Better Messages for MasterStudy LMS: Student & Instructor Messaging
The MasterStudy LMS integration for Better Messages adds a Message Instructor button on every course page, a Send Message button on the public instructor and student profiles, an auto-managed Course Group Chat tied to enrollment, and a Messages tab inside the MasterStudy account sidebar that embeds the full messenger. An optional toggle hides MasterStudy's native chat so members see only Better Messages. Works on both the free and WebSocket versions of Better Messages.
To install the plugin ensure that your website running:
- WordPress 5.9 or newer
- PHP 7.4 or newer
Installation#
How to install MasterStudy LMS#
Download MasterStudy LMS from the WordPress plugin directory and install it through the standard WordPress installation process.
How to install Better Messages with MasterStudy LMS#
- Install Better Messages through the WordPress plugins screen, or upload the plugin files to
/wp-content/plugins/bp-better-messages. - Activate the plugin through the Plugins screen.
- Go to Better Messages → Settings → Integrations → LMS to enable the integrations you want.
Supported features#
Message Instructor button on course page#
Adds a Message Instructor button to every MasterStudy course page next to the enrol/buy button. Students can open a private conversation with the course instructor with a single click.
The button is hidden for the instructor on their own course.
Enable in Better Messages → Settings → Integrations → LMS → MasterStudy LMS Integration → Message Instructor Button.
Send Message button on instructor profile#
Adds a Send Message button to the MasterStudy public instructor profile so visitors can reach the instructor directly from their profile page.
The button is rendered with the same MasterStudy button styling so it sits naturally inside the actions area next to the native MasterStudy "Send message" action. With Disable MasterStudy Messages turned on the native button is hidden and only the Better Messages one remains.
Enable in Better Messages → Settings → Integrations → LMS → MasterStudy LMS Integration → Send Message Button on Instructor Profile.
Send Message button on student profile#
Adds a Send Message button to the MasterStudy public student profile so other learners can reach the student directly from their profile page.
The button uses the same styling and behaviour as the instructor profile button, and is also hidden by Disable MasterStudy Messages when that toggle is on.
Enable in Better Messages → Settings → Integrations → LMS → MasterStudy LMS Integration → Send Message Button on Student Profile.
Course Group Chat#
When a course is opened, Better Messages automatically creates a group conversation that the instructor and every enrolled student can join. Students are added on enrollment and removed when their enrollment is deleted.
The conversation header shows the course thumbnail, title, and instructor name, so students always know which course the discussion belongs to.
Enable in Better Messages → Settings → Integrations → LMS → MasterStudy LMS Integration → Course Group Chat.
The course info card pictured above is rendered automatically above the conversation. It also appears on private DMs opened through the Message Instructor button so the recipient knows which course you are asking about. To hide it on every LMS course conversation, turn off Better Messages → Settings → Integrations → LMS → Shared Course Settings → Course Info Card.
Courses widget#
Once Course Group Chat is enabled, the user's enrolled courses surface in the dedicated Courses widget on the Mini Widgets bar, Side Panel, and Mobile bar — separate from the social Groups widget so academic chats and friend cohorts don't mix in one list.
Configure the icon, role restrictions and "Hide Tab When Empty" behaviour under Better Messages → Settings → Mini Widgets → Courses.
Shared course settings#
Three toggles under Better Messages → Settings → Integrations → LMS → Shared Course Settings apply to every LMS course conversation across LearnDash, LearnPress, Tutor LMS, MasterStudy LMS and FluentCommunity Courses:
- Course Info Card (on by default) — show the title, image and instructor name banner above each course conversation, including the private DM opened by Message Instructor. Turn off to hide the banner everywhere.
- Email Notifications (on by default) — send the standard "new message" email to participants when activity happens in a course chat. Turn off if your students do not rely on email or you want to reduce traffic.
- Push Notifications (off by default) — send browser and mobile push notifications for new course messages. Requires a WebSocket license.
Changing any of these toggles propagates across all five LMS integrations.
Messages Account Tab#
Adds a Messages tab to the MasterStudy LMS user account sidebar (at /account/messages/). The tab embeds the full Better Messages inbox so users can read and reply to conversations without leaving the MasterStudy account.
Enable in Better Messages → Settings → Integrations → LMS → MasterStudy LMS Integration → Messages Account Tab.
Disable MasterStudy Messages#
MasterStudy ships its own internal chat: a Messages entry in the user account sidebar plus Send message buttons on the public instructor and student profiles. With Better Messages installed you can keep both systems side by side, or hide MasterStudy's so visitors only see Better Messages.
Open Better Messages → Settings → Integrations → LMS → MasterStudy LMS Integration → Disable MasterStudy Messages to remove the native Messages tab from the account sidebar and hide the native Send message buttons on the instructor and student public profiles.
The native Messages page is still reachable at /account/chat/ if you have it bookmarked, but nothing in the UI links to it any more. To redirect every internal Messages link to your Better Messages tab as well, see the next section.
Use the MasterStudy account as the primary messages location#
Open Better Messages → Settings → General → Messages Location and choose Show in MasterStudy LMS Account to redirect every internal Messages link (notifications, the All messages link in mini-chats, etc.) to the Better Messages tab inside the MasterStudy account.
When this option is selected, the Messages Account Tab toggle is enabled and locked automatically — without it the redirect would have no destination.
Shortcodes for custom placement#
If the auto-injected buttons don't land where you want them (custom layout, sidebar widget, page builder, etc.), drop the matching shortcode wherever you need.
Disable the corresponding toggle (Message Instructor Button / Send Message Button on Instructor Profile / Send Message Button on Student Profile) before placing the shortcode, otherwise the button will be rendered twice — once auto-injected and once by the shortcode.
[better_messages_masterstudy_course_button]#
Renders the Message Instructor button for a MasterStudy course. Falls back to the current course post when no course_id is supplied.
| Attribute | Default | Notes |
|---|---|---|
course_id | current post | Override the course the button targets |
user_id | course author | Override the message recipient (instructor) |
class | MasterStudy button classes | Override CSS classes |
text | Message Instructor | Override the button label |
[better_messages_masterstudy_course_button]
[better_messages_masterstudy_course_button course_id="123"]
[better_messages_masterstudy_course_button text="Ask the instructor"]
[better_messages_masterstudy_instructor_button]#
Renders the Send Message button on a MasterStudy instructor public profile.
| Attribute | Default | Notes |
|---|---|---|
user_id | profile owner | Override the message recipient |
class | MasterStudy button classes | Override CSS classes |
text | Send Message | Override the button label |
[better_messages_masterstudy_instructor_button]
[better_messages_masterstudy_instructor_button user_id="42"]
[better_messages_masterstudy_student_button]#
Renders the Send Message button on a MasterStudy student public profile.
| Attribute | Default | Notes |
|---|---|---|
user_id | profile owner | Override the message recipient |
class | MasterStudy button classes | Override CSS classes |
text | Send Message | Override the button label |
[better_messages_masterstudy_student_button]
[better_messages_masterstudy_student_button user_id="42"]
Frequently asked questions#
Can I keep MasterStudy Messages and Better Messages side by side?#
Yes — the Disable MasterStudy Messages toggle is optional. Keep it off to show both, on to show only Better Messages. Most sites pick one to avoid confusing students with two Messages tabs.
What happens when a student's MasterStudy enrollment is cancelled?#
MasterStudy fires its standard enrollment hooks; Better Messages removes the student from the Course Group Chat. Previous messages stay in history.
Does it work with MasterStudy Pro?#
Yes — the integration reads MasterStudy's core hooks. WooCommerce-based enrollments, subscriptions, and certificates work alongside the messenger.
Will it work alongside LearnDash, LearnPress, Tutor LMS?#
Yes — multi-LMS sites see all course chats together in the shared Courses widget.
Can the MasterStudy native chat history be migrated?#
Not automatically — the two messengers store data differently. Run both side by side for a transition period, then enable Disable MasterStudy Messages when students have moved over.
See also#
- MasterStudy LMS student messaging plugin — full feature write-up with screenshots
- WordPress LMS chat plugin — comparing every LMS integration
- LearnDash integration
- LearnPress integration
- Tutor LMS integration
- Group conversations — underlying group chat feature
- Mini widgets — Courses widget configuration