BigBlueButton allows teachers and learners to conduct live online classes, meetings, and webinars directly within Moodle. Before teachers can create BigBlueButton activities in their courses, the BigBlueButton integration must first be enabled and configured by a Site Administrator.
You will need the BigBlueButton server URL and Secret Key provided by your organization or BigBlueButton server administrator.
Step 1: Go to Site administration → Plugins → Activity modules → Manage activities.
Locate BigBlueButton in the list of available activities.
If BigBlueButton is disabled, click the Enable icon to activate it.
Once enabled, BigBlueButton will become available as an activity that can be added to Moodle courses.
Step 2: Configure the BigBlueButton settings.
Go to:
Site administration → Plugins → Activity modules → BigBlueButton
You will be redirected to the BigBlueButton configuration page.
Enter the following information provided by your organization or BigBlueButton server administrator:
BigBlueButton Server URL – Enter the URL of the BigBlueButton server that Moodle will connect to.
Secret Key – Enter the secret key associated with the BigBlueButton server.
Make sure that both values are entered correctly. The server URL and Secret Key must correspond to the same BigBlueButton server.
After entering the required information, scroll to the bottom of the page and click Save changes.
Step 3: Test the BigBlueButton connection.
After saving the configuration, go to any course where you have permission to add activities.
Turn Edit mode on, then click Add an activity or resource.
Select BigBlueButton from the list of available activities.
Enter a name for the session, for example:
BigBlueButton Test Session
Save the activity.
Step 4: Join the test session.
Open the BigBlueButton activity you created and click Join session.
If the integration is configured correctly, Moodle should connect to the BigBlueButton server and open the virtual meeting room.
Depending on your browser and BigBlueButton configuration, you may be prompted to allow access to your microphone or other browser permissions.
Step 5: Verify the BigBlueButton session.
Once inside the meeting room, verify that:
The BigBlueButton meeting room loads successfully.
You can join the session without receiving a connection error.
The presentation area loads correctly.
Your microphone can be connected, if required.
Participants can enter the session.
The session can be ended successfully.
If the test session opens successfully and the meeting features are working as expected, the BigBlueButton integration is ready to be used by teachers and learners.
Troubleshooting
If the BigBlueButton activity cannot connect to the server, check the following:
Confirm that the BigBlueButton Server URL is correct.
Confirm that the Secret Key is correct and does not contain extra spaces.
Verify that the URL and Secret Key were provided for the same BigBlueButton server.
Make sure the BigBlueButton activity is enabled under Manage activities.
Confirm that the BigBlueButton server is online and accessible.
Try creating and joining another test session.
If the connection continues to fail after verifying the configuration, contact your organization's BigBlueButton server administrator or technical support team for further assistance.