---
title: "How to Import a QTI File Into Canvas (Step by Step) | Formswrite Blog"
description: "Import a QTI zip into Canvas with Import Course Content, check the questions afterwards and fix the usual errors, plus how to make the QTI file from a Word doc."
canonical: https://formswrite.com/blog/import-qti-file-into-canvas
last-updated: 2026-10-08
---

# How to Import a QTI File Into Canvas (Step by Step)

In short

To import a QTI file into Canvas, open your course, go to Settings, click Import Course Content, choose QTI .zip file as the content type, select your zip, pick where the questions should go and click Import.

The file must be a QTI package: a .zip that has an imsmanifest.xml file at its root. A single loose XML file will not import.

## Before you start

-   Confirm that your file is a zip and that it opens to show imsmanifest.xml directly, not inside a folder. If the manifest sits one folder down, re-zip the contents of that folder rather than the folder itself.
-   Make sure you have the teacher or designer role in the course. Students cannot see the import option.
-   If your school has switched on New Quizzes, decide whether the questions should land there. An option for it appears during import when it is enabled.

## Step by step

1.  Step 1
    
    #### Open Import Course Content
    
    In the course navigation, click Settings, then Import Course Content on the right-hand side.
    
2.  Step 2
    
    #### Choose the content type
    
    In the Content Type menu, select QTI .zip file. This is the correct type for a quiz package, not Canvas Course Export Package.
    
3.  Step 3
    
    #### Select the file and destination
    
    Click Choose File and pick your zip. Under Default Question bank, leave the default unless you want the questions in a bank you already created. If you see an option to import existing quizzes as New Quizzes, tick it only if you want that engine.
    
4.  Step 4
    
    #### Import and wait
    
    Select All content, click Import, and wait until the status reads Completed. Large packages take a few minutes, and the page can be left while it runs.
    
5.  Step 5
    
    #### Check the quiz
    
    Open Quizzes (or Assignments, if you imported as New Quizzes) and open the imported quiz. Check the points, the correct answers and the question order before you publish.
    

## What to check after the import

Imports are reliable for standard question types and less so for anything unusual, so open the quiz and look for these:

1.  Points. Some packages import with each question at one point, so set the value you want.
2.  Correct answers on multiple answer and matching questions. These are the question types where a converter is most likely to differ from the original.
3.  Images. Images that were embedded in the source sometimes arrive as links, and links to files on your own computer will not work.
4.  Quiz settings. Time limit, attempts and availability dates are usually not part of a QTI package, so set them yourself.

## Why a QTI import fails

| Symptom | Likely cause | Fix |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Import finishes but no quiz appears | The questions went into a question bank, not a quiz | Open Quizzes, then Manage question banks, and build a quiz from the bank |
| Status stays at Failed | The manifest is not at the root of the zip | Re-zip the files, not the parent folder |
| Some questions are missing | An unsupported question type in the source | Re-create those questions in Canvas, or simplify them to multiple choice |
| Odd characters in text | The source was saved with a non-UTF-8 encoding | Save the source as UTF-8 and export again |

## Making the QTI file from a Word, PDF or Google Doc

Most teachers do not start with a QTI file. They start with a test in a document and need to get from there to Canvas. Formswrite reads the questions, options and correct answers from a Word file, PDF, Google Doc or spreadsheet and exports a QTI package, the format Canvas uses for quiz imports, which you then import with the steps above. The free plan exports only to Formswrite Forms, so a Canvas or QTI export needs a paid plan, while creating an account is free.

[Convert a document to a Canvas quiz](/product/documents-to-canvas)

If you are not sure what is inside the zip, our explainer on the [QTI format](/blog/qti-format-explained) covers the versions and which LMSes accept them. For other sources, see the [QTI converter for Word, PDF and CSV](/blog/qti-converter-online-free), the [CSV to QTI guide](/blog/csv-to-qti-converter-guide) or the [Canvas quiz converter for Word and PDF](/blog/canvas-quiz-converter-from-word-and-pdf).

## FAQ

Can I import a QTI file into New Quizzes?

Yes, when New Quizzes is enabled for your institution. Use the same Import Course Content page and look for the option to import the quizzes as New Quizzes. Check the result carefully, because some question types behave differently between the two engines.

Can I import a single XML file instead of a zip?

No. Canvas expects a package with an imsmanifest.xml at the root, which is why the file has to be a zip. If you have only the question XML, a converter or a packaging step has to add the manifest first.

Why did my QTI import go into a question bank and not a quiz?

Some packages hold the questions as an assessment item bank, so Canvas puts them in a question bank. Build the quiz from the bank by adding a question group or by choosing Find Questions in the quiz editor.

Does a QTI file work in Moodle, Blackboard and Brightspace as well?

Brightspace and Blackboard both accept QTI packages through their own import pages. Moodle needs a plugin for QTI on most sites, so Moodle users usually import Moodle XML, GIFT or Aiken instead.