Respondus LockDown Browser Troubleshooting [Students]
How Do I Launch the Quiz?
You will need to be using Respondus LockDown Browser to access your quiz. If you do not already have Respondus LockDown Browser installed, you can find it by opening the quiz in your regular web browser, at which point it will provide you with UW-Parkside's download link for Respondus.
NOTE: If you are using a university-owned rental laptop, you will need to download Respondus LockDown Browser from the Software Center instead. Details can be found in the Laptop Rentals & University Computers section below.
Canvas comes with two separate quiz tools– the Classic Quiz tool and New Quizzes tool. They have a slightly different startup process, depending on which version your instructor uses. In both cases, students can launch the quiz by opening Respondus LockDown Browser and navigating directly to their quiz assignment.
Classic Quizzes need to be opened within Respondus LockDown Browser. If you try opening it from a regular web browser, it will provide you with the download link, and it will tell you to switch to the LockDown Browser instead.
New Quizzes can be opened from Respondus LockDown Browser or from any regular web browser. Once you open the quiz, it will launch the LockDown Browser application (or re-launch it for you if you were already using it) and bring you directly to your quiz assignment.
Please note that if the quiz's availability period has already ended, you will no longer be able to access the quiz without a due date extension from your instructor.
Screen Capture & Webcam Recording Errors / Permission Errors
Respondus LockDown Browser requires a few different permissions to be enabled on your device, depending on the setting your instructor has set up on a particular quiz. These generally include some combination of screen capture, webcam, and microphone permissions. If you are in the LockDown Browser and one of the necessary permissions is denied, it will ask you to close the program and go update the necessary permissions before you can access your quiz. The location of these app permissions will vary based on your device and operating system.
- Windows App Permissions
- MacOS App Permissions for the Webcam and Screen & Audio Recording
Even if the specific error message says the problem is related to JavaScript, the issue may actually be caused by your device's permission settings rather than a JavaScript error.
Stuck at Access Code Screen
Respondus does not require the use of quiz access codes/passwords, so getting stuck at an access code screen means one of two things. The most likely reason is that the access code was left over from our previous proctoring tool, Honorlock. Your instructor will need to delete the old access code before any students can take the quiz.
The second possible reason is that your instructor does, in fact, require their own access code to get into the quiz. in these situations, instructors usually provide the access code once the quiz becomes available, oftentimes within an announcement in the Canvas course or in an email.
Laptop Rentals & University Computers - How to Install Respondus LockDown Browser
On university-owned computers and rental laptops, software can only be installed from a list of pre-approved applications. Respondus LockDown Browser is one of the approved programs, but instead of downloading it directly from the Respondus website, you'll need to install it through the Windows Software Center.
Open the Windows Start menu and search for Software Center. Once it's open, select the Applications tab. You should see Respondus LockDown Browser listed among the available applications. Select it and click Install to begin the installation process.
Please note that Respondus LockDown Browser does not work on virtual machines. Because most computer labs on campus use virtual machines, Respondus quizzes generally cannot be taken in those labs.
If you need to take a quiz that requires Respondus LockDown Browser, you can use the Mac lab in Greenquist D134 as long as the lab isn't occupied by a class at the time. However, these Macs in Greenquist D134 do not have webcams. If the quiz requires the use of a webcam, you may need to borrow a rental laptop from the TechBar. Any webcam and screen sharing requirements should be indicated at the end of the quiz's title.
System Requirements
Students need to install Respondus LockDown Browser on their device in order to take the proctored quiz. Your device needs to be a Windows, MacBook, or Chromebook device. You can download the Respondus LockDown Browser at Respondus' website. You instructor may also allow you to use iPads for Respondus-enabled quizzes, but that will be up to their discretion. If iPads are allowed, you will need to install the Respondus LockDown Browser app on your iPad. Other mobile devices and computer operating systems are not supported and cannot be used to take your quiz.
Additional Resources
- Respondus Guide - LockDown Browser: The Student Experience
- Respondus Guide - Respondus LockDown Browser Resources (including system requirements)
- UW-Parkside Knowledgebase - LockDown Browser & Proctoring Privacy F.A.Q.s