Link to a Web Page from a Moodle Course

Links to Web pages can be added to your Moodle course page as URL resources. Hypertext links can also be included in Labels, Pages, Forum posts, etc., or anywhere the HTML Editor appears in Moodle. This page explains how to create both kinds of links.

A note about tracking use of resources: Instructors can track whether URL resources have been clicked by students (see Use Reports to Track Student Activity in Moodle). However, links that appear only within text and not as a URL resource, cannot be tracked, and will not show as Resources in the Activities block.

Add a URL Resource using  'Add a resource...' Drop-down

To add a URL resource to a Topic or Weekly Section:

1. On your course page, click Turn editing on (top right). Editing icons and links will appear.

2. Locate the Topic or Weekly Section where you will add the file. (If you are using the Collapsed topics format, open the Section.)

3. At the bottom of the section, click + Add an activity or resource. The Activity chooser will open.

4. In the Activity chooser, scroll down so you can see all the Resources, and select URL. The right panel will change to show a description and links to help.

5. Click Add. The Adding a new URL screen will open.

6. In the Adding a new URL screen, fill in the required fields.

   • The Name field controls how the text of the link will appear on your course page

   • The Description field may appear to students depending on browser settings

   • The External URL field is where you enter the URL of the website you wish to link to. We recommend that you open the Web page in another browser tab or window, and copy and paste the address into the URL field.

7. When you have finished choosing settings, scroll to the bottom of the page and click Save and return to course.

Create a Hyperlink in Text

You also have the option to create a link within text (hyperlink) anywhere you see the HTML Editor in Moodle. This means you can create links within Labels, Assignments, Activities, Forums, etc.. 

Many instructors use this method to link to Resources of Activities already in a course. For example, if you were asking students to submit a written response to a reading, you could post the reading as a File resource on the course page, then in the description for the Assignment activity, also provide a hyperlink to the File resource.

To create a hyperlink using the HTML Editor Toolbar:

1. Create a new Label, Activity, Page, or Forum post, etc., or click the Update icon () for an item already in your course.
2. In the HTML Editor entry box, drag your cursor to select the text (or image) you would like to make into a link.
3. In the HTML Editor Toolbar, click Insert/edit link ( ). The Insert/Edit link pop-up window will open.
   Note: The Insert/edit link icon will only be clickable if content in the edit box has been selected.
4. The Insert/Edit link pop-up window, in the Link URL field, enter the Web address* to link to.
   * To create a link to a Resource or Activity already in your Moodle course, on the course page click on the link to the item to open it, then copy the URL from your browser's location bar.
5. Click Insert. The Insert/edit link pop-up window will close.
6. The text (or image) you selected will now be hyperlinked and will appear to be a different color.  Click Save and return to course (or Post to forum for forum posts).