How to Add Topics and Lessons in Tutor LMS

Topics and lessons are the backbone of every Tutor LMS course. Topics are the modules; lessons are the pages of learning inside them. This guide shows how to add both in the Tutor LMS 4 course builder and how to use the lesson options well.

Step 1: Open the Curriculum tab

Edit your course (Tutor LMS > Courses, then edit) and switch to the Curriculum tab. An empty course shows the prompt "Add Topics, Lessons, and Quizzes to get started."

Step 2: Add a topic

1. Click Add Topic.
2. Enter a title and, if you like, a short summary.
3. Save the topic.

Give each topic a clear outcome, for example "Set up your account" rather than "Introduction". Topics appear as collapsible sections in the course page and learning area.

Step 3: Add a lesson

Inside the topic, choose Lesson. The lesson editor opens with these fields:

• Lesson name (required).
• Description: the lesson content. You can switch to the WordPress editor for richer layouts after the lesson has been saved once (enable "WP Editor for Lesson" under Settings > Course > Lesson).
• Featured image.
• Video: choose a source and paste a YouTube or Vimeo URL, upload a file, paste an external URL, embed code or shortcode. See adding videos.
• Video Playback Time: the duration shown to students.
• Attachments: files students can download, such as worksheets or slides.
• Lesson Preview (Pro, Course Preview add-on): "any user/guest can view this lesson without enrolling".
• Availability (Pro, Content Drip add-on): make the lesson available after a number of days or from a date, depending on the drip type set for the course.

Save the lesson. It appears under the topic.

Step 4: Add the rest of the topic

Add more lessons, then a quiz to close the topic. With Tutor LMS Pro you can also add assignments, Zoom or Google Meet live lessons, H5P content and items from the Content Bank in the same place.

Step 5: Reorder

Drag topics to reorder modules, and drag lessons and quizzes within or between topics. The order is saved on the items, and existing student progress is kept.

How lessons are stored

For developers: lessons are posts of type lesson whose parent is a topic (post type topics), whose parent is the course. When a student completes a lesson, Tutor LMS saves the user meta _tutor_completed_lesson_id_{lesson_id} and fires tutor_lesson_completed_after with the lesson ID and user ID.

Writing lessons students finish

• One idea per lesson. Five to fifteen minutes is a good target.
• Start with the outcome. One sentence on what the student will be able to do.
• Use video and text together. Many students read faster than they watch; a short text summary under a video helps.
• Add a downloadable. Checklists and templates make lessons more useful.
• End with an action. A small exercise or a question to think about.

Frequently asked questions

Can I reuse a lesson in another course?

Not by copying the same lesson post. Tutor LMS Pro's Content Bank stores content once for use in multiple courses.

Why can't I use the WordPress editor for a new lesson?

The lesson must be saved once first, and the option "WP Editor for Lesson" must be enabled in the settings.

Can students comment on lessons?

Yes, if "Enable Lesson Comment" is on under Settings > Course > Lesson.