Canvas Invalid Submission File Type
Why Canvas rejects your file, and how to get it submitted.
The Short Answer
Canvas shows Invalid submission file type in two situations:
- Your teacher limited the assignment to certain file types, and your file isn't one of them.
- You submitted from the Google Drive or OneDrive tab, and the assignment has file type limits. This is a known Canvas bug, and it happens even when your file is the right type.
The fix for both: get the file onto your device in the accepted format, then submit it with the File Upload tab.
Find your fix ↓Step 1: Check Which Types the Assignment Accepts
Open the assignment in Canvas. The details just under the title say how it's submitted and, if your teacher set any, which file types it accepts, for example pdf, docx. If no types are listed, any file type is allowed, and the problem is the Google Drive or OneDrive bug, or something else (see the end of this page).
Step 2: Find Your Situation
| You're trying to submit | Do this |
|---|---|
| A Google Doc, from the Google Drive tab | In Google Docs: File → Download → PDF or Microsoft Word. Submit the download with File Upload. |
| A Word file, from the OneDrive or Office 365 tab | In Word or OneDrive, download a copy (or download as PDF). Submit it with File Upload. |
| An iPhone photo (.heic) | Convert it with HEIC to JPG, or put it in a PDF (below). |
| Photos of handwritten work, when a PDF is required | Combine them with Images to PDF, in page order. |
| A Pages file | Export it as Word or PDF (see below). |
| A PNG, when only JPG is accepted | Convert it with PNG to JPG. |
| Several PDFs, when one file is expected | Combine them with Merge PDF. |
The image and PDF tools linked here run in your browser, on a laptop, Chromebook or phone. Your homework isn't uploaded anywhere except to Canvas.
The Google Drive and OneDrive Bug
Canvas lets you submit straight from Google Drive or OneDrive, but those tabs don't work when an assignment limits the file types. University help desks, including Michigan's, list it as a known issue: the cloud tabs fail even if your file has the right extension.
You can't fix that from your side, but you can get around it: download the file to your device in the accepted format and use the File Upload tab. Your teacher can also remove the limit by unticking "Restrict Upload File Types" in the assignment settings.
Pages Files
Most assignments don't accept Apple Pages files. Export a copy first:
- Mac: open the document in Pages, then File → Export To → Word or PDF.
- iPhone or iPad: open it in Pages, tap the More button, then Export and choose Word or PDF.
- Windows or Chromebook: sign in at iCloud.com, open the document in Pages, and download a copy as Word or PDF.
Don't Just Rename the File
Canvas checks the end of the file name. Renaming essay.pages to essay.pdf or photo.heic to photo.jpg gets past that check, but the file inside doesn't change. Your teacher then gets a file that won't open, which can look like you didn't submit anything. Convert the file properly instead.
Still Not Working?
- Try a browser. If you're using the Canvas app, try the assignment in Chrome, Safari or Edge, or the other way round.
- Check the file opens. Open it on your device first. A file that didn't finish downloading or saving can be rejected.
- Ask your teacher. If your file type should be accepted, they can add it to the assignment or remove the limit. Send them a screenshot of the error, and email the file if the deadline is close.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does Canvas say invalid submission file type?
Your teacher limited the assignment to certain file types, such as PDF or DOCX, and the file you chose isn't one of them. It also happens when you submit from the Google Drive or OneDrive tab of an assignment with limited file types, even if the file itself is the right type. That second case is a known Canvas bug.
How do I see which file types an assignment accepts?
Open the assignment. The details just below the title show how to submit it and, if your teacher set any, the file types it accepts, for example pdf or docx.
My file is a PDF and Canvas still says invalid file type. Why?
If you used the Google Drive or OneDrive tab, that's the known bug: those tabs fail whenever the assignment has file type limits. Download the file to your device as a PDF, then submit it with the File Upload tab instead.
How do I submit a Google Doc when Canvas says invalid file type?
In Google Docs, go to File, Download, and choose PDF Document or Microsoft Word, whichever the assignment accepts. Then go back to the assignment in Canvas, choose File Upload, and select the downloaded file.
Can I just rename the file extension?
No. Canvas checks the name, so renaming photo.heic to photo.jpg gets past the check, but the file inside is unchanged. Your teacher may not be able to open it. Convert the file instead.
How do I submit a Pages file to Canvas?
Export it first. On a Mac, open it in Pages and choose File, Export To, then Word or PDF. On an iPhone or iPad, use Export from the More menu. Without an Apple device, open it in Pages at iCloud.com and download a copy as Word or PDF.
How do I submit photos of handwritten homework as one PDF?
Combine the photos into one PDF with an images to PDF converter, in page order, and upload that. If the photos are iPhone HEIC files and your browser can't read them, convert them to JPG first.