Respondus LockDown Browser Troubleshooting [Students]
Launching the Quiz - Two Approaches
Canvas comes with two separate quiz tools– the Classic Quiz tool and New Quizzes tool. They need to be launched from different spots depending on which version your instructor uses. Most instructors usually stick with a single tool throughout their entire course, so whichever method you use the first time will most likely be used throughout the entire semester.
Classic Quizzes can be launched by simply opening the LockDown Browser and navigating to your quiz like usual. If you try launching one of these Classic Quizzes in a normal browser like Chrome or Safari, it will just provide you with a link to download or launch the LockDown Browser application. For more details on launching a Classic Quiz assignment, please see the Respondus quick start guide PDF for Classic Quizzes.
New Quizzes need to opened from a normal browser like Chrome, FireFox, or Safari. It will then launch the LockDown Browser program for you and bring you directly to that quiz. For more details on launching a New Quizzes assignment, please see the Respondus quick start guide PDF for New Quizzes.
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.
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 prooide the access code once the quiz becomes available, usually within an announcement in the Canvas course or in an email.
Allowing the Required Permissions
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
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