Canvas - Using the Redirect Tool and External URL Modules
If you use an external website for your Canvas course, Canvas provides easy options to help your students navigate to that website. You can add the website to your Canvas course sidebar using the Redirect Tool, or to a Module using the External URL option. This document will show you how to use both.
Add a Website to your Canvas Sidebar Using the Redirect Tool
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Log into Canvas, and select Settings at the bottom of your Canvas course sidebar.
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Select the Apps tab from the top of the Settings page.
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Search Redirect Tool, and select the arrow tile that appears.
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On the next page select the +Add App button.
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Fill out the fields that appear next:
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Name: Enter the title of the webpage, how you would like to appear on the Navbar.
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URL Redirect: Paste the URL of the external website.
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Show in Course Navigation: Check this so that the page will appear on your navigation bar.
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Select Add App to finish installation.
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Refresh the page, and check your sidebar to confirm that the changes have been applied.
*Note: If you uncheck Force open in new tab, certain websites may not open in Canvas.
Remove or Move Redirect Link
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Navigate to Settings at the bottom of your course sidebar.
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Select the Navigation tab on your Settings page.
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Find the link you have added, and select the three, stacked dots next to it.
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From the dropdown menu that appears:
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Select Move if you would like to move this link up or down your course navigation sidebar.
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Select Disable if you would like to remove this link from your sidebar.
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Select Save at the bottom of the page to save these changes.
View a Webpage Within Canvas Using an External URL Module
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On your course navigation sidebar, navigate to Modules.
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If you want to create a new Module, select +Add Module. Skip this step if the module already exists.
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Select the + button next to the module where you want to add the URL.
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On the next page, open the drop-down menu next to Add and select External URL.
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Enter the URL of the site into the URL field, and the title of the page in the Page Name field. Select Add Item when you are done.
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From the Modules page, select the link you have just added to your module.
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The page will now load within a window on your Canvas course.