Frequently asked questions

No. Proctorio makes the test-taker fully aware of what permissions are required to enter a Proctorio exam. Proctorio software runs as a browser extension, meaning its access to the information on a test-taker's personal computer is limited and it cannot access personal files or change system settings. We encourage exam administrators to introduce test-takers to Proctorio at the beginning of the course to show them what they can expect.

No, Proctorio only runs during an exam and during exam review. Test-takers can tell when Proctorio is "on" because the Proctorio extension shield icon will turn green. Since Proctorio is a browser extension, it can be uninstalled or disabled immediately after an exam is submitted and reinstalled or enabled in time for the next exam.

Proctorio only records during an exam and if the video/audio/screen recording settings are enabled by the exam administrator. Recording starts right as you enter the exam, after the diagnostics pre-check and exam agreement have been completed. Recording stops as soon as the test-taker submits or closes the exam.

Only approved representatives at your institution have access to your audio, video, and screen recordings. If your institution is utilizing live proctoring, a Proctorio proctor will be monitoring you during the exam, flagging certain behaviors, as dictated by your exam administrator, and then sending the results to your exam administrator or institution for review. Decisions regarding potential breaches of exam integrity are left to the discretion of your exam administrator or institution.

No. Proctorio will never access your personal files or data stored on your computer.

No, Proctorio only uses algorithms for face and gaze detection if certain settings are enabled on an assessment. Proctorio's software does not perform any type of algorithmic decision making, such as determining if a breach of exam integrity has occurred. All decisions regarding exam integrity are left up to the exam administrator or institution.

Proctorio encourages exam administrators to allow bathroom breaks during exams as needed. Please note that our Support Agents cannot grant permission for bathroom breaks.

No. The exam timer does not start until after the pre-checks are complete.

You don't! Because Proctorio integrates with most commonly-used Learning Management Systems (LMS) or assessment platforms via LTI, we simply leverage your institution's Single Sign-On. All you need to do is log in to your Learning Management System (LMS) or assessment platform and take your exam.

With Proctorio, you don't have to schedule an exam! Your exam administrator will set a designated testing window and then you can take your exam at any point during that window, whether it's 3pm or 3am.

Proctorio has no default settings, so not all test-takers will be asked to conduct a desk scan. Your exam administrator may enable a desk scan to ensure that no unauthorized resources are used for the exam. Institution-approved representatives will evaluate the desk scan and make final determinations about exam integrity.

Time continues to run during desk scans, but your exam administrator should have set aside additional time for this. We do recommend you complete the desk scan quickly and return to your exam immediately in order to not lose any additional time.

No, Proctorio's periodic desk scan is triggered at random intervals.

No. Proctorio does not track eye movements, but we may use facial detection to ensure test-takers are not looking away from their exam for an extended period of time. This simply detects the presence of a face interacting with the exam window.

Only the exam administrator or the institution can dictate what type of behavior they want to monitor over the course of an exam. Institution-approved representatives will then review exam attempts to determine whether any flagged behavior was truly infringing on the integrity of the exam.

Subtle movements, such as the ones mentioned, are not likely to be flagged. Even if such actions are flagged, the institution-approved representative is able to review the exam attempt and determine whether the given behavior was actually a breach of exam integrity.

Proctorio will flag behavior based on the settings chosen by your exam administrator. Settings can differ from exam to exam.

No. Proctorio does not sell test-taker data.

Test-taker data is stored in secure, institution-chosen data centers in compliance with local data privacy laws. During the exam pre-checks, you will be notified where your institution's data center is located.

Proctorio stores recording data for as long as required by the institution or by local law. In some cases, this is as little as seven days. However, this is dependent on the individual agreement signed with each partnered institution. During the exam pre-checks, you will be notified how long your recordings will be stored for.

Proctorio keeps the stored data for up to 30 days after the end of the contract, unless otherwise specified by the institution. At the end of the 30 days, the data is either transferred to the institution or destroyed.

Data collected outside of the U.S. will not be transferred to the U.S. Proctorio stores data in local data centers and makes every effort to comply with local privacy legislation.

All recording data collected from institutions that contract with us in the U.S. will stay within U.S.-based data centers. Proctorio makes every effort to comply with state and regional privacy legislation.

Hackrate is a renowned team of IT security experts and ethical hackers with a mission to enhance digital safety. They help us address potential vulnerabilities and ensure the security of Proctorio’s software for test-takers and exam administrators worldwide. We welcome ethical hackers and cybersecurity professionals to participate by submitting detailed bug reports on our Data Security page.

No, we do not utilize keystroke fingerprinting. We do, however, track keystroke anomalies to determine whether a test-taker is consistently interacting with the exam.

Your exam administrator has requested that you scan your student or government-issued ID in order to validate your identity. If your exam administrator has enabled automated verify ID, an image of your ID will be collected and then made only available to your exam administrator for review. If they have enabled Live ID check then you may choose whether to have an automated document check or a live agent. Either option will compare your image to the image on your ID card at the beginning of the exam in real time. Once your identity is validated you will be allowed to enter the exam.

We understand that there can be unexpected noise during the course of an exam. We encourage you to inform your family members or roommates you are about to begin an exam. We also encourage you to share your concerns with your exam administrator ahead of your exam. While you may get flagged for some background noise, Proctorio ultimately leaves it up to your exam administrator to decide whether this noise constitutes a breach of exam integrity.

If the webcam is unable to pick up your image after several attempts and you have tried altering the angle of the webcam or the background, a support chat window will open automatically. Our support staff will help you pass the pre-checks and enter your exam. Please see our Exam Environment Guide for more tips on setting up your exam space for success.

You may be experiencing glare from the reflection with the lenses. To fix this, try adjusting the angle of your head a bit. You can also turn down the brightness on your computer monitor. You may remove your glasses in order to pass the pre-check and put them back on once the exam begins.

No, Proctorio does not have access to your browser history.

We recommend that test-takers take their exams in a neutral area. If possible, some options are your kitchen table, your living room, or a public area like a library. We know everyone is doing their best to find a neutral testing environment and we encourage exam administrators to show empathy and understanding to test-takers.