To use Respondus LockDown Browser, download the version your school links from its LMS or course page. Install it, restart if asked, and open it instead of Chrome or Safari when your exam starts. If your instructor also turned on Respondus Monitor, you will complete a webcam check, show your ID, and scan your room before the quiz unlocks. Do all of this at least a day before the exam, using the practice quiz if there is one.
The problem is that most students first meet this software minutes before a graded test. The download link is hidden in a course page, the iPad app only works when your instructor allows it, and the webcam steps appear without warning. Add the open question of whether you are being recorded and what your professor can watch later, and a 30-minute quiz starts to feel risky.
This guide walks through the setup in order. You will check requirements, get the right download for Windows, Mac, iPad, or Chromebook, install it and test it, get through the startup sequence, and understand what LockDown Browser and Respondus Monitor record and what your instructor can see afterward.
What LockDown Browser is and what you need first
Respondus LockDown Browser is a custom browser that opens only your school’s LMS exam and blocks nearly everything else on your device. While it runs, you cannot switch apps, open other websites, copy, print, or take screenshots. It works with exams in systems such as Canvas, Blackboard, Brightspace, and Moodle. You need three things before you download anything: a supported device, a working webcam if Monitor is on, and a stable connection.
What it locks and what it does not
The browser itself does not record you. It restricts your computer. Webcam and microphone recording belongs to Respondus Monitor, a separate add-on that your instructor must enable for each exam. Open your exam instructions and look for a line saying "requires Respondus LockDown Browser and a webcam." That wording means Monitor is on.
LockDown Browser restricts your device, and Respondus Monitor is the part that records you.
Check your device and exam settings
Windows and Mac computers are the standard route. iPads work only if your instructor enabled them for that exam. Chromebooks need a Chrome extension when your school supports them. Linux machines and phones are not supported, so borrow a campus computer or ask for an alternative.
| Item | What to confirm |
|---|---|
| Device | Windows, Mac, supported iPad, or school-approved Chromebook |
| Webcam and mic | Working, and not blocked by another app |
| Connection | Stable, ideally wired or near the router |
| Exam settings | Whether Monitor is on and whether iPad is allowed |
| Power | Plugged in for the full exam |
Email your instructor a few days ahead if you plan to use an iPad. One student review of the iPad app described being blocked right before a final because the instructor had not enabled it.
Step 1. Download the right version for your school
Download LockDown Browser from the link your institution provides, not from a random search result. Schools get a customized build, and a generic installer may not connect to your LMS. Look in your course menu, the exam instructions, or your school’s IT or student help page.
Where to find the download link
Open the exam in your LMS first. Many courses show a "Download LockDown Browser" prompt when you click the quiz, and the link goes to your school’s version. If you cannot find it, search your school’s help pages for "LockDown Browser" or ask your instructor. Skip third-party download sites, because an unofficial installer is a security risk on a device you use for school and banking.
Pick the right install for your device
Each platform installs differently.
| Device | How to get it | Watch for |
|---|---|---|
| Windows | Run the installer from your school’s link | You may need admin rights |
| Mac | Open the download and move the app to Applications | Current versions run on Apple Silicon, but check the OS requirement on the download page |
| iPad | Install the free "LockDown Browser" app by Respondus Inc. from the App Store | Works only if your instructor allowed iPad |
| Chromebook | Add the LockDown Browser extension from the Chrome Web Store | Only when your school supports Chromebooks |
Always download from your school’s link, because the build is tied to your institution.
Step 2. Install it and run a practice quiz
Install LockDown Browser at least 24 hours before your exam, then use it to open a practice quiz. This is the only reliable way to catch problems while you still have time to fix them. If your instructor has not posted a practice test, ask for one, or at least launch the browser and confirm it opens your LMS login.
Install and launch it properly
Run the installer and restart if prompted. Then close the apps that interfere, such as screen-sharing tools, messaging apps, and remote desktop software. LockDown Browser will ask you to close some of them and may refuse to start otherwise. It also does not run inside a virtual machine, so this is the wrong place to experiment with one. Unplug any second monitor before launching.
On many LMS setups you start LockDown Browser first, sign in through it, and then open the quiz. Opening the quiz in your regular browser usually only shows an error telling you to use LockDown Browser.
A pre-exam test checklist
Run through this the day before:
- Open LockDown Browser and sign in to your LMS.
- Open the practice quiz and answer a question.
- Confirm the webcam and microphone work if Monitor is on.
- Plug in power and note your Wi-Fi strength.
- Close all other apps and disconnect extra displays.
- Quit the browser and confirm you can leave it normally.
For a 60-minute exam, plan about 15 minutes of startup on top of that hour. That means opening the browser 15 to 20 minutes before your deadline window closes, not at the last minute.
A practice quiz the day before turns surprises into fixable problems.
Step 3. Pass the startup checks and start the exam
If Respondus Monitor is enabled, the startup sequence is the longest part of exam day. It confirms your webcam works, identifies you, and records your surroundings before the quiz opens. It usually takes five to ten minutes if your setup is ready.
The Monitor startup sequence
Expect these prompts in order: a webcam and microphone check, a brief terms screen, a photo of your face, a photo of your photo ID, and an environment check where you slowly show your desk and room. Then a facial detection check confirms the software can see you clearly. Sit in good light with the light in front of you, not behind you. Keep your face fully in frame, and keep your ID within reach.
Prepare the room before you launch. Clear your desk, silence your phone, and close the door. A cluttered or noisy space does not break any rule by itself, but it creates more events for someone to review later.
If something freezes or fails
Freezing is the most common complaint in user reviews. Most cases come from low battery, weak Wi-Fi, background apps, or a webcam claimed by another program. Restart the device, close everything, and relaunch from the practice quiz to test. If the problem repeats during the real exam, contact your instructor right away and document it. Send a short message with the time, what you saw, and a screenshot of any error if you can take one outside the browser.
Prepare your room and camera before you launch, and the startup sequence is routine.
Step 4. Know what your instructor can see
Your instructor sees the exam results always, and with Respondus Monitor on, they can also review your webcam video and audio. Without Monitor, LockDown Browser alone does not record you through your webcam. This answers the most common worries: does it record you, and what can a professor see.
What Respondus Monitor records
With Monitor enabled, your instructor can review your startup photos, the ID image, the environment check, and the webcam and microphone recording from the session. The software flags moments such as your face leaving the frame, extra people appearing, or unusual movement, and ranks sessions by review priority. A flag is not a verdict. The instructor decides what a flag means. Respondus describes its analysis around facial detection, motion, and lighting, so assume looking away from the screen may be noticed and reviewed. Your instructor sets the details, so ask what is configured for your exam.
What it does not tell your instructor
Your instructor does not get live access to your computer from LockDown Browser, and the lockdown restrictions only apply while the browser is open. Retention of recordings and who else at your school can view them depend on your school’s agreement, so read your school’s proctoring or privacy policy if that worries you. Your instructor can also give you an alternative arrangement when you have a legitimate objection or a technical barrier, but ask before exam day.
| Question | Short answer |
|---|---|
| Does it record you? | Only if Respondus Monitor is enabled |
| What do professors see? | Scores, plus flagged video, audio, ID, and room scan with Monitor |
| Does it limit other apps? | Yes, while LockDown Browser is open |
| Can you use it on a phone? | No, iPad only when allowed |
No webcam recording happens unless your instructor turned Monitor on for that exam.
You are ready to log in
Download LockDown Browser from your school’s link, install it a day early, test it with a practice quiz, and prepare your room and camera for the startup checks. Know that Monitor, not the browser, is what records you, and that your instructor reviews flagged events rather than watching live.
Most problems come from late setup, unsupported devices, or an iPad your instructor never enabled. If you handle those three, exam day is mostly routine. If a proctored course still feels like too much to manage, you can look at the exam support at takemyproctoredexam, including WGU OA Help.
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