Install and set up VidyaLMS on WordPress
The current WordPress plugin declares WordPress 6.4 or later and PHP 8.1 or later. Your theme, hosting service, and other plugins may require newer versions. Use an HTTPS site and back up the database and files before installation.
Install VidyaLMS
- In the WordPress dashboard, open Plugins → Add New Plugin → Upload Plugin.
- Upload the WordPress VidyaLMS ZIP, install it, and select Activate.
- Open VidyaLMS → Settings and save your academy name.
- If you have VidyaLMS Pro, install and activate it after the main plugin.
- Visit the course catalogue and My learning pages on the public site.
The default learner addresses include /courses/, /my-learning/, /teach/, /certificate/, and /notification-preferences/. WordPress may add its installation folder or permalink prefix. Use the links generated by your site rather than copying a URL from another installation.
If a learning page returns a 404, open Settings → Permalinks and save once, then try again. Also check for a page or another plugin using the same address.
Add learning to your website navigation
For a block theme, edit the site's Navigation block. For a classic theme, use its menu editor. Add links to Courses and My learning. You can also link instructors to the teaching page after assigning the appropriate role.
VidyaLMS follows the theme's content container. Choose the normal page width in your theme before adjusting VidyaLMS's header and navigation. Avoid adding another full-width wrapper around a learning block unless that is the layout you want.
Put learning inside an existing page
The block editor offers Course catalogue, My learning, and Certificate verification blocks. Each displays current information when the visitor opens the page.
You can use a Shortcode block instead:
| Shortcode | What it shows |
|---|---|
[vidyalms_catalogue] | Published courses, search, and pagination |
[vidyalms_my_learning] | The signed-in learner's courses and progress |
[vidyalms_certificate_verify] | A public certificate verification form |
[vidyalms_notification_preferences] | The learner's message preferences |
[vidyalms_unsubscribe] | The unsubscribe flow used by signed email links |
For example, [vidyalms_catalogue per_page="9" show_search="yes" heading="Explore our courses"] sets a catalogue heading and page size. A numeric category attribute can limit the catalogue to one category. Leave search unset when visitors should control the search themselves. My learning accepts show_certificates="no" if you want to hide that section.
Do not cache a personalized My learning page as public HTML. Exclude signed-in learning pages from any full-page cache that could show one person's information to another.
Set up teaching, email, and background work
Assign the VidyaLMS Instructor role to a test instructor and add them to the relevant course's teaching team. Organization managers have a separate role. See users and permissions.
WordPress supplies email delivery. If your site uses a mail plugin, configure and test it there. WP-Cron runs scheduled work; a server-triggered schedule is useful for a quiet site. WooCommerce synchronization uses Action Scheduler when available, with WP-Cron as a fallback. See scheduled tasks.
For sales, follow WooCommerce setup. Recurring subscriptions require WooCommerce Subscriptions in addition to WooCommerce.
Finally, create your first course and complete the launch checklist.