Images and media

To learn how to upload and add images to a page in Drupal, revisit the CSE Drupal Canvas Training.

If you need access to the Canvas course, email help@umn.edu and request to be added. 

Customizable Image Settings

Images added to a page using the Media Library button in the CKEditor allow for some display settings to be customized.

NOTE: When inserting an image, please avoid copying and pasting an image URL to the text editor. Though this will display an image, it creates HTML that needs to be removed from the site. Additionally, if there are changes to the image URL from the host site, the link will break and the image will no longer display.  Best practice when inserting an image into the CKEditor is to use the Media Library button.

Click Edit media above your image to customize settings.

screenshot of the edit media button above an image in the CKEditor.
  • Alternative Text (Alt Text) lets you add a brief description of the image for accessibility. This should always be filled out unless the image is for decorative purposes only. Learn more about Alternative Text from Accessible U.
  • Display dropdown menu lets you select the image embed size.
  • Align radio buttons lets you select the image alignment on the page.
  • Checking the Caption checkbox allow a caption to be added below the image.
    • Click the Enter caption here text so that the field is highlighted in blue.
      screenshot of caption textbox
    • Start typing your caption.

Keep in mind that the image size in your WYSIWYG may not reflect the actual size of the image on your page. You must save your changes in order to see what the actual image size looks like on your page (if editing a published page, you can always save as a draft first to avoid publishing the changes before you're ready). 

Featured and Widget Images

You can also add images within widgets or to a basic page using the Add Media button, which appears in the Featured Image section of the Images edit tab on basic pages and in multiple widgets including the Portal Group and Folwell Slideshow widgets will appear with predefined display settings. Review the recommended image sizes for predefined images.

Change a Featured or Widget Image

Once an image is selected, the Add Media button will be replaced with a preview of the selected image.

  • To change the image, click the x button on the upper right of the image.
    screenshot of the featured image preview
  • The image will be removed allowing you to select a different image.​​