Respondus LockDown Browser is designed to prevent access to unauthorized online resources during in-person exams. It can be attached to Canvas Classic Quizzes or New Quizzes and is typically used for exams that are administered in the classroom using university or student-owned devices.
With the LockDown Browser enabled, the testing environment is secured; meaning that students will not be able to open new tabs or windows, navigate away from Canvas, or take screen capture images. If you allow students to access certain web resources during the exam, you may configure the browser to allow only those pages to open.
Respondus LockDown Browser only regulates what students can access on the device they are using to take the exam. It does not prevent students from using another device or consulting another person, and it is not a substitute for active proctoring. LockDown Browser is not appropriate for take-home exams.
This page is intended for instructors. Students should review Respondus for Students.
Accessing Respondus
Penn does not have a university-wide license for Respondus LockDown Browser. Availability may be limited by department or school. Check with your Local Support Provider to find out if you have access.
To have Respondus enabled in your Canvas course site, contact your Local Support Provider. Then, follow these steps:
- Create a Classic Quiz or New Quiz as you normally would in Canvas.
- Publish the quiz (you may set an Available from date in the future to prevent students from accessing the published quiz before you are ready).
- Click the LockDown Browser link in your course navigation menu, then select the quiz for which you would like to use Respondus.
- Click the drop-down menu to the left of the quiz title, then click Modify Settings.
- Select Require Respondus LockDown Browser for this exam.
- Click Save and Close.
- Students can now only access this quiz using Respondus LockDown Browser.
Launching Respondus LockDown Browser
We recommend having your students check the system requirements for Respondus LockDown Browser a few weeks before the exam to confirm it will run on their devices.
New Quizzes
If the exam is using New Quizzes, students should open their standard web browser (Chrome, Safari, Firefox, or Edge) and navigate to the quiz in Canvas. Respondus LockDown Browser will automatically launch when students click Begin. Students will encounter an error if they try to open the LockDown Browser app first to open a New Quiz.
Classic Quizzes
For exams using the legacy Classic Quizzes tool, students must first open the Respondus LockDown Browser app on their desktop, log into Canvas with their PennKey, enter two-factor verification, and then navigate to their quiz to click Take the Quiz. This will require that students have access to their phones or a back-up code for two-factor authentication at the start of the exam.
Additional Resources
Getting Help
Please contact your Local Support Provider or submit a request to canvas@pobox.upenn.edu.