IMSCC to PDF: three ways to print a course export
Canvas has no "export to PDF" for a course, and an .imscc file is a ZIP of web pages and machine files. These are the three ways to get it onto paper or into a PDF, from simplest to most manual.
| Way | Needs | Keeps the module order | Quiz answers |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Cubby, one item at a time | A browser | Yes, you pick items from the modules | Yes, with Show answers |
| 2. Cubby Pro course book | A browser and Pro ($8 once) | Yes, the whole course in one file | Yes, marked |
| 3. Rename to .zip and print the HTML files | A file manager and patience | No | No, they are in machine files |
1. Print item by item (free)
- Open the .imscc file in Cubby.
- Choose a page, assignment, quiz or discussion on the shelf.
- Press Print this and pick "Save as PDF" as the printer. Only the item is printed, with its pictures, tables and links.
2. The whole course at once (Pro)
Cubby Pro saves a course book: one HTML file with a contents list, every module in order, every page, assignment with its rubric, discussion prompt and quiz with the answers marked, and the pictures from the course inside it. Open it in any browser, offline, and print it to PDF in one go. Each module starts on a new page.
3. By hand, from the ZIP
An .imscc file is a ZIP. Rename it to end in .zip and open it: pages are the HTML files in wiki_content, assignments are HTML files in folders with long random names, and your uploaded files are in web_resources. Open each HTML file in a browser and print it. Pictures may be missing, because the pages point to them with a placeholder address ($IMS-CC-FILEBASE$) that only a learning platform or Cubby resolves, and quizzes are XML files, not something you can print.
While you still have Canvas
If the course is still in a Canvas account you can sign in to, Canvas can also export it as an ePub (Settings, Export Course Content, or the ePub export where your school has it switched on). An ePub reader can print it to PDF. Quiz answers are not part of it.
Open your .imscc file and print the items you need, or the whole course with Pro.
Open your .imscc fileCubby Pro, $8 paid once: the whole course in one file to print as a PDF, every quiz as a Word file with an answer key, and all the course files in one ZIP. Get Pro on Gumroad or see what is free.
Questions
Can I convert .imscc to PDF online without uploading it?
Yes. Cubby reads the file in your browser and prints any item to PDF through the browser's print dialog. The file never leaves your computer.
Why are pictures missing when I open the HTML files from the ZIP?
Canvas writes picture addresses as $IMS-CC-FILEBASE$/folder/name. A browser cannot follow that address; Cubby replaces it with the picture from the export.
Sources
- University of Michigan: Canvas Course Site Export and Download Options. No direct PDF export; the ePub route
- instructure/canvas-lms: the course exporter (lib/cc). Folder names and the $IMS-CC-FILEBASE$ placeholder
Last checked: October 28, 2026.