Change your course access format
In this article: How to switch your course between Full Access, Calendar-Based Release Dates, and Individual Release Dates, and what to consider before you do.
All Plans
The three course access formats
Before changing your course type, here's a quick refresher on what each one does:
- Full Access — Students see all course content the moment they enroll. Best for self-paced courses where students work through material on their own schedule.
- Calendar-Based Release Dates — Modules unlock on specific calendar dates you set (e.g., Module 1 on March 1, Module 2 on March 8). Best for live cohorts where everyone moves through the course together.
- Individual Release Dates — Modules unlock based on the number of days after each student enrolls (e.g., Day 1, Day 8, Day 15). Best for evergreen courses where students enroll at different times but you still want a structured pace.
For a deeper look at choosing the right format, see Choose the right course type.
When you might want to change
Common scenarios:
- You launched as Full Access (self-paced) and want to switch to a drip-release schedule for your next cohort.
- You ran a live cohort with Calendar-Based dates and now want to make the course evergreen with Individual Release Dates.
- You're testing different formats to see what works best for your students.
Change your course type
- Open the Manage Course menu for your course (use Cmd+K on Mac or Ctrl+K on Windows).
- Click Course Settings under the Actions column.
- Click Change course type.
- Select the course type you want:
- Full Access — all content available immediately
- Calendar-Based Release Dates — you'll set specific dates for each module
- Individual Release Dates — you'll set the number of days after enrollment for each module
- If you chose a drip-release option, click Set module scheduling to configure your release schedule.
- Save your changes.
Tip: The default for every new course is Full Access. If you're just getting started and aren't sure which type to pick, Full Access is a safe starting point. You can always switch later.
What happens when you change
Switching course types takes effect going forward. Here's what to keep in mind:
- New students will experience the course under the new type immediately.
- Existing students may be affected depending on the direction of the change. If you switch from Full Access to a drip-release type, students who already had access to all content may find some modules locked based on the new schedule.
- Your content is preserved. Changing the course type never deletes or rearranges your modules and lessons. It only changes when students can see them.
- Messages and scheduling: If you switch to a drip-release type, review your Messages settings. Calendar-Based and Individual Release courses have additional automated message options (like Start of Module emails) that you may want to configure.
Note: If you have active students currently working through your course, changing the course type mid-stream can be disorienting for them. Consider making the switch between cohorts, or sending a course-wide message to let students know what's changing and why.
Important considerations before switching
- Calendar-Based to Individual Release (or vice versa): You'll need to reconfigure your module release schedule, since the two types use different scheduling methods (fixed dates vs. days after enrollment).
- Drip-release to Full Access: All content becomes immediately available to every enrolled student. There's no way to "undo" this for students who've already seen the content.
- Full Access to drip-release: Students who previously had access to everything may temporarily lose access to modules that haven't reached their scheduled release date.
You can change your course type as many times as you need. There's no limit.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will current students be affected if I change the course type?
It depends on the change. Switching from Full Access to a drip-release type may lock modules that students previously had access to. Switching from drip-release to Full Access opens everything up immediately. If you have active students, consider timing the switch between cohorts or notifying them in advance.
Can I switch back to the original course type if I change my mind?
Yes. You can change your course type at any time, as many times as you need. Go to Manage Course → Course Settings → Change course type to switch. Your content is never deleted or moved when you change types.
What happens to my scheduled content if I switch course types?
Your module release schedule is tied to the course type. If you switch from Calendar-Based to Individual Release (or vice versa), you'll need to set up the schedule again using the new type's method. If you switch to Full Access, all scheduling is removed and everything becomes available immediately.