The General tab contains most of LearnDash’s global settings. These settings apply site-wide and are grouped into the sections below.
Warning: Support for the LearnDash Legacy Template ended on June 15, 2025. Switch to the LearnDash 3.0 template to continue receiving support and updates.
Design & Content Elements #
Note: This group of settings was introduced in LearnDash 3.0.
Active Template #
The Active Template controls the layout and styling for LearnDash content such as courses, lessons, topics, and quizzes. A WordPress theme controls site-wide elements (header, footer, pages, blog posts). This setting affects only LearnDash components.
Available templates:
- Legacy
The original LearnDash design used through version 2.6 and earlier. Upgrading LearnDash does not automatically change this setting. Some newer features (such as Focus Mode and Login/Registration) are not compatible with Legacy. - LearnDash 3.0
The redesigned template introduced in version 3.0. Enabled by default on new LearnDash installations. Additional settings appear when this template is selected.
Theme and plugin compatibility #
If display issues occur when using the LearnDash 3.0 template with a LearnDash-optimized theme or plugin, contact the theme/plugin developer to confirm compatibility with the newer templates.
Warning: If custom Legacy template files were added to a theme, switching to LearnDash 3.0 may prevent those customizations from appearing.
LearnDash 3.0 Template Settings #
Note: The settings below are available only when LearnDash 3.0 is selected.
Colors #
Customize LearnDash UI colors:
- Accent Color: Buttons, links, and other highlighted elements
- Progress Color: Completion indicators, certificates, and progress bars
- Notifications / Warnings: Alerts and important messages
Focus Mode #
Focus Mode provides a distraction-free layout for lessons, topics, and quizzes.
Focus Mode content width #
Sets the width of the lesson content area (Focus Mode still uses the full screen). Options:
- Default (960px) — Recommended
- Narrow (768px)
- Wide (1180px)
- Extra-wide (1600px)
- Full-width
For setup details, see the Focus Mode documentation.
Focus Mode sidebar position #
(Added in version 4.1.0) Sets the Focus Mode sidebar to the left or right side of the screen.
Presenter Mode #
Presenter Mode is an optional Focus Mode setting designed for live instruction and screen sharing. It adjusts the layout to prioritize lesson content and reduce visual distractions.
Presenter Mode is useful for:
- Webinars or live virtual classes
- Projector or large-screen presentations
- Instructor-led sessions where learners follow along
When enabled, Presenter Mode:
- Expands the main content area for easier viewing
- Minimizes emphasis on navigation elements
- Keeps course navigation available in a simplified form
For setup details, see the Presenter Mode documentation.
Login & Registration #
When enabled, Login and Registration uses LearnDash’s customized registration and login experience.
For setup details, see the Login and Registration documentation.
Logo Upload #
Uploading a logo is optional, but recommended when using Focus Mode or Login and Registration.
Logo placement:
- Focus Mode: Displays in the header area above course navigation
- Login and Registration: Displays below the login form, under the Login button
Video Responsive CSS #
When enabled, videos using Video Progression automatically adapt to different screen sizes.
If videos display incorrectly after enabling this setting, disable it. Some WordPress themes already include responsive video behavior.
Admin User Settings #
These settings control how users with the Administrator role interact with courses.
- Course Auto-Enrollment
Automatically enrolls administrators in all courses. Disable to require administrators to enroll like other users. - Bypass Course Limits
Allows administrators to ignore progression rules and access restrictions. Disable to force administrators to follow the course structure. - Include in Reports
Includes administrator activity in LearnDash reports. Disable to exclude administrators from reporting.
Note: This setting is not currently applicable to ProPanel. Administrators appear in ProPanel reports in version 3.0 and above.
Modern Appearance (Beta) #
Modern Course Page Style is an updated layout for course pages that improves styling and access/enrollment details.
Note: This feature is in beta but stable for production use.
Enabling Modern Course Page Style #
- New installations (4.20.5+): Enabled by default
- Existing installations (4.20.4 and older): Enable manually in WP Admin → LearnDash → Settings → General → Appearance
Key features #
- Refreshed styling, including an improved content accordion
- Two-column layout on desktop (stacked layout on smaller screens)
- Some narrow themes may trigger the mobile layout even at larger window widths
- Enhanced enrollment and access details, including:
- Price/access types (Free, Buy Now, Subscription, Trial, Open, Closed)
- Enrollment/login call-to-action
- Course start and end dates
- Days of access
- Student limit (if set)
- Additional course details, including:
- Requirements (prerequisites and required course points)
- Completion awards (course points and certificates)
- Content overview (total lessons, topics, and quizzes)
Global Pagination Settings #
Global pagination controls how many items appear per page across LearnDash lists (courses, lessons, topics, quizzes). These settings affect LearnDash shortcodes, widgets, and course content tables.
- Default value: 20 items per page
- Enter 0 to disable pagination and show all items
WP Profile #
Applies to LearnDash information shown in the WordPress user profile screen (Users → All Users → Edit) and some LearnDash widgets.
- Course progress per page
Controls how many courses appear under Course Progress Details. - Quizzes per page
Controls how many quizzes appear under You Have Taken the Following Quizzes.
Quiz edit screen #
- Backend Question Widget
Controls how many questions appear in the quiz edit metabox. This setting does not affect the Quiz Builder and can be left at default when using the builder.
Shortcodes and widgets #
- Shortcodes and Widgets
Controls how many items display in LearnDash widgets and shortcodes (including courseinfo). Many shortcodes can override this value using shortcode attributes.
Note: WordPress widgets are being phased out. Block-based solutions or shortcodes are recommended for similar functionality.