What LockDown Browser does
LockDown Browser is a custom browser that locks down the testing environment inside Canvas. When a quiz requires it, students cannot print, copy, visit other websites, open other applications, or exit the quiz until it has been submitted for grading. A quiz set up this way cannot be opened in a regular browser at all.
Compared to a normal browser, a few things are different. The toolbar is stripped down to just forward, back, refresh, and stop. The quiz fills the whole screen and cannot be minimized or resized. Keyboard shortcuts, screen capture, and right click menus are all disabled. The Start menu, taskbar, and system tray are hidden as well, and hundreds of screen recording, messaging, and remote access programs are automatically blocked while a test is running.
Setting up a quiz to require LockDown Browser
- Make sure the quiz has already been published in your Canvas course.
- From the course navigation menu, select LockDown Browser.
- You will see a list of quizzes in the course, each marked as either Required or Not Required.
- To turn it on for a quiz, open the settings from the menu next to that quiz's title and choose the option you want.
You can also require LockDown Browser just to view quiz results and feedback, and you have the option to set an access code that students must enter before the quiz will start.
Advanced settings worth knowing about
A few additional options are available once LockDown Browser is enabled for a quiz. You can lock students into the exam until it is finished, which some testing centers use so a proctor can step in if a student needs to leave early. You can allow students to take the exam on an iPad using the LockDown Browser app. You can allow access to a specific list of websites during the test if needed. You can also give students a calculator or print option inside the browser toolbar if the exam calls for it. Each setting has an explain link next to it if you want more detail before turning it on.
Once you have the settings the way you want, click Save and Close.
Getting LockDown Browser installed
LockDown Browser has to be installed on whatever computer a student is using to test, whether that is Windows or Mac. Your institution provides the download link, and students just follow the on screen instructions to finish installing it.
What a student sees when taking a quiz
It helps to know what your students will experience. They find the LockDown Browser icon on their desktop, or in the Applications folder on a Mac, and double click to open it. If it asks to close something running in the background, they click yes. From there they log into Canvas, open the quiz, and click Take the Quiz. Once the quiz has started, they cannot exit until they click Submit Quiz.
It is worth having students complete a practice quiz using LockDown Browser before their first real exam, just so any installation issues get caught early.
Confirming a quiz is locked down correctly
If you want to double check your settings, try opening the quiz yourself in a regular browser. If everything is set up right, you will see a message saying LockDown Browser is required, which confirms students would not be able to get in without it.
Full guide
For the complete instructor guide with screenshots, see: Respondus Lockdown Browser Instructor Guide
Other resources