How to Import DOCX into Canvas (QTI 1.2)
Word documents are the default home for most exams: a professor types the paper in Word, saves it as .docx, and that file becomes the source of truth. The friction starts when the same exam has to live inside Canvas. Canvas does not open Word files — it imports quizzes through QTI 1.2. The cleanest fix is to parse the .docx directly and emit that package, without retyping a single option.
Why a native Word file is the easy case
Compared with a scanned PDF, a .docx is a digital-native document: the text is already selectable, paragraphs and lists carry real structure, and option letters are just characters in the file. There is no OCR step and no guessing about what is a question versus an option. That structural clarity is exactly what a parser needs, which is why a well-formatted Word exam converts with very little friction.
.docx, you are starting from the strongest possible input. The conversion is mostly about reshaping that existing structure into QTI, not recovering lost text.
The conversion, step by step
Upload the .docx
Save the exam as a modern .docx (not the legacy .doc) and upload it. The document's text and layout are read directly.
Questions are parsed automatically
Numbered items and headings become questions; bulleted or lettered lines become options; the marked answer is resolved to a 1-based key. Points are captured per question.
Export QTI 1.2
The parsed questions compile into a Canvas-importable .zip (QTI 1.2).
Import into Canvas
In a course, go to Quizzes → the three-dot "More options" menu → Import, and select the downloaded package.
What makes a Word exam parse cleanly
You do not need a rigid template, but a few habits make the result rock-solid:
- Number the questions. "1.", "2.", or styled headings let the parser split items reliably.
- List options consistently. Lettered options (a, b, c…) or bulleted lines read as answer choices far better than comma-separated text inside one paragraph.
- Mark the answer clearly. A dedicated answer line, bolded option, or answer key column is resolved to the correct 1-based index.
- Keep one question per block. Avoid splitting a single question across page breaks or stray paragraphs.
Using docx2canvas
If you want a Word document to become a Canvas quiz in one upload, docx2canvas is built for exactly this. Upload the .docx, the questions are parsed automatically, and it returns a QTI 1.2 package ready for Canvas — no manual re-entry of stems or options.
Open the tool at examparser.com/en/docx2canvas and upload your document; the QTI package downloads when parsing finishes.
Before you import: quick checks
- Save as .docx. Older
.docfiles are not supported — use "Save As" in Word to convert them first. - Confirm the answer index. After parsing, verify the correct option maps to the right 1-based number, especially for multiple-correct questions.
- Mind the import menu. In Canvas the import lives under the three-dot "More options" menu on the Quizzes page, not inside the quiz editor.
Frequently asked questions
Which Word formats does docx2canvas accept?
It accepts modern Word documents in the .docx format. The older binary .doc format is not supported, so save the file as .docx in Word before uploading. PDF files are handled by a separate tool.
What is QTI 1.2 and why does Canvas need it?
QTI (Question and Test Interoperability) 1.2 is the XML standard Canvas uses to import quizzes. It packages each item's stem, options, answer key, and points so Canvas can rebuild it into the quiz bank. Canvas cannot open a .docx directly, so a QTI export is required.
How does it know the question type and the correct answer?
The parser reads the document's structure: numbered or headed items become questions, bulleted or lettered lines become options, and the marked answer is resolved to a 1-based index over the options. Single versus multiple correct answers are detected from how the answer is indicated. A clean, consistent layout gives the most reliable result.
Do I have to use heading styles or a fixed template?
No strict template is required. The tool infers question boundaries from numbering and spacing. Using Word's heading or list styles helps, but a plainly formatted exam with numbered questions and lettered options already parses well.
Does the exported QTI work with New Quizzes?
The QTI 1.2 export targets Classic Quizzes. After importing, Canvas provides a built-in migration to convert Classic Quizzes into New Quizzes if your institution uses New Quizzes.
Convert your Word exam
Upload the .docx you already have and download a Canvas-ready QTI package — no retyping required.