Relocating Advanced Settings
Overview
We propose migrating all ~70 Advanced Settings in Studio into clearer homes across Studio’s configuration, reducing the use for this advanced settings page for now common or stable tools that have other settings spaces. While we may always have an advanced settings home it should be far less common to basic authoring workflows than it is today.
Problem
The Advanced Settings page centralizes too many unrelated options, making it difficult for course authors to know where to look. This slows down course setup, creates confusion, and adds unnecessary support burden.
Use Cases
As a course author, I need settings grouped by context (e.g., exams, components, enrollment) in order to configure my course without confusion.
As an instructor, I need to access course policies directly in relevant areas in order to save time and reduce errors.
Supporting Data
At Schema, we mapped all configurations available in the Studio Advanced Settings tab into a database. We then categorized them to identify their natural home in the platform and to design a clearer reorganization. Our analysis so far shows the following (numbers may change as research continues):
69 total configurations identified.
Number | Note | Discuss link with details |
|---|---|---|
15 related to Content Blocks | To be moved into each block once the Visually Configure Course Blocks project advances. | https://discuss.openedx.org/t/relocating-content-block-settings-back-to-xblocks/17126 |
10 related to Enrollment | Aligned with our proposal to improve the course enrollment authoring experience in Studio through a dedicated interface. | |
8 to keep in Advanced Settings | To keep, and to improve in Advanced Settings | https://discuss.openedx.org/t/modernize-ui-options-for-advanced-settings/17269 |
6 related to Libraries | Still in review |
|
6 already exist in Pages & Resources | Already exist in Pages & Resources as switches but are duplicated in Advanced Settings | https://discuss.openedx.org/t/clean-up-advanced-settings-already-in-pages-resources/17163 |
5 are general settings of the course and 2 are related with Schedule | They can be relocated when we separate Schedule and Details page | |
5 related to Special Exams | Can be relocated into a new Special Exams page under Pages & Resources. | |
4 related to Legacy Discussion | Still in review |
|
3 related to Certificates | Can be relocated to the Certificates tab | https://discuss.openedx.org/t/relocating-certificate-settings-into-the-certificates-tab/17268 |
3 related to Grading | Can be relocated under the Grading tab | https://discuss.openedx.org/t/move-grading-related-advanced-settings-into-the-grading-page/17241 |
1 related with Instructors and 1 with mobile configuration | Still in review |
|
We presented this proposal during the Educator Working Group meeting, and participants shared valuable feedback about it. There was strong agreement on the value of identifying groups of related configurations and moving them to more intuitive locations in Studio.
Educators mentioned that most users are not even aware that the Advanced Settings page exists, what can be configured there, or how to use it. They described it as confusing and inconsistent, with options that appear randomly placed and difficult to find. As a result, many educators avoid using it altogether.
This feedback supports the project’s direction, showing that the current experience is not accessible to most course authors. Moving these configurations to clearer and more contextual locations would make them easier to find and understand, improving accessibility for non-technical users and helping educators take full advantage of the platform’s capabilities.
Additionally, there was a suggestion to keep Advanced Settings as a lightweight space for experimental or rarely used configurations, since it allows the addition of new or temporary options without requiring new front-end development.
Meeting recording here (35:27): https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/play/T4cs3V_o7mlTHsZg7xYEhMpkc4439L_6jiD-7SAYy-TbV2ZBHQJ0tnqDKmSipO0ddbO3TQpwcqrCB7C_.rVJyvmp_NlVxMMnl?eagerLoadZvaPages=sidemenu.billing.plan_management&isReferralProgramEnabled=false&isReferralProgramAvailable=false&accessLevel=meeting&canPlayFromShare=true&from=share_recording_detail&startTime=1760979521000&componentName=rec-play&originRequestUrl=https%3A%2F%2Fus02web.zoom.us%2Frec%2Fshare%2FOXBtr1kKbCQAmpkTZo5FZTJwo_GXbIOZYZ1jyZ36hHgsCUU21AZxgCJpIiQasTcw.Krg3fNwdgwaJgu8X%3FstartTime%3D1760979521000 code: 3uTR=$g?