Create and Organise Private Files in Moodle

Step by step instructions 

• Access the private files area
• Upload a file to the private files area
• Use a private file in an activity
• Use a private file in a course 
• Private files storage
• Organise Private files 

Access the private files area

1. Navigate to your dashboard by logging on to Moodle.
   
2. Turn page editing on by clicking the customise this page button on the top-right of the page.
   
3. Add the "private files" block by clicking "add a block" and selecting "private files"
   
4. You will now see the block on the left hand side of your screen
   

Upload a file to the private files area

1. Navigate to the My private files page by clicking on Manage private files in the Private files block.
   
2. On the My private files page, drag and drop the file into the Files box.
   
3. The file displays in the Files box. Click Save changes.
   

Use a private file in an activity

1. Navigate to an activity that allows file uploads, e.g. Discussion Forum.
   
2. In the upload section of the activity, click Add file.
   
3. Click Private files on the left-hand side, and select the file you want to upload. 
   
   

Use a private file in a course

To use a private file within one of your courses, go to the Legacy course files page and upload the file from the Private files area, before inserting it into the course from the legacy course files using the File picker.

To upload a file from your private files to the legacy course files:

1. In the Settings block, under Course administration, does Legacy course files display?
   • If yes, click it and continue to the next step.
   • If no:
     • Click Edit settings.
       
     • On the Edit course settings page, into the Legacy course files field, select Yes.
       
     • Click Save changes. Repeat step 1.
        
2. On the Legacy course files page, click Edit legacy course files.
   
   
3. On the legacy course files editing page, in the files box, click Add.
   
   
4. In the File picker, click Private files.
   
   
5. Select the desired file.
   
    
6. In the file upload window, choose either Make a copy of the file or Link to the file, complete the other fields as necessary and click Select this file.

    7. The uploaded file displays on the Manage private files page. Click Save changes.

     

The file is now uploaded to the course-specific files area. You can link it to your course in several places.

When you edit the file and upload a new version (with the same filename) to the legacy course files, users who click the link will see the updated version.

Private files storage

In the Private files page, you can check the amount of space left in your Private files storage through the tooltip shown below.

Organise private files

1. Navigate to the Private Files page.
2. On the My private files page, you can:
   • Add new files to the folder or Create folder as needed.
     
     
   • Click any folder icon to show a pop-up window where you can delete, zip, rename, move or add a path for the folder. Click Update.
     
     
   • Click any file icon to show a pop-up window where you can download, delete, rename, add author/license/path details and click Update.
     
     
3. Click Save changes on the My private files page to save your changes.