About
The Theming-based embed tool (BSE) provides a great way to search for and embed media from My Media, Media Gallery, Playlists, and Shared Repository directly into rich-text areas such as Announcements, Discussions, and Assignments.
While BSE-embedded content is viewable in the Canvas mobile app, the BSE (Browse and Embed) tool itself might not be supported the same way as other LTI tools. We recommend opening Canvas in a web browser on desktop or mobile to use BSE.
This article pertains to Browse, Search, and Embed (BSE) with the Theming-based experience. If you don't have Theming enabled, visit our article 'Embedding Kaltura media'.
The tool is configured by your system administrator in the Browseandembed module. The Theming module must also be enabled, along with the 'browseandembed' feature within it.
Open the rich-text editor
- Navigate to the area where you want to embed media, such as Announcements, Discussions, or Assignments.
- Click the button to create a new post. The rich-text editor opens.
- Enter your text and then click the Embed Kaltura Media icon.
The embed window opens.
Your embed window may look different depending on how many columns your admin has configured. Available columns include ID, Type, Tags, Plays, Views, Created At, and Updated At. The columns are configured in the Browseandembed module.
On smaller screens, the Upload, Express Capture and YouTube tools are grouped under the +Create button.

You might notice that the + Create menu in the Theming version of BSE has fewer options than the non-Theming version - this is by design. Theming keeps things quick and simple for uploading or capturing content and embedding it right away!
Browse, search and embed media
Browse and search
In the embed window, you can browse and search existing media across different repositories. You can also create or upload new media. See Add new media below.
- My Media - Your personal uploaded media.
- Media Gallery - By default, shows media from the current course’s Media Gallery. If enabled by your administrator, you can also search and embed media from any Media Gallery you own.
- Shared Repository - Institution-wide shared media (if enabled by your administrator).
- Playlists - Media Gallery playlists available in the current course (if enabled by your administrator).
You can embed audio files using Kaltura’s audio player. The player is available in the list of player options in the customize embed settings (see below).
Mandatory captions before embedding - If your admin has enabled the 'Captions Required' setting, certain media types (like video, audio, or quizzes) must have captions in order to be embedded. Items without captions will appear with grayed-out buttons, and a message at the top of the embed window will explain why the items are unavailable.
You can use the search bar and filters to locate content. Searching playlists is limited to text-based fields such as name, description, and tags.
You can click the eye icon next to any media entry to get more information. A sidebar opens and displays the following information:
- a playable preview (if available)
- media details (title, tags, duration, etc.)
- publishing locations
Add new media
Need to upload or record a new video? Use one of the options at the far right.
- Upload - You can upload multiple files at once. After selecting your files, wait for all uploads to complete before clicking Save and Select to return to the media selection screen. Visit our article Upload media for guidance.
- Express Capture - Visit our article Create a recording with Express Capture for guidance.
- YouTube - Visit our article Add a YouTube video for guidance.
Embed
- When you have located the desired media, click Embed.
- To proceed without changes, click Embed in the lower right. The media is embedded. To customize the settings, refer to the instructions below.
The Customize Embed window opens.
If you're embedding a playlist, it will appear as a single embedded block containing all items in the order they were arranged in the Media Gallery playlist.
Customize embed settings
The Customize Embed option may not be available in all environments. This feature must be enabled by your administrator in the Browseandembed module.
When embedding media, you can configure various settings to control how the video appears and plays. The available options include:
Select a player - Choose from pre-configured players that may have different features, such as captions, interactivity, or playback controls. Your administrator defines the available players.
When you change the selected player, the preview updates automatically to reflect your choice.
Select video embed size - Set the maximum display size of the embedded media. Your administrator defines the available embed sizes.
Thumbnail embed - Display a static preview image instead of loading the full video player immediately. This helps improve page load speed and gives users control over when to play the video.
Enabling or disabling this option will also update the preview in real time.
Video time selection - You can share the video from a specific time. Choose 'Start video at' and enter the time according to the format given (00.00). For example, if you want a video to start at 1 minute and 30 seconds into the video, enter 01.30
Save these settings as default - Enable this option to automatically apply your selected embed settings to future media embeds of the selected media type (VOD, Audio, Playlist, etc.), streamlining the process for repeated use.