Canvas Toolbox: Refreshing Respondus

Desktop computer with a toolbox icon on the computer's screen.

Respondus is a lockdown browser designed to prevent cheating during proctored online exams. This tool is currently available for courses in:

  • Arts & Sciences
  • Engineering
  • Nursing
  • Wharton

Once enabled for a course, students access the exam through a separate Respondus browser (not through Chrome, Firefox, IE, or Safari) which locks down the testing environment within Canvas. While taking a Respondus quiz, students will not be able to open new browser tabs or windows, navigate away from Canvas, or take screen capture images.

Although Respondus helps prevent cheating in online exams, it is not a substitute for proctoring and as such cannot be used for take-home exams. 


  • Once Respondus is enabled in your course site, you should see a ā€œLockDown Browserā€ link on your course menu in Canvas.
  • Create a new quiz as you normally would in Canvas (for instructions, please see https://community.canvaslms.com/docs/DOC-1965) or use an existing quiz. Publish the quiz.
  • Click on the LockDown Browser link on your course menu, and select the quiz for which you would like to use Respondus.
  • Click the dropdown menu to the left of the quiz name, then click ā€œModify Settings”
  • Select ā€œRequire Respondus LockDown Browser for this exam.ā€
  • Click ā€œSave and Close.ā€
  • Students will now be required to access this quiz using only the Respondus LockDown Browser.

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