Fix access to Panopto videos in a Canvas short course

Updated on: 10 December 2025

How to resolve a common video access issue when playing Panopto videos in a Canvas short course.

Known issue

Staff working on short courses in the University’s Canvas site may encounter the following message when trying to play recordings in the Panopto Video folder:

Screenshot in Panopto Video showing error message in red bold text.

How to fix

Follow these steps:

  1. Go to Panopto online.
  2. Select your profile icon in the top-right corner.
  3. Select Sign out.
  4. Once signed out, close that browser tab.
  5. Open a new browser tab and return to your Canvas course.
  6. Access the Panopto Video link again.

Other checks

If the steps above do not resolve the issue, consider the following:

Student View

Check whether you are in Student View. If so, select Leave Student View and try the Panopto Video link again. This will restore your Creator permissions for the folder.

Course role

Make sure you have the Teacher or Caption Editor role in the course. To check, select People in the course menu. If you do not have the correct role, email digitaleducation@st-andrews.ac.uk.

Guide category