option to view in a new window or tab.

For additional information please visit the Canvas Instructor Guide