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Advanced Theme Settings

This page controls how themes work and how much users can customize the look of Moodle. Most sites only need a few options enabled.

moon-theme-advanced-settings.png

1. Theme list​

What it does: Limits which themes appear in the theme selection menu.

How to use:

  • Leave empty → All installed themes are available (recommended).

  • Enter theme names separated by commas (no spaces) → Only those themes appear Example:

    boost,classic

When to use: If you want to restrict admins or users to specific themes.

2. Theme designer mode​

What it does: Disables caching so design changes appear immediately.

Recommended setting: ❌ No

Turn ON only when:

  • You are developing or testing a theme
  • You need to see CSS/image changes instantly

⚠️ Warning: This slows down the site for everyone.

3. Allow user themes​

What it does: Lets users choose their own theme.

Recommended setting: ❌ No

Enable only if:

  • You want users to personalize their Moodle appearance

📌 User themes override the site theme, but not course themes.

4. Allow course themes​

What it does: Allows each course to have a different theme.

Recommended setting: ❌ No

Enable only if:

  • Different courses need very different layouts or branding

⚠️ Course themes override all other theme settings.

5. Allow category themes​

What it does: Allows themes to be set at the course category level.

Recommended setting: ❌ No

⚠️ Warning: Can reduce performance and make appearance harder to manage.

6. Allow cohort themes​

What it does: Assigns themes based on user groups (cohorts).

Recommended setting: ❌ No

Advanced use only, usually not needed for most sites.

7. Allow theme changes in the URL​

What it does: Allows changing the theme by adding it to the website link.

Example:

?theme=boost

Recommended setting: ❌ No

Why disable it:

  • Prevents confusion
  • Avoids inconsistent appearance

8. Allow users to hide blocks​

What it does: Lets users hide or show side blocks (navigation, calendar, etc.).

Recommended setting: ✅ Yes

Notes:

  • Only affects the user’s own view
  • Uses cookies to remember preferences

👍 This improves usability without risk.

9. Display language menu in secure layout​

What it does: Shows language selector on secure pages (e.g. quizzes).

Recommended setting: ❌ No

Enable only if users need to change language during quizzes.

10. Display logged-in user in secure layout​

What it does: Shows the user’s full name in secure pages.

Recommended setting: ❌ No

Mostly optional, cosmetic only.

11. Filter custom menu​

What it does: Applies Moodle text filters to the custom menu.

Recommended setting: ❌ No

Enable only if:

  • You use dynamic content or filters in menu text

12. Custom menu items​

What it does: Creates custom links in the top navigation menu.

How it works:

  • One menu item per line
  • Use - for sub-items
  • Use ### for a divider

Example:

Home
-Courses
--All courses|/course/index.php
--Course search|/course/search.php
###
Blog|/blog/index.php

When to use: To add quick links to important pages.

13. User menu items​

What it does: Controls links in the user profile dropdown menu.

Default items include:

  • Profile
  • Grades
  • Calendar
  • Private files
  • Reports

Recommended: Leave default unless you want to simplify or customize the menu.