All LearnDash Shortcodes: Beginner to Advanced Guide

If you’re building an online course with LearnDash or managing eLearning content across platforms like Kajabi, Teachable, or LearnWorlds, chances are you’ve heard of LearnDash shortcodes, but do you know how to use them effectively?

This guide covers every single LearnDash shortcode, from basic to advanced, so you can structure your course content, personalize learner dashboards, and enhance user experience without writing complex code.

Whether you’re just starting out or looking to optimize a mature LMS platform, you’ll find actionable insights here.

What Are LearnDash Shortcodes?

LearnDash shortcodes are simple code snippets you can place into WordPress pages, posts, or widgets. They allow you to dynamically display course information, user data, or conditional content tied to your LMS setup.

Instead of hardcoding layouts or building from scratch, shortcodes make it easy to create personalized, responsive learning environments.

Whether you’re managing courses on LearnDash or integrating with platforms like Kajabi or Teachable, shortcodes offer precise control without needing advanced development skills.

Book 1-on-1 Consultation Call with Learndash Expert!

Here is a list of some of the most commonly used shortcodes in Learndash.

Essential LearnDash Shortcodes for Beginners

LearnDash Course List: [ld_course_list]

This learndash course list [ld_course_list] shortcode displays a list of all available courses. You can filter courses by category, tag, or user enrollment.

Example usage:

[ld_course_list]

With filters:

[ld_course_list category_name=”marketing” orderby=”title” num=”4″]

Ideal for your homepage or dashboard, this shortcode supports easy navigation and improves course discoverability.

LearnDash Lesson List: [ld_lesson_list]

Display all lessons under a specific course using:

[ld_lesson_list course_id=”123″]

Replace 123 with your actual course ID. This is perfect for a course outline or sidebar widget.

LearnDash Topic List: [ld_topic_list]

Used to list topics within a lesson. Works best on course detail pages or modules.

[ld_topic_list lesson_id=”456″]

You can also combine it with [ld_lesson_list] to build hierarchical content layouts in your courses.

LearnDash Quiz List: [ld_quiz_list]

Shows all quizzes for a specific course or lesson.

[ld_quiz_list course_id=”123″]

Making it easier for learners to quickly find and use the resources they need. Useful for creating a centralized quiz dashboard or progress tracker.

LearnDash Course Content: [course_content]

A must-have shortcode that displays lessons, topics, and quizzes for any course.

[course_content course_id=”123″]

Use this on course landing pages to show structure before enrollment.

Here’s a complete list of all available LearnDash blocks/shortcodes. Click on the name for more information on how to use them, as well as all the available parameters.

Block	Shortcode	Description
Common LearnDash Blocks/Shortcodes
LearnDash Profile	[ld_profile]	Displays basic user information (name, avatar, etc.), as well as total courses, course points, a list of enrolled courses, quiz results & certificates earned.
LearnDash User Course Points	[ld_user_course_points]	Displays the earned course points, for that user, on any page.
LearnDash Course Progress	[learndash_course_progress]	Displays a progress bar with the user’s progress for that course.
LearnDash Course List	[ld_course_list]	Displays a list of courses. Many options are available to filter & customize the output. When the Course Grid add-on is enabled, it will display courses in a grid layout.
LearnDash Lesson List	[ld_lesson_list]	Similar to [ld_course_list] but displays a list of lessons. Also works with the Course Grid add-on.
LearnDash Topic List	[ld_topic_list]	Similar to [ld_course_list] but displays a list of topics. Also works with the Course Grid add-on.
LearnDash Quiz List	[ld_quiz_list]	Similar to [ld_course_list] but displays a list of quizzes. Also works with the Course Grid add-on.
LearnDash Group List	[ld_group_list]	Similar to [ld_course_list] but displays a list of groups. Also works with the Course Grid add-on.
LearnDash Course Content	[course_content]	Displays a complete list of lessons, topics & quizzes associated with that course.
LearnDash User Groups	[user_groups]	Displays the list of groups users are assigned to as either users or leaders.
LearnDash Course Expire Status	[ld_course_expire_status]	Displays the expiration date of a course for the current user.
LearnDash Video	[ld_video]	Displays a video anywhere within a lesson or topic page. You must be usingvideo progressionfor this shortcode to work.
LearnDash Payment Buttons	[learndash_payment_buttons]	Displays the payment button for a particular course, anywhere on the page.
LearnDash Course Info	[ld_course_info]	Displays a list of registered courses, course progress details & all quizzes the user has taken.
LearnDash Login	[learndash_login]	Displays a login link that reveals the LearnDash login & registration pop-up modal when clicked.
LearnDash Certificate	[ld_certificate]	Displays a download link of an earned certificate.
LearnDash Resume Course	[ld_course_resume]	Returns a user to the last step in the Course (format: link/button).
LearnDash Reset Password	[ld_reset_password]	Creates a reset password form for the users to reset their passwords.

View all Learndash Shortcodes Here:

>>>>>LearnDash Shortcodes on Official Site

User-Based Shortcodes

LearnDash Profile: [ld_profile]

Displays the user’s list of courses, progress, and achievements points in one place.

[ld_profile]

This is commonly used on “My Dashboard” or student profile. It supports personalization in your online learning strategy.

You can also use the button at the top to quickly expand/collapse all registered course information.

The following parameters are available when using the[ld_profile] shortcode:

per_page=”10″ – sets the number of courses to display on one page, before pagination is used
course_points_user=”no” – prevents the display of a user’s earned course points (default is “yes”)
expand_all=”yes” – expands all sections of the profile (default is “no”)
orderby=”title” – determines how the courses should be sorted (default is “id”). This should be used in conjunction with the order parameter. See full list of orderby parameters
order=”ASC” – determines the order in which courses are sorted. This should be used in conjunction with the orderby parameter. Use either “ASC” or “DESC”.
profile_link=”no” – determines whether or not the profile link is shown or hidden. The default is yes.
show_quizzes=”no” – determines whether or not the users quiz attempts are shown or hidden. The default is yes.
show_search=”no” – determines whether the search functions is shown. The default is yes.
show_header=”no”– determines if the header is shown or hidden. The default is yes.
quiz_num=”5″ – sets number of quizzes to show per page when quizzes are shown & expanded. The default is to use whatever is set using per_page option.

User Course Points: [ld_user_course_points]

This [ld_user_course_points] shows how many course points a user has earned.

Simply Insert: [ld_user_course_points user_id=”current”]

Output is: Earned Course Points: 100

Gamify your LMS platform by showcasing learner progress and engagement.

Course Progress: [learndash_course_progress]

This [learndash_course_progress] shortcode shows a progress bar for a specific course.

[learndash_course_progress user_id=”current” course_id=”123″]

This tool is mainly used on course, lesson, topic, and quiz pages.

It automatically detects the current course and the logged-in user, making the learning process faster, easier, and more personalized.

Course Resume: [ld_course_resume]

Adds a “Resume” button to take the learner back to where they left off.

[ld_course_resume]

Enhances usability for long-format or multi-week courses.

User Groups: [user_groups]

Displays the groups, in which the user is a part of.

[user_groups]

Especially useful for institutions or corporate LMS environments.

Administrative and Utility Shortcodes

Learndash Group List: [ld_group_list]

The LearnDash Group List functions almost the same as the Course List, but it displays groups rather than courses.

If you offer multiple groups with self-enrollment options, this shortcode is a great way to let users easily view and join them.

[ld_group_list]

Great for large educational organizations or companies offering multiple tracks.

LearnDash Certificate: [ld_certificate]

Display a link or button to download certificates after completion.

[ld_certificate course_id=”123″]

You can include this at the end of course content or in completion emails.

LearnDash Course Expiration Status: [ld_course_expire_status]

This feature shows users the remaining time in their course, helping them track progress and manage their study schedule easily.

[ld_course_expire_status course_id=”123″]

This is important to enable the “Expire Access Setting” in the course.

When placed on a course page, the [ld_course_expire_status] shortcode automatically detects the current course and user.

It then displays a message to show the course expiration status.

Learndash Course Info: [ld_course_info]

This feature provides key course information, including enrolled users, available lessons, and course duration helping users quickly understand what the course includes.

[ld_course_info course_id=”123″

show=”enrolled,total_lessons,duration”]

Use it to add transparency to your course offerings.

Conditional Shortcodes for Dynamic Display

These shortcodes show or hide content based on a learner’s progress.

[student]Content for students only[/student]
[course_notstarted]Show if course not started[/course_notstarted]
[course_inprogress]Show if in progress[/course_inprogress]
[course_complete]Congratulations![/course_complete]
[ld_quiz_complete quiz_id=”789″]You passed![/ld_quiz_complete]
[ld_group group_id=”456″]Message for group[/ld_group]

Conditional visibility improves the learner experience by showing only relevant content.

Authentication & Access Shortcodes

LearnDash Login: [learndash_login]

The LearnDash Login shortcode lets you easily add a login link to your page, post, sidebar widget, or menu.

When someone clicks the link, the LearnDash Login Modal opens as a popup, allowing users to log in quickly without leaving the page.

[learndash_login]

This shortcode will only work if LearnDash Login & Registration is enabled. Perfect for membership sites or course portals without separate login pages.

Reset Password: [ld_reset_password]

Allows users to reset their password easily.

[ld_reset_password]

Useful on account or profile pages, especially for non-technical users.

Media and Payment Shortcodes

Video Embed: [ld_video]

Used within lessons to embed videos in your courses. This is available only as a shortcode, no Gutenberg block for it yet. You can use Gutenberg editor by utilizing the shortcode block:

[ld_video]

It supports YouTube, Vimeo, or self-hosted videos, aligning well with online learning strategy goals.

LearnDash Payment Buttons: [learndash_payment_buttons]

LearnDash Payment Buttons should be used only when you’re using LearnDash default payment methods like Stripe, PayPal, or 2Checkout.

If your site uses WooCommerce, MemberPress, or any other third-party payment platform, this shortcode won’t function properly.

When creating a custom course landing page with a page builder, you can place the payment button anywhere on your page using the [learndash_payment_buttons] shortcode or block.

This makes it easy to customize your layout and give learners quick access to the payment option.

If not used directly on a course page, you’ll want to include the course_id:

[learndash_payment_buttons course_id=”123″]

Add this to your course landing pages to streamline conversions.

Customizing Shortcodes: Parameters & Labels

Most LearnDash shortcodes support parameters like:

label_before: Add custom text before a value
label_after: Add text after a value
format: Define how the output is structured (e.g., list or grid)

Example:

[ld_course_info course_id=”123″ label_before=”Course Duration: ” format=”list”]

Understanding these customizations helps you fine-tune your eLearning course marketing layout and user experience.

Visit here for more information on: LearnDash shortcodes

Why LearnDash Shortcodes Matter?

Mastering LearnDash shortcodes puts you in control of how your content is shown, accessed, and experienced. From organizing course pages to personalizing user dashboards, these shortcodes are essential tools for any online educator.

If you’re building on LearnDash or integrating it with platforms like Kajabi, Teachable, or LearnWorlds. These shortcuts can save time, reduce friction, and improve learner engagement.

Conclusion:

Understanding and using LearnDash shortcodes can greatly enhance your LMS platform by improving its features, design flexibility, and overall user experience.

If you’re using LearnDash or other platforms like Kajabi or Teachable, shortcodes are a smart way to do more with less effort.

At SOLBASE Technologies, we help course creators build clean, user-friendly learning sites. Need help putting this all together? Hire learndash experts. We’re here when you’re ready.