---
title: "Add an external tool to a course"
slug: "add-an-external-tool-to-a-course"
tags: ["Totara Learn", "Site Administrator", "How-to"]
updated: 2024-09-26T14:18:07Z
published: 2024-09-26T14:18:07Z
canonical: "totara.help/add-an-external-tool-to-a-course"
---

> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://totara.help/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Add an external tool to a course

The external tool activity in Totara lets you incorporate content from external LTI tool providers. LTI stands for Learning Tools Interoperability, which is a standard for developing and integrating external learning applications with a learning platform such as Totara. Using LTI, external learning applications can receive data from and send data to your Totara site. Course Creators can add an external tool directly to a course. Alternatively, a Site Administrator can [add one at the system level](/18/docs/add-an-external-tool-at-site-level), so that Course Creators can reuse it throughout the site, which is useful for shared applications.

Totara supports LTI 1.0, LTI 1.1, LTI 1.3, LTI 2.0 and the [LTI Advantage](https://www.imsglobal.org/lti-advantage-overview) extensions, the latter of which adds:

- **Names and Role Provisioning Services:** Securely sends details for course participants and groups
- **Deep Linking:** A better way of adding links and content from an external tool
- **Assignment and Grade Services:** Transmits grades and comments left by a Trainer between Totara and the external tool

Note that Totara only supports LTI 1.3 as a consumer, i.e. using external content within Totara. Using Totara as a provider, i.e. exporting content to other sites, is not supported.

To add an external tool to your course page, follow these steps:

1. Click **Turn editing on.**
2. Select **External Tool** from the **Add an activity / resource** menu.
3. Enter the activity name, this is the name that appears on the course page for learners.
4. Customise the available [settings](/18/docs/external-tool-activity-settings).
5. Click **Save and display** (or **Save and return to course**).

## Next steps

- [Add an external tool at site level](/18/docs/add-an-external-tool-at-site-level)
- [Manage external tools](/18/docs/manage-external-tools)
- [External tool activity settings](/18/docs/external-tool-activity-settings)

Join the [Totara Community](https://totara.community/) for more resources to help you get the most out of Totara.

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