Moodle: Text Editor

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Introduction

The text editor (sometimes referred to as a text box) has many icons to assist you in entering content, whether creating an activity, resource, or submitting an assignment. Many of these icons and functions should be familiar to anyone who uses a word processor. See below to learn more about Moodle’s text editor.

Text editor layout

Each icon on the text editor tool bar has a unique function.

 

Corresponding Functions of Text Editor Icons

  1. Show More Buttons

  2. Paragraph Styles

  3. Font Size

  4. Bold

  5. Italic

  6. Font Colors

  7. Background Color

  8. Styles

  9. Bullet Point List

  10. Numbered List

  11. Outdent

  12. Indent

  13. Link

  14. Unlink

  15. Prevent Auto Link

  16. Paste Special

  1. Insert or Edit Image

  2. Insert or Edit an Audio/Video File

  3. Insert from Panopto

  4. Manage Files

  5. Record Audio

  6. Record Video

  7. Insert H5P Content

  8. Underline

  9. Strikethrough

  10. Subscript

  11. Superscript

  12. Ruby/Furigana

  13. Left Align

  14. Center Align

  15. Right Align

  16. Left to Right

  1. Right to Left

  2. Horizontal Rule

  3. Equation Editor

  4. Chemistry Editor

  5. Emoticon

  6. Insert Character

  7. Table 

  8. Clear Formatting

  9. HTML

  10. Undo

  11. Redo

  12. Audio Recorder

  13. Video Recorder

  14. Insert a Widget

  15. Toggle Full Screen

 

Image drag and drop

If your browser allows it, you can add images into the editor simply by dragging them from your computer:

Image of flag dropped into text box

Drag an image directly into the editor

Autosave

Text typed into the editor is automatically saved every 60 seconds. If you leave the form without submitting, the text in the editor will be restored next time you open the page.

Accessibility checker

One of the tools available in the text editor, located under More Buttons, is an automated accessibility checker which checks for some common errors in the text. The list of problems that the accessibility checker looks for is:

  • Images with missing or empty alt text (unless they have the presentation role)

  • Lack of Contrast of font color and background color meets WCAG AA guidelines

  • Long blocks of text not sufficiently broken up into headings

  • Any tables without captions

  • Any tables containing merged cells as they are difficult to navigate with screen readers

  • Any tables without row or column headers

Screenreader helper

The screen reader helper provides additional information about the style of the currently selected text (e.g. is it bold), as well as a listing of any images or links in the text.

Equation editor

An equation editor button is provided in the toolbar for launching the equation editor.

Equation Editor Pop-Up Window containing 6x + 4y^2 \sqrt{2}

Equation editor

Text box containing "\( 6x + 4y^2 \sqrt{2} \)"

After saving the equation, it will appear in the text box. Once submitted, the equation will be properly formatted. 

Properly formatted equation

Equation once submitted.

Table editor

Border styling, sizing and colors are available when creating a table:

Table settings pop-up window

Modifying these settings can produce a variety of table styles. The settings pictured above will return the following table:

Questions? 

Submit a Moodle Help ticket. 

Acknowledgements

Created by Carly Born, 10/19/2020.  Last modified by Fiona Ibrahim ‘25, 10/4/24. 

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