Quick Links: | Prerequisites | Instructions | Troubleshooting |
TidyUP helps instructors quickly clean up their Canvas course by identifying and removing unused files, duplicate files, empty folders, and outdated course content. Cleaning up your course can improve performance, reduce storage usage, and ensure that your course is well-organized for students.
This guide will walk you through how to run a course scan using TidyUP and how to utilize the scan report to effectively manage your course content.
Prerequisites
Before you begin, ensure you meet the following requirements:
- Access to a Canvas course with editing permissions
Step-by-Step Instructions
To clean up your Canvas course using TidyUP, follow these steps:
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From your Canvas course, select TidyUP from the course navigation menu.
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On the TidyUP Welcome page, select the Scan Course button to start the process.
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When prompted, choose whether to scan All File Types or use the Custom option to limit the scan to specific file types.
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Click Start Scan to begin scanning your course.
Note: Depending on the amount of content in your course, the scan may take a few seconds to several minutes.
- Once the scan is complete, you will be presented with a report organized into three tabs: Files, Folders, and Canvas Content.
Reviewing the Files Tab
In your TidyUP report, the Files tab displays a list of unused files in your course. These are files that are stored in the course but are not linked to any course content.
To clean up unused files:
- Use the headings at the top of the table to filter files alphabetically, by last update, or by file size.
- Use the Search bar to quickly locate specific files, such as duplicates.
- Apply filters on the right-hand side to view specific file types or show files currently in use.
To delete files:
- Delete an individual file by selecting the red garbage can icon to the right of the file name.
- Delete multiple files by selecting the checkboxes next to the files, then click Download Selected to save them as a ZIP file before selecting Delete Selected to remove the files from the course.
- Delete all unused files by selecting the checkbox next to File Name in the table header, then click Download Selected to save all files as a ZIP file before selecting Delete Selected to remove them.
Reviewing the Folders Tab
As you delete unused files, you may be left with empty folders in your course. In your TidyUP report, the Folders tab helps you identify and remove these empty folders.
To delete empty folders:
- Navigate to the Folders tab.
- Review the list of empty folders.
- Select the checkboxes next to the folders you want to delete, then click Delete Selected.
Reviewing the Canvas Content Tab
In your TidyUP report, the Canvas Content tab lists all pages, assignments, quizzes, and discussions in your course. This tab can help you identify outdated or unused course content.
To review course content:
- Navigate to the Canvas Content tab.
- Review the list of items.
- Use the Search bar or filters to locate specific content.
You can choose to keep, update, or delete outdated content based on your course organization needs.
Finalizing Your Cleanup
After you have reviewed and deleted files, folders, and course content in your TidyUP report,
- Double-check your course for any remaining outdated content that may not have been caught by TidyUP.
- Publish your course to make sure students have access to the updated materials.
Troubleshooting
If you encounter any issues while using TidyUP, consider the following tips:
- TidyUP not appearing in your course navigation: Go to Settings > Navigation and enable TidyUP.
- Scan taking too long: Larger courses may take more time to scan. If a course takes more than an hour to scan, reach out to the Technology & Learning program.
- Accidentally deleted important files: Use Canvas's undelete tool to restore the content.
For more detailed troubleshooting, refer to the TidyUP User Guide.
Still need help? Reach out to Canvas support or the Technology & Learning Program for further assistance.