Coming Soon: New Rich Content Editor

The New Rich Content Editor (RCE) is an update to the current text editor that provides an updated, condensed, and more intuitive interface.

On January 6, 2021, the New Rich Content Editor (RCE) will be enabled in all courses in the University of Pennsylvania Canvas instance. Prior to this update, the New RCE will be available as an opt-in feature. Take a sneak peek at the upcoming changes and consider enabling it for your course.

Note: The enablement date has been adjusted to January 6, 2021 in order to accommodate the extended Special Winter Break.

Compare the user interface changes between the Old and New RCE by dragging the slider across the image.

What’s New?

Redesigned toolbar. The redesigned toolbar features a condensed interface with menus that are grouped by common icons and interactions.

Collapsible menu. If the browser isn’t expanded to fit the full width of the toolbar, the toolbar displays an Options menu that includes the remaining toolbar items.

Screenshot of the New Rich Content Editor collapsible menu feature. Three vertical dots located to the right of the toolbar.

Auto-save content. The editor autosaves any content that hasn’t yet been submitted for up to one hour. This feature helps retain new or edited content that may otherwise be lost from inadvertent browser reloads, loss of internet connection, or navigating to another window.

Screenshot of the auto-save feature that allows you to preview and load auto-saved content.

Drag and drop. Files, images, and media can be uploaded using drag and drop.

Screenshot of the new drag and drop file upload feature.

Accessibility checker and HTML editor. Once icons in the toolbar, the Accessibility Checker and HTML Editor have moved to the bottom of the editor.

Screenshot highlighting the new location of the accessibility checker and HTML editor in the bottom right corner of the New Rich Content Editor.

What’s Changed?

Organizing uploads. When uploading files, you no longer have the option to add items to course folders. If the organization of files is important for your course, files should first be uploaded to folders using Files, then inserted to content areas using the editor.
Using external tools. External course tools like Panopto, that appeared as icons in the toolbar have moved to the Apps icon in the redesigned toolbar.

Screenshot highlighting the new location of external tools within the Apps icon in the toolbar.

Adding links, files, images.The content sidebar that previously appeared on the right side of the editor are now menu bar options [1] and toolbar icons [2]. The content sidebar only displays when linking to other parts of Canvas, accessing Canvas files, or accessing uploaded media.