> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://synap.ac/docs/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://synap.ac/docs/platform/learner-experience/home-and-navigation.md).

# Home and navigation

The home page is normally the first page a student sees after signing in. The main navigation then gives them routes to areas such as Assignments, Exams, Collections, Study and Insights.

You configure these pages under **Portal → Pages and navigation**. The pages shown to an individual student depend on their User type.

### What students see

| Part of the portal | What it does                                                                                                                   |
| ------------------ | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| Home page          | Gives students a starting point after sign-in. It may contain text, links and dynamic sections showing relevant Synap content. |
| Main navigation    | Opens the standard and custom pages enabled for the student's User type.                                                       |
| Custom pages       | Shows information created for your portal, such as an introduction, study guidance or contact details.                         |
| Content lists      | Shows the Assignments, Exams or Collections that the student can currently access.                                             |
| Account menu       | Gives the student access to their account settings and sign-out action.                                                        |

Labels may differ on your portal. For example, you can give the Collections page a name that is more familiar to your students. This changes the navigation label; it does not change how Collections work.

### Navigation does not grant access

Enabling **Exams** in a User type's navigation gives those students a way to open the Exams page. It does not give them access to every exam. The page displays only the exams available to the signed-in account.

The reverse is also important: hiding a page from the navigation is not a reliable way to restrict content. A student may still be able to open content they have access to from a direct link or another page. Use the access settings on the Exam, Collection or other item when you need to control who can open it.

### Dynamic sections on portal pages

Portal pages can include components that change for the signed-in student. These can surface information such as their Assignments or Study activity without requiring every student to receive a separately written page.

If a dynamic section is empty, check both sides of the setup: the component must be on the page, and the test student must have relevant content or activity for it to display.

### Checking your setup

Use a test Student account for each User type that you rely on. Confirm that:

* the student lands on the intended home page;
* page names and icons make sense to somebody unfamiliar with your setup;
* the most important areas are easy to find;
* empty pages are not shown unnecessarily; and
* accessible content can be found without an Administrator-only link.

{% hint style="info" %}
Changes to page order or visibility can affect many students at once. If your portal has several User types or Subportals, check a representative account from each audience.
{% endhint %}


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