The fastest way to start downloading Respondus LockDown Browser is to get your school’s own download link from your instructor or course page, open it on the computer you will use for the exam, and run the installer with default settings. Then you open your course in a regular browser and click "Launch LockDown Browser" on the quiz page. The whole job takes about 10 minutes.
The trouble starts when you search for the software instead of your school’s link. You land on third-party download sites or on the wrong Respondus product. Others try the install on a phone or on a computer where they lack administrator rights, and the exam page then refuses to open. Finding this out minutes before an exam is stressful.
This guide covers each step in order. You will learn which devices work, where to find your school’s link, how to install on Windows and Mac, and how to launch the browser. It ends with fixes for the most common failures and a practice run so you know everything works before exam day.
What you need before you download
You need a Windows or Mac computer, administrator rights on it, and the download link your school provides. LockDown Browser is not optional once your instructor requires it. A regular browser will not open the exam and shows a message telling you to use LockDown Browser instead.
Check which devices work
Not every device can run it. Use this table to check yours.
| Device | Works? | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Windows computer | Yes | Standard installer from your school’s link |
| Mac computer | Yes | Installer arrives as a zip with a .pkg inside |
| iPad | Yes, if allowed | Install the LockDown Browser app from the App Store. Instructors choose whether iPads are permitted |
| Chromebook | Depends on school | Uses a separate install route, so ask your instructor or help desk |
| iPhone or Android phone | No | Use a computer or an approved iPad instead |
If you were hoping to take the exam on your phone, plan for another device now.
Get the basics ready
Gather these before you start:
- A computer where you can log in as an administrator
- Your school’s download link, or the course page that contains it
- A stable internet connection for the download
- Your LMS login, such as Canvas, Blackboard, or Moodle
Check your device and admin rights before you download anything, because those two things cause most failed installs.
Step 1. Get your school’s download link
Your school has its own institution-specific download link, and you should use only that one. It takes you to a page with the right version for your school and shows the system requirements.
Where to find the link
Look in these places, in this order:
- The syllabus or the exam instructions from your instructor
- A course announcement or a module in your LMS
- The quiz page itself, which often explains how to get the software
- Your school’s IT help desk or student support page
The link follows this pattern, where the nine digits are your school’s Institution ID:
https://download.respondus.com/lockdown/download.php?id=XXXXXXXXX
Do not type the X’s. The link only works with your school’s real nine-digit number, so copy it from your school.
Avoid the wrong downloads
Skip the software portals that rank for this search. They can offer outdated or altered installers, and they are not tied to your school. Also ignore "Download Respondus 4.0" pages. Respondus 4.0 is an instructor tool for building exams. It runs on Windows only and is not what you use to take a test.
Download only from the link your school gives you, and never from a third-party software site.
Step 2. Install on Windows or Mac
Installing takes a few clicks, and you only do it once per computer. Make sure you are logged in as an administrator first, or the installer may fail partway.
Install on Windows
- Log in to Windows with an administrator account.
- Open your school’s download link and click the download button.
- Open your Downloads folder and find the installer. The file name looks like
LockDownBrowser-2-0-x-xx.exe, where the last digits are the version number. - Double-click it and accept all default prompts.
- When it finishes, look for the LockDown Browser icon on your desktop. It is a blue diamond with a gold padlock.
Install on Mac
- Log in with an account that can administer the computer. In System Settings, under Users & Groups, that option must be enabled.
- Open your school’s link and download the installer. Depending on your browser, it arrives as a file named like
InstallLDBPackage64c-2-0-x-xx.zip. - If the zip did not unpack itself, double-click it in your Downloads folder.
- Open the package named "Install Respondus LockDown Browser" followed by your Institution ID, which ends in .pkg.
- Accept the default prompts. If macOS asks for permission, approve it with your admin password.
- Find the LockDown Browser icon, a globe with a padlock, in Finder under Applications.
Install with an administrator account and accept every default prompt, and the installer rarely causes trouble.
Step 3. Launch LockDown Browser and start the exam
How you launch depends on your learning system, but most schools use the quiz page launch button. Check your exam instructions if you are unsure.
Launch from your course
This is the most common method:
- Open a regular browser such as Chrome or Firefox.
- Log in to your course and go to the exam.
- On the quiz summary page, click Launch LockDown Browser.
- LockDown Browser opens and loads the exam.
If you open the exam in a regular browser instead, the page tells you to use LockDown Browser. That message is normal. Go back and use the launch button.
Launch from the icon
Some setups, such as Canvas "Classic" quizzes and Blackboard Learn quizzes, work differently. You double-click the LockDown Browser icon on your desktop (Windows) or in Applications (Mac). It opens at your school’s LMS login page. Sign in and go to the exam as you normally would.
Using an iPad
If your instructor allows iPads, install the LockDown Browser app from the App Store. Then open the app and log in to your course from there. If the exam does not allow iPads, you will need a computer.
Once the exam starts, you are locked in, and it helps to know what LockDown Browser sees while you test. Printing, copying, and opening other websites or applications are blocked until you submit. If you must leave early, for example because your internet drops, you have to enter a reason, and your instructor can see it.
Open your course in a regular browser first, then use the Launch LockDown Browser button unless your instructions say otherwise.
Step 4. Test it and fix common problems
Test the setup well before the exam. Do not find out about a problem in the last five minutes. Most failures come from a few causes that you can fix in minutes.
Run a practice quiz
Ask your instructor whether a short ungraded practice quiz requires LockDown Browser. If one exists, take it. It confirms the install, the launch button, and your login in one go. If there is no practice quiz, at least launch the browser once from the course page and make sure it opens.
Fix the usual problems
| Problem | What to try |
|---|---|
| Installer fails or stalls | Log in as an administrator, then run the installer again |
| Link does not work | Get the link from your instructor or help desk and check the Institution ID |
| No launch button on the quiz page | Your instructor may not have enabled LockDown Browser, so ask them |
| Exam asks for LockDown Browser but won’t open it | Restart the computer and launch from the course page again |
| Mac blocks the installer | Approve the install when macOS asks for permission, then try again |
If none of this works, contact your school’s help desk. They know your Institution ID and your LMS settings.
Launch the browser once before exam day, and you will know whether your setup works.
Ready for exam day
Downloading LockDown Browser comes down to four moves. Get your school’s own link, check your device and admin rights, install with default settings, and launch from your course page. Then test it once so exam day holds no surprises.
If proctored exams still feel like a lot, whether the tools, the rules, or the pressure, you can find more guides on proctored exam help and support, including WGU OA exam help. Good luck with your exam.