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For a current Moodle site, install Custom certificate (mod_customcert) by matching its release to your Moodle branch, placing the extracted customcert folder in Moodle’s mod directory, and then visiting Site administration > Notifications as an administrator. Moodle detects the files and presents the database installation step. After that, configure the plugin under Site administration > Plugins > Custom certificate, then add it as an activity in a course.
Do not copy the older certificate module when you intend to install Custom certificate. They are different Moodle plugins with different folders, release lines, and compatibility considerations.
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The current general-purpose choice is Custom certificate (mod_customcert). It is a free Moodle activity plugin for creating dynamically generated PDF certificates and customizing their layouts in a web browser. The current Moodle Marketplace listing reports support for Moodle 5.0, 5.1, 5.2, and 5.3, with a latest release dated 11 October 2026.
“Supported” does not mean that one download works on every Moodle installation. Custom certificate publishes branch-specific releases. Select the package whose compatibility declaration matches the Moodle branch running your site, and verify the PHP requirement before uploading files.
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Version matching at a glance
| Moodle installation | Custom certificate release information | What to verify |
|---|---|---|
| Moodle 5.0 | A 5.0.0 release is listed for Moodle 5.0. | Use the Moodle 5.0 package and confirm the PHP version accepted by that release. |
| Moodle 5.1 | The current listing includes Moodle 5.1 support. | Choose the package identified for the 5.1 branch rather than assuming the 5.0 package is interchangeable. |
| Moodle 5.2 | Version 5.2.0 requires Moodle 5.2 or newer. | PHP 8.3 or newer is the stated minimum for 5.2.0; check third-party element compatibility before upgrading. |
| Moodle 5.3 | The current listing includes Moodle 5.3 support. | Use the release marked for your 5.3 branch and follow its own PHP requirement. |
| Moodle 4.4 or 4.5 | A 4.4.6 release is listed for Moodle 4.4/4.5. | Use the 4.4/4.5-compatible package, not a Moodle 5.x package. |
For a site on another branch, use the release information in the Moodle Plugins directory to locate the branch-specific package. The branch number in the plugin release is the deciding compatibility signal; the plugin’s name alone is not enough.
Why PHP and element plugins matter
Custom certificate 5.2.0 states, “Minimum supported version is Moodle 5.2 (PHP 8.3+).” A Moodle upgrade can therefore require both a newer Custom certificate release and a newer PHP runtime. Check PHP before you copy files, especially when moving from a 4.x or early 5.x branch to Moodle 5.2.
The 5.2 series also includes a major element-system and API change. If your certificates use third-party certificate-element plugins, test those elements against the target release before upgrading. A core Custom certificate installation may complete successfully while an old element plugin fails when a template is edited or a certificate is generated.
Custom certificate versus the legacy Certificate module
Moodle documentation describes a separate, older Certificate module. It can still appear in installation instructions or on an existing site, but it is not the same plugin as Custom certificate. Use the comparison below before downloading anything.
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| Decision point | Custom certificate (mod_customcert) | Legacy Certificate module |
|---|---|---|
| Primary purpose | Browser-based creation of dynamically generated PDF certificates with customizable templates and elements. | Older certificate activity with its own implementation and package. |
| Folder placed in Moodle | customcert inside the Moodle mod directory. |
certificate inside the Moodle mod directory. |
| Package selection | Choose a release matched to the Moodle branch; current listing covers Moodle 5.0–5.3. | Use a version-matched ZIP for the legacy module. |
| Template customization | Site settings cover templates, uploaded images, and optional position coordinates; course users can create or select templates. | Not established in the current Custom certificate documentation; its configuration is separate. |
| Maintenance information | The current listing reports a release on 11 October 2026. | Current maintenance cadence is not stated. |
| PHP/runtime note | Release 5.2.0 requires Moodle 5.2 and PHP 8.3 or newer. | Use the PHP and Moodle requirements published for the particular legacy ZIP. |
| Third-party elements | Check compatibility because the 5.2 series changes the element system/API. | Element compatibility is specific to the legacy module and its add-ons. |
Never rename a legacy certificate folder to customcert, and never place both packages in the same folder. Moodle identifies the plugin by its component and directory name.
Prepare the site before installing
Installation changes the Moodle code tree and adds database objects. Complete these checks before uploading or cloning anything:
- Confirm the exact Moodle branch, such as 4.4, 5.0, 5.1, 5.2, or 5.3.
- Record the PHP version used by the web server and compare it with the selected Custom certificate release.
- Download the package intended for that Moodle branch. Do not select a package solely because it is the newest file in a download list.
- Confirm that you have a Moodle administrator account. The final installation prompt is presented on the Notifications page to an administrator.
- Make a recoverable backup of the Moodle database and the Moodle code/configuration before changing the
moddirectory. - If the site is busy, schedule the change and place it in maintenance mode according to your normal Moodle operations procedure so users do not create activities while the plugin is being installed.
- If existing templates use third-party certificate elements, make a list of those elements and test them on a staging copy before a major Moodle or Custom certificate upgrade.
Install Custom certificate from a ZIP file
The ZIP method is usually the simplest deployment when you have access to the Moodle files but do not manage the code with Git.
- Identify the matching release. In the Moodle Plugins directory, select the Custom certificate package for the site’s Moodle branch and check its PHP requirement.
- Download the package. Save the ZIP on the machine from which you will deploy it. Keep the original file until you have confirmed that the installation works.
- Extract the archive once. The extracted plugin directory must be named
customcert. Avoid a nested path such ascustomcert/customcert; Moodle needs the component files directly inside the folder it scans. - Open the Moodle installation’s
moddirectory. This is the directory that already contains Moodle activity folders. Copy the completecustomcertfolder into it. - Preserve permissions and ownership. The web server must be able to read the files, while your deployment policy should prevent unintended write access. Do not alter Moodle’s existing permission model just to make the plugin visible.
- Sign in as a Moodle administrator. Open Site administration > Notifications. Moodle scans for new plugin code and should display the Custom certificate database/plugin installation step.
- Run the installation prompt. Review the displayed component and continue. Moodle creates or updates the required database structures and completes the installation.
- Verify the plugin page. After the prompt finishes, open Site administration > Plugins > Custom certificate. If that page is available, the plugin code and installation step have both been recognized.
Copying files alone is not the installation. The Notifications step is what tells Moodle to register the new plugin and apply its database changes.
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Install Custom certificate with Git
Git is useful when your Moodle code is managed as a repository and you need repeatable updates. Run these commands from Moodle’s mod directory:
git clone https://github.com/mdjnelson/moodle-mod_customcert.git customcert- Change to the Moodle
moddirectory before running the clone command. The finalcustomcertargument makes the checkout directory match Moodle’s required plugin folder name. - Inspect the repository’s available branches and identify the branch that corresponds to the Moodle version running your site.
- Check out that matching branch. Do not leave the repository on an unrelated development or default branch just because the clone succeeded.
- Confirm that the resulting path is the Moodle installation’s
mod/customcertdirectory and that the plugin files are not one level deeper. - Review file ownership and permissions using the same standards as the rest of your Moodle code.
- Log in as an administrator and visit Site administration > Notifications to execute Moodle’s detected-plugin installation.
Git does not remove the need to match versions. A successful clone only proves that Git downloaded files; it does not prove that those files support your Moodle branch or PHP runtime.
Finish installation from Notifications
When Moodle detects a new activity plugin, the Notifications page presents the installation or upgrade action. This is expected behavior, not an error message. Complete it while logged in with administrative privileges.
If Notifications shows a Custom certificate installation prompt, read the component name and version before continuing. If it reports a PHP or Moodle compatibility problem, stop and install the release matched to the site rather than forcing the process. If the prompt completes, reload the page and confirm that no pending database upgrade remains.
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What to do if the plugin does not appear
- Check that the folder is exactly
customcert, all lowercase, inside the correct Moodlemoddirectory. - Open the folder and verify that the plugin files are not hidden inside an additional extracted directory.
- Confirm that you copied the Custom certificate package, not the legacy
certificatepackage. - Check that the web server account can read the files and that the deployment was made to the same Moodle code directory used by the running site.
- Sign out and back in as a site administrator, then reload Site administration > Notifications.
- If the page displays a compatibility warning, replace the package with the branch- and PHP-matched release instead of suppressing the warning.
Configure Custom certificate site-wide
After installation, open Site administration > Plugins > Custom certificate. The documented controls include:
- Templates: define reusable certificate designs that course activities can use.
- Uploaded images: provide logos, seals, backgrounds, or other graphic assets used by templates.
- Position coordinates: optionally set precise coordinates for certificate elements when the default placement does not fit the design.
Keep the site-wide configuration focused on reusable design assets and defaults. Course-specific issue conditions belong in the activity settings, where teachers can choose a template and define when a learner can receive a certificate.
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- Open the target Moodle course and turn editing on according to your site’s normal course workflow.
- Choose Add an activity or resource, then select Custom certificate.
- Enter the activity name and save the basic settings.
- Create a new template or select an existing template available to the course. Add the required certificate elements and arrange them on the page.
- Upload or select the images used by the template and adjust element coordinates when exact placement is needed.
- Set the issue and availability rules appropriate to the course. These rules determine when learners can access or generate their certificates.
- Save the activity, preview the certificate as an appropriate test user, and verify the PDF layout, names, dates, images, and completion conditions before opening it to learners.
Template design and activity rules are separate decisions: a visually correct template can still issue at the wrong time if its availability or completion conditions are not configured carefully.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Upgrade considerations for Moodle 5.2 and later
Plan a Custom certificate upgrade as a compatibility project when moving to the 5.2 series. Version 5.2.0 raises the minimum environment to Moodle 5.2 with PHP 8.3 or newer and changes the element system/API.
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- Clone or restore the production site to a staging environment.
- Upgrade the staging Moodle core and PHP runtime to the versions required by the target Custom certificate release.
- Install the matching Custom certificate branch in staging and run the Notifications upgrade step.
- Open representative templates, including every template that uses a third-party element plugin.
- Generate test certificates and inspect the PDF output, element placement, images, and issue conditions.
- Only after the staging checks pass, schedule the production upgrade, back up the database, deploy the matching plugin code, and complete the Notifications step.
If a third-party element fails after the upgrade, do not assume the core plugin installation is broken. The documented API change means the element itself may need an updated release or replacement before affected templates can be used safely.
Installing the legacy Certificate module instead
Use these steps only when a site specifically requires the older Certificate module or an existing course depends on it:
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- Obtain the legacy Certificate ZIP that is explicitly matched to the site’s Moodle version.
- Extract it and confirm that the plugin directory is named
certificate. - Copy the
certificatefolder into Moodle’smoddirectory. - Log in as an administrator and visit Site administration > Notifications.
- Complete the detected-plugin installation prompt and verify that the legacy activity is available.
Do not substitute this folder for Custom certificate’s customcert folder. If your goal is browser-based template customization with the current Custom certificate release line, install customcert instead.
Quick Recap
Installation checklist
- The Moodle branch was identified before downloading.
- The Custom certificate release matches that branch.
- The PHP runtime satisfies the release requirement; for 5.2.0, that means PHP 8.3 or newer.
- The extracted directory is exactly
mod/customcert. - Git users checked out the branch corresponding to the Moodle version.
- An administrator completed the installation under Site administration > Notifications.
- The site-wide page at Site administration > Plugins > Custom certificate opens successfully.
- Templates, images, and optional coordinates were configured.
- The activity was added to a course with appropriate issue and availability rules.
- Third-party certificate elements were tested before any major upgrade.
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