New in Winter 2025, Respondus LockDown Browser and Monitor have been licensed for use at the U of A and may be used by instructors in their Canvas courses to provide exam security and monitoring. Instructors can view Using Respondus LockDown Browser and Monitor for tips on getting started.

This article guides students on how to access and use this tool.
 

Getting Started

Students can watch an introductory video about Respondus to get a basic overview about the tool and should also review Respondus Lockdown Browser: The Student Experience.

Before actually attempting any exams, including practices, students must ensure their device meets the minimum requirements. 

Students will most often receive instructions on using the tool directly in their Canvas courses and should be required to complete a practice quiz before any exams during which the application will be installed and the necessary setup steps completed. If necessary (for example if the application is not auto-launching when opening a practice exam), the LockDown Browser can be downloaded here.

It is also critical for students completing Respondus exams on their own device in classrooms to ensure that their device Wifi configuration is set up correctly and that they are using the EduRoam network. The Guest@UofA wireless network is known to drop connections during exams and can cause the loss of answers and submissions.

Starting an Exam

Starting an exam with Respondus LockDown Browser is as simple as clicking an exam link in a Module, Quizzes group, or Calendar entry:

Once Respondus is installed, click "Begin" to proceed with the Respondus exam setup and begin your exam.

If your instructor has allowed external websites and hyperlinks, be sure to do the following:

Be sure to have completely set up Respondus LockDown Browser before opening any allowed websites.
To open links, right-click and choose "Open link in new window."

Advanced Features

Some instructors may allow and/or require the following features:

• Using iPads with Respondus 
  
  
• Using the Show Your Work Feature

Getting Help with Respondus LockDown Browser or Monitor

Respondus offers in-system support for students, featuring a 24/7 live chat that should be the primary point of contact for any issues, especially when urgent assistance is needed during an exam.

Help can be accessed during exams through the Help Center link in the top center of the lockdown browser: 

Then students can select whether they are using LockDown browser by itself or whether they are also using Respondus Monitor:

Students can also search the articles in the student section of the Respondus Support portal for help troubleshooting issues and take note of any that might apply to their specific operating system/version.

After first contacting Respondus for support, if students are still encountering issues they can contact eClass support at +1 (780) 492-9372 or via email at eclass@ualberta.ca to advise that Respondus has been unable to help and to have us create a ticket that documents the issues they encountered to share with your instructor.

Troubleshooting/Notes

1. Update Check error: Users may sometimes get an error "Update Check Failed: Error Code A4," when trying to install Respondus. If this occurs, you will need to synchronize your computer clock:

• For Windows:
  • Right-click on the clock on the taskbar, in the bottom-right corner of your screen.
  • Select Adjust date/time.
  • Ensure Set time automatically is switched on, and that the time zone listed is correct for your location
  • Under Synchronize your clock, click the Sync now button
    
    
    
• For Mac:
  • Go to your System Preferences.
  • Click on Date & Time in the preferences.
  • Ensure that the Set date and time automatically checkbox is checked.

Once these settings have been verified on your device, your system time should be synchronized with internet time, and the update will proceed.

2. Failing to identify/close applications: Respondus LockDown Browser will close any other browser windows and attempt to close any unauthorized applications. If Respondus LockDown Browser fails to identify the application it wants to close, and you are unsure of the application's identity and cannot close it, you may need to take the quiz on another device.

3. Inadvertent swipes and keyboard shortcuts: If you attempt to exit from Respondus LockDown Browser by swiping left on a Mac touchpad or by pressing any Windows key combination to switch windows or minimize your screen (e.g., Alt+Tab, Windows+L, etc.), you will receive an alert on the first attempt and a warning on the second attempt:

Alert: The swipe gesture was used or there was an attempt to switch
away from LockDown Browser. This event has been reported to your
instructor and the browser will now close.

Warning: You are NOT permitted to use the swipe gesture or switch
away from LockDown Browser. Doing so again will result in the
browser closing and the event being reported to your instructor.

After the warning, Respondus LockDown Browser will close, and you can restart the exam only after completing all of its setup steps again.

4. Multiple Displays: Respondus LockDown Browser is designed to lock down all monitors connected to a device using multiple monitors and these will be disabled when launching the application. Students concerned about not having enough screen space can switch their largest display to be the primary display.

5. University provided devices: Running and installing the Respondus LockDown Browser will require admin-level access to your computer, which is standard for a personal use device. The software may not work on University-loaned or provisioned devices if system security policies are in place and user's do not have system administrator rights on the machine. This does not affect standard lab computers as these already have Responuds installed.

6. Lockdown Browser freezes during an attempt: LockDown Browser froze during a test and I cannot exit.

7. Troubleshooting specific device issues: Mac, Chromebook, iPad.

In addition, to the issues above, students can consult the list of problems and resolutions on Respondus' Student Support page.

Practice Course