Student PDF not visible in speedgrader but only when downloaded

EliseBell

When viewing a student submission, "Error while processing or retrieving the document" is shown in Speedgrader. The PDF can be read when downloaded, but this slows grading time down a lot. What can I tell the student to do differently? Is this a known bug?

Jeff_F

Hello @EliseBell - If a PDF works locally but not in SpeedGrader, the issue is almost never Canvas losing track of the file. It is almost always a standards compliance or rendering problem triggered by how the PDF was created.

Ask students to follow a simple approach when creating PDFs. They should download or export their work directly as a PDF rather than using a “Print to PDF” option. Standard tools tend to produce the most reliable results, so saving as a PDF from Microsoft Word or using File > Download > PDF in Google Docs is recommended.

If a file has already been created and does not display properly, the student should re-save it to clean up the file structure. One reliable method is to open the file and use Print > Save as PDF, which often resolves formatting or compatibility issues. They can also open the document in Word or Google Docs and export it again as a new PDF.

Students should avoid submitting scanned-only PDFs unless the assignment specifically requires it, since these can be harder for systems to process. They should also be cautious when using design tools like Canva and make sure the file is exported to PDF using standard settings.

Helpful? ~ Jeff