---
title: "URL resource settings"
slug: "url-resource-settings"
tags: ["Totara Learn", "Reference", "Content Creator"]
updated: 2025-07-22T10:52:18Z
published: 2025-07-22T11:18:35Z
canonical: "totara.help/url-resource-settings"
---

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

# URL resource settings

## Settings

| **Settings** | **Description** | **Notes** |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Name | A name for the URL resource, this will be displayed on the course page. | - |
| External URL | The URL you wish to add. | - |
| Description | A description of the URL, which might include instructions or guidance on why the URL is useful. | - |
| Display description on course page | If enabled, the description above will be displayed on the course page just below the link to the activity or resource. | - |
| Display | This setting, together with the URL file type and whether the browser allows embedding, determines how the URL is displayed. Options may include: - **Automatic:** The best display option for the URL is selected automatically - **Display link:** A link to the URL is displayed along with the URL description - **Embed:** The URL is displayed within the page below the navigation bar together with the URL description and any blocks - **Open:** Only the URL is displayed in the browser window - **In pop-up:** The URL is displayed in a new browser window without menus or an address bar - **In frame:** The URL is displayed within a frame below the navigation bar and URL description - **New window:** The URL is displayed in a new browser window with menus and an address bar | If you are using the [**Pathway** course format](/19/docs/pathway-course-format) then you will only be able to select the **Display link** or **Embed** options. |
| Pop-up width (in pixels) | If you have chosen the **In pop-up** display option then you can set the size of the window. | - |
| Pop-up height (in pixels) | If you have chosen the **In pop-up** display option then you can set the size of the window. | - |
| Display URL description | Choose whether to display the URL description for the **In frame** or **Embed** display options. | - |
| URL variables | Some internal Totara variables may be automatically appended to the URL. Type your name for the parameter into each text box and then select the required matching variable. There are a number of **&parameter=variable** fields for you to enter the variable name into, with a dropdown menu alongside it to select the varibale (such as course id, user fullname and URL cmid). | - |
| Common module settings | See the [Common module settings](/19/docs/common-module-settings) page for more information. | - |
| Restrict access | See the [restricting access](/19/docs/restricting-access-to-course-activities) documentation for more information. | - |
| Activity completion | See the [Activity completion](/19/docs/activity-completion) page for more information. | - |
| Tags | See the [tags](/19/docs/what-are-tags) documentation for more information. | - |

## Plugin settings

If you go to *Quick-access menu > Plugins > Activity modules > URL* you can configure the site-wide settings and defaults.

Remember to click **Save changes** once you are finished.

| **Setting** | **Description** | **Notes** |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Frame height | When a web page or an uploaded file is displayed within a frame, this value is the height (in pixels) of the top frame (which contains the navigation). | - |
| Password | This secret phrase is used to produce encrypted code value that can be sent to some servers as a parameter. The encrypted code is produced by an md5 value of the current user IP address concatenated with your secret phrase. ie code = md5(IP.secretphrase). Please note that this is not reliable because IP address may change and is often shared by different computers. | - |
| Include role names in parameters | Enable if you want to include localised role names in the list of available parameter variables. | - |
| Available display options | Select all options that should be available, existing settings are not modified. Hold the CTRL key to select multiple fields. | - |
| Display URL description | Display the URL description below content. Some display types may not display descriptions even if enabled. | - |
| Display | Choose display type. Unfortunately not all types are suitable for all URLs. | - |
| Pop-up width (in pixels) | Specifies default width of popup windows. | - |
| Pop-up height (in pixels) | Specifies default height of popup windows. | - |

You can also go to [Experimental features](/19/docs/experimental-features) and enable dragging and dropping of text and links onto a course page. If enabled, when a link is dropped on the page Totara will offer to add it to the course as a URL.

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

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