Lock files or folders

If you have content that you want to hide from students, you can store that content in files or folders and then lock those files or folders.

Caution: We recommend using the "Lock until I manually unlock it" setting on files or folders that you want to protect. In some cases, instructors who have chosen the setting that allows students to download or view the file/folder (but not show in student's file listings) discovered that students received direct links to files with those settings. In addition, when instructors upload files to the main directory, other files/folders became available. As of 10/23/2012, this is a known issue that Instructure is working to fix.

Follow these steps to lock a file or folder:

1. From within your Canvas course, in the course navigation, click Files.
   
2. Navigate to the files (or folder) you want to limit access to.
3. Hover over the file or folder you want to lock. On the right side of the pane, three icons appear, the first of which is a tiny lock.
   
   
4. Click the lock. This brings up the Lock File (or Lock Folder) dialog box. Until you lock the file (or folder), teachers and TAs can access the file. If you want to allow students to access the file from another location within the course, check the check box. If you want to set dates for locking/unlocking the file, remove the check from "Lock until I manually unlock it."
   
5. Click Lock this File. Note that a locked padlock icon appears on top of the file icon. When you unlock the file, the padlock icon disappears.
   
   
   Note that when you've locked file, the padlock icon to the right appears unlocked.
   
   
   If you unlock the file again, the padlock icon to the right appears locked.