How to Check Your Moodle Version

Knowing which Moodle version your site runs is essential for troubleshooting, checking feature availability, and confirming compatibility with plugins or themes. This guide walks you through the quickest ways to find the version number, whether you are an administrator, teacher, or student.

What You’ll Need

• Access to your Moodle site (any user role works for some methods).
• For the most detailed version info: administrator privileges.
• A web browser (Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Safari, etc.).

Step-by-Step

1. Check the footer of your Moodle page. Most Moodle sites display the version in the page footer. Scroll to the very bottom of any page. Look for a line like “Moodle 4.1+” or “Moodle 3.11.7+ (Build: 20231009)”. If you see it, that’s your version. If not, proceed to the next step.
2. Look in the “Site administration” menu (administrators only). Log in as an administrator. In the left navigation panel (or the gear menu on the top right), click Site administration. Then click Server → System information (or Environment in older versions). The first line under the “Moodle” section shows the full version and release, e.g., “Moodle 4.1.2 (Build: 20230605)”.
3. Check the “About Moodle” page (administrators only). In the same Site administration menu, click Server → Moodle information (or About Moodle). This page lists the version, release, and other environment details.
4. Use the “Switch role to…” feature (teachers/managers). If you have the “moodle/role:switchroles” capability, you can view the footer version as if you were a student. Click your profile picture (top right) → Switch role to… → choose Student. Then scroll to the footer. Remember to switch back to your normal role afterwards.
5. Check the version via the “Upgrade” page (administrators only). Go to Site administration → Notifications. If an upgrade is available, the page will show the current version and the new version. Even if no upgrade is pending, the page often displays the current version at the top.
6. Look in the source code (any user). Right-click on any Moodle page and select View Page Source (or press Ctrl+U / Cmd+U). Search (Ctrl+F / Cmd+F) for “moodle”. You may find a meta tag like <meta name="keywords" content="moodle, ..."> or a comment that includes the version, though this is less reliable because many sites hide it.
7. Check the version.php file (if you have server access). If you can access the Moodle installation files on the server, open the file /path/to/moodle/version.php in a text editor. The $version variable (e.g., 2023100900.00) and $release (e.g., 4.1.2) are clearly listed. This is the most accurate method.

Common Mistakes

• Confusing the “release” with the “version”. The release is the human-readable name like “Moodle 4.1”, while the version is a numeric build like 2023100900.00. Both are useful, but for compatibility checks, the release is usually what you need.
• Looking at the browser’s cached version. If you’ve recently updated Moodle, your browser might still show the old footer. Hard-refresh (Ctrl+F5 / Cmd+Shift+R) to load the latest page.
• Checking the footer on a custom theme. Some themes hide the footer version for aesthetic reasons. If you don’t see it, don’t assume the site is outdated—use another method.
• Assuming the version shown to students is the same as the admin’s. It is, but if you’re using a “role switch”, the footer may still show the admin version if the theme doesn’t differentiate. Better to check as an admin.

Tips

• Use the “System information” page as the definitive source. It shows the exact build and release, which is what you need when reporting issues or checking plugin compatibility.
• Bookmark the admin system info page for quick access in the future.
• If you’re a teacher without admin access, ask your site administrator for the version—they can see it in seconds.
• Write down the version somewhere when you first check it, so you can track updates over time.
• When asking for help in forums, always include the full release (e.g., “Moodle 4.1.2+ (Build: 20230605)”)—it helps others diagnose your issue faster.

Troubleshooting

• If the footer doesn’t show a version: The theme may have removed it. Try switching to a default theme temporarily (as admin) or use the Site administration → System information page.
• If you can’t access Site administration: You’re not an admin. Ask your site administrator for the version, or try the “View Page Source” method (though it may not work if the site hides it).
• If the System information page is blank or errors: There may be a server issue. Try refreshing, clearing your browser cache, or checking the server error logs (if you have access).
• If you find the version but it’s very old (e.g., 2.x): Be aware that old Moodle versions are unsupported and may have security vulnerabilities. Recommend your administrator upgrade as soon as possible.
• If you’re using the mobile app: The app doesn’t display the site version. Use a web browser instead.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I check the Moodle version without being an administrator?

Yes, the footer often shows it, and you can also view the page source. However, the most reliable method (System information) requires admin rights.

What does the version number like “2023100900.00” mean?

It’s a build timestamp in the format YYYYMMDDNN. The first four digits are the year, the next two the month, the next two the day, and the last two are a sequence number for that day’s builds.

Is the version shown in the footer always accurate?

Usually yes, but custom themes or caching can hide or delay it. Always verify with the System information page if you need certainty.

My Moodle says “Moodle 4.1+” – what does the plus mean?

The plus sign indicates that the site is on the latest security release of that branch (e.g., 4.1.x). It’s a shorthand used in the footer to avoid showing the full build.

How do I check the version from the command line?

If you have SSH access, you can run php -r 'require("/path/to/moodle/version.php"); echo $release;' from the Moodle root directory.

Why does my Moodle version matter?

It determines which plugins and themes are compatible, whether you’re eligible for support, and whether you’re vulnerable to known security issues. Always keep Moodle up to date.

Related

• Chromecast Keeps Crashing? Fixes That Work
• Temporary Email Addresses: Best Sites & How to Use
• How to Evaluate an AI Startup Before Adopting