---
url: /certificates/open-badges.md
description: >-
  Issue each RootWright LMS Pro certificate as a signed Open Badges 3.0
  credential that learners can download, add to LinkedIn or keep in a digital
  wallet.
---

# Open Badges for course certificates in RootWright LMS

With Open Badges on, learners can download each certificate as a signed Open Badges 3.0 credential and add it to a digital wallet or a profile such as LinkedIn. In RootWright LMS Pro, switch on **Issue Open Badges** under **Settings → Learning → Certificates → Open Badges**. It is on by default.

::: pro
Open Badges need RootWright LMS Pro. The switch is greyed out if your server's PHP has no OpenSSL extension.
:::

## Turn Open Badges on or off

![The Open Badges section](/images/certificates/open-badges-01-settings.jpg)

*Settings → Certificates → Open Badges.*

A badge shows the learner's name, the course, the date and your site's name, plus a scrambled form of their email that only someone who already knows the address can match.

Turning **Issue Open Badges** off stops new badges. Badges learners already downloaded stay valid.

## Choose the badge type for a course

Each course that awards a certificate has an **Open Badge type**, under the course's **Certificate** section. It decides how wallets and profiles file the badge.

![The Open Badge type card in a course's Certificate section](/images/certificates/open-badges-02-course-type.jpg)

*Course builder → Certificate → Open Badge type.*

| Type | Use it when |
|---|---|
| **Course completion** | The learner finished this course. Right for most courses. The default. |
| **Professional or program certificate** | The learner has the skills of a profession or a full program, usually shown by graded work. |

New downloads use the type you pick. Badges already downloaded keep theirs.

## What learners see

Learners find the badge buttons on each certificate under **Achievements** on their dashboard. The buttons below are from the plugin code.

* **Download badge** downloads the badge.
* **Add to LinkedIn** opens LinkedIn in a new tab to add the certificate to their profile.
* The **⋯** button (**More badge options**) has **Download .jwt**, the signed credential for a wallet, and **Copy badge link**.

The buttons only appear while **Issue Open Badges** is on.

## Related

* [Design certificates](/certificates/certificate-studio)
* [How students get certificates](/certificates/student-certificates)
* [The student dashboard](/students/student-dashboard)