To install Moodle’s Custom certificate plugin, download the release that matches your Moodle branch, place its customcert folder in Moodle’s mod directory, then sign in as an administrator and complete the installation from Site administration > Notifications. After Moodle creates the plugin’s database tables, configure it under Site administration > Plugins > Custom certificate and add it to a course as an activity.
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What the Custom certificate plugin does
Custom certificate (mod_customcert) is a free Moodle activity plugin for creating dynamically generated PDF certificates in a web browser. You can design a reusable template, position certificate elements, upload images such as logos or signatures, and issue certificates from a course when learners meet your rules.
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It is different from Moodle’s older Certificate module. The two plugins use different package and folder names, so copying the wrong folder can leave you with the wrong activity or a failed installation.
Check Moodle and PHP compatibility first
Do this check before downloading or copying any files. A plugin package built for another Moodle branch may be rejected by Moodle, install with warnings, or fail later when you create a certificate.
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Identify your Moodle branch
- Sign in with a site administrator account.
- Open Site administration > Notifications or the site information page and note the full Moodle version, including its major and minor branch (for example, 5.0, 5.1, 5.2, 4.4, or 4.5).
- Check whether your site has local code or third-party certificate-element plugins. Record those components before an upgrade.
The current Moodle Marketplace listing reports Custom certificate support for Moodle 5.0, 5.1, 5.2 and 5.3, with a latest release dated 11 October 2026. The plugin versions page also lists branch-specific releases, including version 5.0.0 for Moodle 5.0 and version 4.4.6 for Moodle 4.4/4.5. Select the package whose supported branch includes your site; do not choose solely by the newest number.
Check the PHP requirement for the selected release
PHP support is tied to the plugin and Moodle release, not just to the name “Custom certificate.” The Custom certificate 5.2.0 change log states: Minimum supported version is Moodle 5.2 (PHP 8.3+).
Therefore a site running Moodle 5.2 must also meet PHP 8.3 or a later compatible version before installing that release. For other branches, read the requirement shown for the exact package you intend to deploy and compare it with Site administration > Server > Environment.
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- Take a database and Moodledata backup before changing a production site.
- Use a staging copy when testing a new Moodle branch, PHP runtime, or certificate element.
Choose ZIP or Git deployment
Moodle supports two practical installation methods. ZIP is usually simpler for a single server or a managed host. Git is useful when administrators maintain Moodle code in a repository and need to switch deliberately between supported branches.
Method 1: Install from a ZIP package
- Download the Custom certificate ZIP that matches your Moodle branch from the Moodle Plugins directory.
- Verify that the archive contains a top-level directory named
customcert. If extraction creates a directory such ascustomcert-5.0.0, rename that directory tocustomcertbefore copying it. - Place the resulting folder at the
moddirectory inside your Moodle installation. The final path should look like/path/to/moodle/mod/customcert/. - Check that the folder contains the plugin files directly. Avoid an extra nesting level such as
/mod/customcert/customcert/; Moodle will not detect that layout correctly. - Set ownership and permissions to match the rest of the Moodle codebase. The web server must be able to read the files, while ordinary course users must not have write access to the code directory.
Do not put the folder in moodledata, a theme directory, or another activity’s folder. Custom certificate is an activity module, so its installation location is Moodle’s mod directory.
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Method 2: Install with Git
Run Git commands from the Moodle installation’s mod directory, using an account that can write to the Moodle code tree:
cd /path/to/moodle/mod
git clone https://github.com/mdjnelson/moodle-mod_customcert.git customcert
cd customcert
git branch -a
git checkout <branch-for-your-moodle-version>Replace <branch-for-your-moodle-version> with the branch documented for your Moodle release. Do not assume that the repository’s default branch is appropriate for every Moodle version. If the directory already exists, do not clone over it; back up the current code and use a controlled checkout or a fresh deployment instead.
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After a Git checkout, verify the working tree and ownership, then continue with Moodle’s web-based detected-plugin installation. Keep the selected branch recorded in your deployment notes so a later update does not silently move the site to an incompatible branch.
Complete Moodle’s detected-plugin installation
Copying or cloning the files does not finish the installation. Moodle must create or update the plugin’s database structures and register its capabilities.
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- Log in as a Moodle administrator.
- Open Site administration > Notifications.
- Review the detected Custom certificate plugin and the version Moodle reports.
- Choose the installation or upgrade action presented by Moodle and confirm it.
- Wait for the page to finish. Do not close the browser while database changes are being applied.
- Read any error or warning before continuing. A missing PHP extension, wrong folder name, unsupported Moodle branch, or inadequate database permission must be fixed before the activity is used.
If the plugin does not appear on Notifications, turn on or inspect the administrator debugging information, confirm the exact path is moodle/mod/customcert, check file ownership, and purge Moodle caches from Site administration > Development > Purge all caches. Then reload Notifications. A second nested folder is one of the most common causes of non-detection.
Configure Custom certificate site-wide
Once Notifications completes successfully, open Site administration > Plugins > Custom certificate. The available settings can vary by plugin release, but the administration area is where you establish defaults and manage certificate design resources.
Prepare templates and images
- Create a template for the paper size, orientation, margins, and visual layout your organization uses.
- Upload approved images, such as a logo, seal, or signature, through the plugin’s image controls rather than linking to an unstable external file.
- Use clear file names and keep source artwork at a resolution suitable for the PDF size. Replace outdated logos in a controlled change rather than editing a live template immediately before an awards run.
- Use the optional position coordinates when an element must align precisely. Record the coordinate choices with the template so another administrator can reproduce the layout.
Preview a certificate with representative learner data. Long names, accented characters, multiple course titles, and dates can occupy more space than the sample text used while designing a template.
Limit administrative access
Template editing and image management should be restricted to staff who maintain official certificate content. Review Moodle roles and capabilities after installation, especially on a site where course teachers can create activities but should not alter institution-wide artwork or wording.
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Add a certificate to a course
- Open the target course and turn editing on.
- Select Add an activity or resource in the relevant course section.
- Choose Custom certificate and enter a name and description that learners will understand.
- Select an existing template or create one using the activity’s template controls.
- Place the required elements, such as learner name, course name, issue date, grade, code, signature, and images. Use the coordinate options when the design needs exact placement.
- Set availability and issue rules appropriate to the course. For example, require completion of specified activities or a passing result before the certificate becomes available.
- Save the activity, then test it with a learner account or a controlled test user.
Check the generated PDF, not just the browser preview. Confirm that the learner’s name is complete, dates use the intended time zone and format, images are sharp, text does not overlap, and the download or verification behavior matches your policy.
Custom certificate versus the legacy Certificate module
The older Certificate module remains a separate Moodle plugin. It may be appropriate for a site that already depends on that module, but it is not the package described in the Custom certificate installation steps.
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|---|---|---|
| Installation folder | moodle/mod/customcert |
moodle/mod/certificate |
| Package to download | Release matched to the Moodle branch, such as the branch-specific releases listed for Moodle 5.0 or 4.4/4.5 | Version-matched Certificate ZIP |
| Installation completion | Administrator visits Site administration > Notifications | Administrator visits Site administration > Notifications |
| Template approach | Browser-based templates with uploaded images and optional position coordinates | Use the legacy module’s own configuration and template behavior |
| Runtime and compatibility | Follow the exact release requirements; Custom certificate 5.2.0 requires Moodle 5.2 and PHP 8.3 or newer | Use the requirements published for the specific legacy package |
| Third-party certificate elements | Check compatibility before major upgrades because the 5.2 series includes a major element-system/API change | Compatibility depends on the legacy module and its extensions |
Never rename a certificate folder to make it look like customcert, and never install both packages into the same folder. Moodle identifies an activity by its component and directory name.
Upgrade planning and third-party elements
The Custom certificate change log records a major element-system and API change in the 5.2 series. Sites that use third-party certificate-element plugins should test every element before upgrading. A template can install successfully while an unsupported element later fails to render a PDF.
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- Clone the production site to staging, including the database, Moodledata files, custom code, templates, and element plugins.
- Record the current Moodle branch, PHP version, Custom certificate version, and installed element plugins.
- Upgrade staging first and inspect the element plugin’s compatibility with the new API.
- Generate certificates for several users, including edge cases such as long names and missing optional values.
- Review PHP and Moodle logs for deprecation notices or rendering errors.
- Only schedule the production upgrade after the staging certificates match approved samples.
If an element fails after an upgrade, do not delete certificate records or templates as a first response. Restore the tested plugin version or disable the incompatible element in staging, identify an updated element release, and repeat the PDF tests before changing production.
Troubleshoot common installation problems
“The plugin is not detected”
- Confirm the exact path is
moodle/mod/customcert. - Remove an extra extraction directory such as
customcert-5.0.0when it sits above the real plugin files. - Check that the web server can read the files and that the code was copied to the same Moodle installation serving the URL you opened.
- Purge caches and revisit Notifications.
“The installation reports an incompatible version”
Recheck the Moodle branch and download a matching Custom certificate release. A package for Moodle 5.0 should not be substituted for one intended for 4.4/4.5, and the newest package is not automatically the correct package for an older site.
“Notifications shows an error during database installation”
Read the complete error, check database permissions and PHP requirements, and inspect the Moodle error log with debugging enabled temporarily for administrators. Correct the underlying issue, restore from backup if the change was interrupted, and rerun the controlled installation rather than repeatedly refreshing a failed request.
“The activity exists but the certificate is blank or misaligned”
- Open the template and verify that each element is enabled and positioned inside the page boundaries.
- Test with real learner data, including a long name and a course title with non-ASCII characters.
- Confirm uploaded images are present and that the template references the intended image.
- Generate a fresh PDF after saving the template; an already downloaded certificate will not change retroactively.
“A third-party element stopped working after an upgrade”
Treat this as an API-compatibility problem, particularly on the Moodle 5.2/Custom certificate 5.2 series. Compare the element plugin’s supported versions, test a compatible release on staging, and avoid issuing production certificates until the element renders correctly.
Post-installation checklist
- The Custom certificate release matches the site’s Moodle branch.
- The PHP runtime satisfies the selected release; Custom certificate 5.2.0 requires PHP 8.3 or newer with Moodle 5.2.
- The folder is exactly
mod/customcertand is readable by the web server. - Notifications completed the database/plugin installation without unresolved errors.
- Site-wide template and image settings are configured under Site administration > Plugins > Custom certificate.
- A course activity has a tested template and explicit availability or issue rules.
- A test learner can generate the intended PDF.
- Backups include the Moodle database, Moodledata, templates, images, and any third-party certificate elements.
Key answer: where the folder goes and why Notifications matters
The Custom certificate folder belongs directly in Moodle’s mod directory as mod/customcert. Moodle showing the plugin under Notifications after you copy the files is expected: file deployment only makes Moodle detect the component, while the administrator’s Notifications visit performs the database and registration step. Once that step succeeds, configure the plugin site-wide and add Custom certificate as a normal course activity.
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