Open a Common Cartridge file on a Mac
macOS doesn’t come with an app that reads .imscc files, and unzipping one in Finder only gives you folders of XML. Drop the file below instead. It opens in Safari, Chrome or Firefox on your Mac as a readable course: modules in order, pages with their images, assignments, discussions, quizzes and files. Nothing is installed and the file isn’t uploaded.
Drop your .imscc or QTI .zip here
Canvas course exports and Canvas quiz exports
Opens in your browser. Your file is never uploaded.
Open a Canvas export on a Mac in three steps
- 1
Find the file in Finder
Course exports end in .imscc and quiz exports end in .zip. They’re usually in Downloads. If you see a folder with the export’s name and no .zip, Safari probably unzipped it for you; see the section below.
- 2
Drag it onto the box above
Or click Choose a file and pick it in the Finder window. Your browser unpacks and reads it on your Mac, so large courses open without waiting for an upload.
- 3
Read it, or save it as Word or PDF
Browse the sidebar and download any attached file. Click Word (.docx) to get a file that opens in Pages or Word, or Print / PDF and then choose PDF › Save as PDF in the Mac print dialog.
Why a Mac can’t open .imscc on its own
An .imscc file is an IMS Common Cartridge: a ZIP archive with an imsmanifest.xml that lists the course structure, HTML pages, quiz XML and uploaded files. macOS doesn’t recognise the .imscc extension. Renaming it to .zip and double-clicking it makes Archive Utility unzip it, but what you get is a folder of XML and HTML files, pages that open without their images, and quizzes as raw XML.
OpenIMSCC reads the archive in your browser, follows the manifest to rebuild the module order, and resolves the image and file links, so you see the course rather than its parts. Because it’s a web page, it works the same on Apple silicon and Intel Macs and on older macOS versions with a current browser.
If Safari unzipped your quiz export
Safari’s Open “safe” files after downloading setting is on by default, and it unzips downloaded .zip files. A Canvas quiz export then turns into a folder in Downloads, and the original .zip is gone. The viewer needs a ZIP, not a folder.
To fix it, right-click the folder in Finder and choose Compress, then drop the new .zip here. The viewer finds the imsmanifest.xml inside the folder and skips the __MACOSX files that Finder adds. To stop it happening next time, open Safari › Settings › General and untick Open “safe” files after downloading, or download the export again in Chrome or Firefox.
Questions
Do I need to install anything on my Mac?
No. It runs in Safari, Chrome, Firefox or Edge. There’s no app, extension or account, and the file is read on your Mac without being uploaded.
Can I just rename .imscc to .zip and open it in Finder?
You can, and Archive Utility will unzip it. You’ll get folders of XML and HTML, pages without their images, and quizzes as raw XML. Opening the .imscc here shows the course the way it looked in Canvas.
Will the Word files open in Pages?
Yes. The .docx files open in Pages, Microsoft Word, LibreOffice, or Google Docs after you upload them to Google Drive. Headings, lists, tables and images come along.
Does it open Common Cartridge files from Moodle, Blackboard or Schoology?
It’s built for Canvas exports. Common Cartridge files from other systems often open too, but some parts may be missing, and Blackboard and D2L packages in their own formats aren’t supported. Canvas New Quizzes exports aren’t supported yet either.
Does it work on an iPad?
Usually, in Safari: tap Choose a file and pick the export from the Files app. Very large courses need a lot of memory, so a Mac is more reliable for those.