Panopto: How to Share and Post Panopto Videos

Sharing and posting Panopto videos basically involves two main steps. Although there are other features and options included in Panopto, this article covers two main functions: Setting the Access Permissions and Linking or Embedding a Video. 

By default, when a video is recorded, Panopto makes it private and accessible only to the creator. In order for others to view the video, you need to change the access permissions.

How to Set the Access Permissions for a Panopto Video

For any videos you created/authored within Panopto, you need to set the access permissions. 

1. Go to your Panopto video and click the Share button.
   
    
2. In the next window, select the permission level you want. See the access levels below.
    
   1. If your intended audience is strictly limited to St. Thomas accounts, use "Your Organization (unlisted)." Anyone at your organization with whom you've shared the link will be able to view that video. Even if that link is posted in a Canvas course. 
       
   2. If your intended audience includes anyone external to St. Thomas (without a St. Thomas account), use "Public (unlisted)."  Anyone who has the link will be able to view that video. 
       
   3. If you want to restrict access to 1 or 2 individuals or a group, use "Restricted." Only people that you name above in the People and groups section will have access to that video. 
      
       
3. Note: Videos added through the Panopto Recordings menu inside a Canvas course, will show the enrolled students in that course as members of the Canvas/Panopto group and therefore will automatically have permission to view that video. 
    

Copy Link or Embed Code for a Panopto Video

Linking to a Panopto video is pretty straight forward.  Once you've set the access permissions, you can copy the link displayed at the bottom of the Share menu. That link can be posted in an email, a discussion forum, a Canvas module, or anywhere else you want viewers to access it from. 

For accessibility reasons, it's best-practices, to display meaningful text and hyperlink the URL inside the text. 

For instance, don't do this: https://stthomas.hosted.panopto.com/Panopto/Pages/Viewer.aspx?id=b9058b2f-6d6c-4375-890c-aab200d9f084 

Rather, do this: Watch this video on How to Import a Canvas Template from the Commons

Both hyperlinks get you to the same video, but the second is much better because it looks cleaner and is able to be accessed by all people, even those using a screen reader. 

Embedding a Panopto video is a little more involved, but is the preferred method for displaying a video in Canvas. 

1. Once you've set the access permissions, click the Embed icon displayed at the bottom of the Share menu. 
2. Make any changes to the options such as video size, starting frame for playback, and display options. 
3. Select the embed code, if necessary, and click Copy Embed Code. The embed code is stored in your computer's invisible clipboard. 

For more information on embedding a Panopto video, see How to Embed a Video into a Webpage.