E-learning and LMS blog articles

Totara 19.1 is here, bringing AI-powered productivity tools, a refreshed Inspire theme, smarter content discovery, and enhanced mobile learning. Every new feature is designed to make learning simpler, faster, and more impactful for both learners and administrators.

As a Totara Platinum Alliance Partner, we stay at the forefront of platform developments so we can help our clients make the most of their Totara investment. In this blog, we highlight the key updates in version 19.1 and how they can support more efficient, engaging learning experiences.

Totara 19.1: Smarter, faster, more engaging learning experiences

Inspire Theme & Modern Navigation 

A fresh, streamlined design makes Totara easier to use than ever: 

• Clean, modern interface with collapsible left-hand navigation. 
• Faster access to key features. 
• Improved accessibility and user experience across devices. 

AI & Automation 

Put artificial intelligence to work across your learning journey: 

• AI Writing Assistant – Save time with AI that generates, summarises, and polishes text for courses, communications, and resources. 
• AI Image Generation – Instantly create visuals without external design tools. Automatically include alt text for improved accessibility.  
• AI Knowledge Check-ins – Keep learners engaged with quick, informal quizzes created on the fly. 
• AI SMART Goals – Support learners with AI-assisted goal-setting that encourages clarity and focus. 
• AI Course Tag Generator – Improve content discoverability with automatically suggested course tags. 

All AI features are optional, configurable, and seamlessly integrate with your OpenAI account. 

Smarter Content Discovery 

Help learners find the right learning at the right time: 

• New Explore Catalogue – Simple, modern design with powerful search and filtering. 
• Unified Search Panel – Smarter search-as-you-type with partial word matching, wildcard support, and spell-check suggestions. 
• Shareable Results – Save and share catalogue views to personalise learner journeys using catalogue blocks. 
• Enhanced Recommendations – Now includes programs and certifications. 
• Cleaner Learner Experience – Admins can hide specific courses from catalogue and search. 

Dashboard Improvements 

Help Site Admins manage large numbers of dashboards by: 

• Reordering – simple position display makes it easier to manage large numbers of dashboards. 
• Search - flexible search and filtering options to find dashboards more efficiently. 

Workflow enhancements 

Continuing the commitment to improve both the learner and the Site Admin experience workflow enhancements have been made to: 

Certification and Program: 

• Redesign - a refreshed look making it easier to see at a glance what actions a learner needs to take.
• Self enrol - learners can self enrol in  a program or certification.
• Fixed expiry - workflows have been updated for handling fixed expiry on certifications.
• Clone - existing certification can be duplicated and cloned.

Seminar: 

• Digital attendance check-in – learners can now confirm their own attendance whether they attend in person or online. 

Collaborative Learning 

Make knowledge sharing part of every learner’s journey: 

• Workspaces – Dedicated spaces for cohorts to share resources, ideas, and experiences. 
• Course Integration – Add courses directly to collaborative workspaces for seamless learning paths. 
• Multiple Workspace Owners – Easier admin and content management. 
• Improved Explore filters – discover workspaces and content more easily with improved filter and search capability.  

Smarter Goals & Performance Management 

Empower learners and managers to achieve more: 

• Goal Enhancements – Break goals into tasks, link tasks to courses, and track progress with feedback and comments. 
• New Goal Reports – Gain insights into goal progress, completion, and impact. 
• Flexible Reviews – Edit performance reviews on the go, skip optional items, and adjust review items before starting. 
• Improved Privacy & Access – Manage access to performance activities to stay compliant with policies. 
• Simplified Workflows – Fewer clicks, clearer navigation, and smoother review processes. 

Perform Reporting Enhancements 

Make smarter, data-driven decisions: 

• Question response reporting for detailed learner insights. 
• Multi-select filters in competency status report. 
• Easier identification of learner groups by competencies. 
• Improved reporting showing clearer links between learning activities and individual performance goals 

Enhanced Mobile Experience 

Learn anywhere, anytime — now even smoother: 

Note: Totara is entirely multi-device and mobile-friendly via the default browser experience. The changes below refer specifically to the downloadable app. 

• Redesigned Inspire Theme – Optimised for all devices and screen sizes. 
• Offline Learning – Download full courses (SCORM-supported) with clear offline indicators.
• Progress at a Glance – See current and completed learning on the app landing page. 
• Quick Access – Improved site URL handling for faster logins. 
• Review Past Learning – Access completed course details anytime. 

Note for existing app users: SCORM downloads will now be grouped by course, meaning learners will need to re-download content after upgrading. To minimise disruption, complete and sync any in-progress SCORM activities before updating. 

Key takeaways

Totara 19.1 brings meaningful enhancements that can streamline your workflows, reduce admin time, and create more engaging learning experiences for your people. Whether you’re looking to make use of AI tools, improve how learners discover content, or enhance mobile accessibility, these updates are designed to help you get more from your Totara platform.

If you're considering how to apply these new features in your organisation, we’re here to help you make the most of them.

Upgrade with confidence

Totara's newest release brings enhanced learner tools, improved admin workflows, and deeper integration between learning and performance - all in one platform.

And here’s the best part: unlike other Totara partners, upgrades with Hubken are completely free and included in your subscription.

We also ensure you’re on the latest version quickly, so you can take advantage of new features and improved performance without disruption.

Want a closer look at Totara 19.1 and how Hubken can help? Schedule your demo today and see what’s possible.