Why Do You Need Custom Learndash Tabs?

Custom LearnDash Tabs are a game-changer when it comes to organizing course content and keeping learners engaged. Here’s why they’re worth it:

• Break your course into easy-to-digest sections like lessons, topics, or resources, so students can follow along without feeling overwhelmed.
• A clean, clutter-free layout helps learners stay on track and boosts usability.
• Gather all your course materials—videos, PDFs, worksheets—into one tab for quick and easy access.
• Use conditional logic to show tabs to specific groups or learners, ensuring everyone sees only what’s relevant to them.

Custom tabs make your courses look professional, keep learners engaged, and make navigating content effortless!

As your courses grow more complex, students need an intuitive, and engaging experience. One way to achieve this is by organizing course content into neatly divided tabs, making it easier for learners to navigate and access relevant information. 

If you are a developer, you can tap into WordPress and LearnDash hooks to create custom tabs using your own code. For non-developers,don’t worry—add-ons like “Custom Tabs for LearnDash” offer an easy, no-code solution to customize your course tabs effortlessly. It’s the perfect tool to save time and streamline the process!

LearnDash is one of the most popular Learning Management Systems (LMS) for WordPress, empowering course creators to design, manage, and deliver online courses with ease. If you’re here, chances are you’re already using LearnDash to power your e-learning platform.

How To Add Custom Tabs in LearnDash Without Plugins (For Experts / Developers)

Developers can add custom tabs to LearnDash without extensions by using LearnDash hooks. These hooks let you customize tab behavior and add content like resources, FAQs, or other course information without modifying core files.

Hooks are a powerful tool for integrating custom code into LearnDash seamlessly. If you’re new to them, check out this WordPress hooks guide to get started.

Let’s dive into the step-by-step proces—perfect for developers!

• Locate and Open functions.php file of your active theme
• You need to place the below snippet of code in the Theme Editor within PHP tags “<?php” and “?>”.
• Then save and update it on your live site *

/**
 * Example usage for learndash_content_tabs filter with "About Instructor" tab for Course.
 */
add_filter(
    'learndash_content_tabs',
    function( $tabs = array(), $context = '', $course_id = 0, $user_id = 0 ) {

        // Define custom tabs with user-friendly keys and clear structure
        $custom_tabs = array(
            'about_instructor' => array(
                'id'      => 'about_instructor',
                'icon'    => 'ld-icon-content', // Adjust icon class for better representation
                'label'   => 'About Instructor',
                'content' => '
                    <div class="ld-about-instructor">
                        <h2>Meet Your Instructor</h2>
                        <p>John Doe, an accomplished graphic designer with over 10 years of experience in branding, UI/UX design, and creative visual storytelling, will guide you through this course. John has worked with top brands like XYZ Corp and ABC Studios, bringing real-world expertise to every lesson.</p>
                        <h3>What You'll Learn</h3>
                        <ul>
                            <li>The fundamentals of design principles</li>
                            <li>How to create professional-grade graphics using tools like Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator</li>
                            <li>Tips for building a successful design portfolio</li>
                        </ul>
                        <p>John's mission is to help aspiring designers unlock their full creative potential and establish a strong presence in the design industry.</p>
                    </div>',
                'user_cases' => array(
                    // Display only for Course ID 8
                    'course_id_8' => 8,
                ),
            ),
        );

        // Loop through custom tabs and add them based on user cases
        foreach ( $custom_tabs as $tab_key => $tab_data ) {
            // Check if the tab should be displayed based on user cases
            if ( 
                ( isset( $tab_data['user_cases']['course_id_' . $course_id] ) && $tab_data['user_cases']['course_id_' . $course_id] == $course_id )
            ) {
                if ( ! isset( $tabs[ $tab_key ] ) ) {
                    $tabs[ $tab_key ] = $tab_data;
                }
            }
        }

        // Always return $tabs
        return $tabs;
    },
    30,
    4
);

Key Points about the above code

• all_courses: Show on all courses
• course_id_XXX: Show only on the specified course ID.
• logged_in_users: Show only for logged-in users.
• You can easily add more user cases as needed (e.g., role_administrator, user_has_completed_lesson, etc.).
• Define User Cases: Within each tab’s user_cases array, specify the conditions under which the tab should be displayed.
• Add More User Cases: Expand the user_cases array to include more complex logic as required for your specific use cases.

Add Custom Tabs Via Plugin: The Easy Way

The freedom to completely customize the course is a critical factor in the success of an educator and a course creator. LearnDash provides that freedom of customization, and “Custom Tabs for LearnDash,” by LDNinjas takes it a step further.

This add-on gives you the flexibility to add personalized tabs to courses, lessons, topics, quizzes, and groups, allowing you to display additional content in a clean and organized way. Whether it’s media, HTML, or custom shortcodes, the plugin gives you full control over your learning environment. 

Before we begin, we’ll assume you’ve already set up LearnDash and installed the “Custom Tabs for LearnDash” add-on. If you need assistance with this, visit the plugin page or refer to our detailed guide on how to install and activate the plugin.

Let’s jump into a step-by-step guide to setting up custom tabs:

How To Set up Custom Tabs Using The “Custom Tabs for LearnDash” Plugin

Follow this simple guide to set up custom tabs in the “Course Tabs” section.

• Log in to Your WordPress Dashboard
  • Navigate to LearnDash LMS -> Custom Tabs from the menu.
• Locate the Course Tabs Section
  • You’ll find the Course Tabs section categorized under two options:
    • Enrolled Tabs: Visible only to enrolled learners. These tabs can include exclusive materials, resources, or features tailored for active participants.
    • Unenrolled Tabs: Visible to potential learners who haven’t yet signed up. These tabs provide an overview or preview of the course, helping to attract and inform new students.
• Create Tabs in the Enrolled Tabs Section
  • In the Enrolled Tabs area:
    • Write a title for your tab in the Course Tab Title field.
    • Choose an icon for the tab to make it visually appealing.
    • Name your tab and enter the desired content.
• Save Your Work
  • Once you’ve set up your custom tab, click Save to apply the changes.

Your custom tabs are now ready to provide learners with an organized and engaging experience, tailored to their enrollment status.

Configuring the Custom Tab

Now that you’re ready, let’s configure the custom tabs for your pre-designed courses in LearnDash. Follow these steps:

1. Access the Course Settings
   • Go to LearnDash LMS ➡ Courses from your WordPress dashboard.
   • Select the course where you want to add the custom tab.
   • Navigate to the Course Tabs section.
2. Understand the Tab Functions
   • You’ll find four enrolled tab functions and two unenrolled tab functions here.
   • These tab functions are disabled by default and need to be manually enabled to customize them.
3. Enable and Configure a Tab
   • Enable the desired function (e.g., Certificate) for the enrolled tab. Once enabled, an edit panel will appear.
   • To display the custom tab on specific sections, check the appropriate boxes (e.g., Lessons, Topics, Quizzes).
4. Add Custom Content
   • Enter the content you want to display in the provided text box. This could include instructions, downloadable resources, or a personalized message.
5. Save Changes
   • Once everything is configured, click Update to save your changes.

Your custom tabs are now active and tailored to provide relevant information based on the learner’s progress or enrollment status. This simple customization adds a professional touch to your courses while improving the learner experience.

Key Features of “Custom Tabs For LearnDash”

The Custom Tabs for LearnDash plugin is designed to improve user navigation and engagement in your courses. Here are its most impressive features:

• Custom Tabs: Create unique tabs for courses, lessons, topics, quizzes, and groups, helping you organize content effectively.
• Selective Tab Display: Show specific tabs based on courses, lessons, topics, quizzes, or groups, tailored to your requirements.
• Icons for Better Navigation: Add custom icons, including Font-Awesome and Dashicons, to make tabs visually appealing and easy to identify.
• Versatile Tab Content: Include rich, interactive content such as HTML, images, videos, and shortcodes to make your tabs more dynamic.
• User Visibility Control: Restrict tabs from being visible to logged-out users, ensuring only signed-in learners can access the content.
• Enrolled Student Access: Show custom tabs exclusively to enrolled students, ensuring relevant content is delivered to the right audience.
• Parent Tabs for Related Posts: Display parent tabs (e.g., course tabs on lessons, topics, and quizzes) for a well-organized, interconnected learning experience.
• Reorder Tabs with Ease: Adjust the order of tabs on the front end to prioritize content based on importance.

Need Something Else?

Have trouble meeting a specific need or looking for additional features? Reach out to our support team! We’re happy to collaborate and explore ways to add even more value to your platform.

Conclusion

Custom tabs are a game-changer for organizing and presenting course content effectively in LearnDash. They enhance navigation, improve learner engagement, and provide a structured way to showcase resources, FAQs, or any additional information.

While developers can create custom tabs manually, the Custom Tabs for LearnDash plugin simplifies the process, offering powerful features like selective tab display, custom icons, and user visibility controls—all without requiring any coding.

With this add-on, you can effortlessly enhance your LearnDash courses, ensuring a professional and user-friendly experience. Have unique requirements or need assistance? Reach out to our support team, and we’ll help you add even more value to your platform!