Moodle: Activities & Resources: Add a File

Moodle provides an easy way for an instructor to present materials to their students, such as word-processed documents, slideshow presentations, PDF, and more. All types of files can be uploaded and accessed through Moodle, but the student needs to have the correct software to be able to open them. Files may be added by uploading from an external source, such as computer or USB drive, or by dragging and dropping directly onto the course page.

Note: You cannot add folders through the methods listed below. Instead, create a Moodle Folder in your course, and add files into that location. See GROK article #20196 Folder Resource.

Drag and Drop Method:

1. Login to Moodle. Navigate to the section where you want to add the file.
    
2. With your file manager open, hold down the left mouse button on the desired file and drag it onto the course page. Once your mouse is in the drag and drop box, release the left mouse button to drop the file into your course. Note that Moodle will automatically add the title of your file to the course. You can change this by clicking on the pencil icon to access the edit settings as explained in the section below.
   
   
    
   • Alternatively, you can use the browse link in the drag and drop box to select a file from your file manager.
     

Add a File Resource Method

The second method of adding a file is through the learning activity menu.

1. Login to Moodle, and navigate to the course and section where you want to add a file.
    
2. Click Create learning activity, and then click the Resources tab. Select file.
   
   
    
3. Enter a title for the file, and a description (optional). Using the drag and drop method or the browse method, add the file.
   NOTE: You should only add ONE file. (Even you add multiple files, it will only display the first. To add multiple files, create a Moodle folder (see GROK article #20196 Folder Resource).
   
   
    

4. Under Common module settings, choose how you want the file to display. The options are:

   • Show on course page makes the file visible to students.

   • Hide from students makes the file invisible to users with the student role.

   • Make available but not shown on course page puts the file in "stealth" mode. The file will be invisible to students but can be linked in another section, resource, or activity in the course. This is meant to save space on the course page.

5. Edit access permissions under Restrict access. The file can be restricted based on a prior activity completion, date, grade requirement, user profile fields, or a combination of nested restrictions.

6. Edit Activity completion settings. By default, students can manually mark this resource complete. The other options are to require students to view the activity or not to indicate completion at all.

7. Add Tags, which are keywords related to the file that will appear in the course Contents search.

8. Click Save and return to course. The file will appear on the course page according to the settings you chose.