Respondus LockDown Browser for Personal Devices (Students)

Respondus LockDown Browser is a special web browser that lets you take quizzes in Canvas using your own computer but restricts access to other programs or websites while the quiz is in progress. With Respondus enabled, you will NOT be able to take screenshots, copy, paste, print, or navigate to other websites. Your instructor will let you know when Respondus is required for a particular quiz.

Installation and Testing

A few days before your first quiz, install and test the LockDown Browser.

1. Download and install the LockDown Browser on the computer you will use when taking in-class quizzes. A free download is available at: https://whr.tn/respondus. (Windows and Mac versions only). 
   • Note: if you are using an iPad to take the exam, you can download the Respondus LockDown Browser app from the App Store. Only Windows and Mac laptops or Apple iPads are supported at this time.

Note: If you previously downloaded LockDown Browser and get a message saying "Your browser does not meet the minimum requirements for Canvas "when you log into Canvas, Click the “i” icon (Windows) or globe icon (Mac) in the LockDown Browser toolbar, then click the Check for Newer Version button to update your version of the LockDown Browser.

Windows LockDown Browser toolbarMac LockDown Browser toolbar

LockDown Browser versions do change. It is important to make sure the version on your computer matches the version listed on the website (https://whr.tn/respondus). If you have an older version of the app, you may need to uninstall and reinstall to ensure you're running the latest version.

2. Complete a sample quiz using Respondus LockDown Browser (instructor will initiate this).

• Using the same computer that you will bring to class for your actual quiz, open Canvas in any browser if your instructor confirms this is a New Quizzes exam. If a Classic Quiz, you will need to open the LockDown Browser first.
• If a New Quiz (most cases), navigate to your course, then open the practice quiz. When you click to "Begin," LockDown Browser will launch automatically. You may be prompted to close some programs that are running in the background on your computer (eg, messaging programs). Close these applicationsto continue.
• If you are unable to complete these steps, please contact courseware@wharton.upenn.edu and indicate which class is requiring the LockDown Browser. Please try to include any screenshots or the text of any error messages you receive.

Access to Downloads Folder 

Checklist for a Successful Exam Experience

• Take a practice quiz enabled with Respondus LockDown Browser a few days in advance of the exam.
• Search for and run any updates for your computer at least a day in advance of the exam.
• Temporarily disable Focus Mode (Mac), 3rd-party tools, and any browser extensions. 
• Temporarily disable any aggressive firewalls or security software. 
• Temporarily disable "swipe gestures" on your device or avoid using more than one finger to swipe on the trackpad or touchscreen of your device. Doing so can trigger an accidental exit from the exam. 
• Allow cookies and pop-ups.
• Un-check "Prevent cross-site tracking" on a Mac with Safari (Safari > Preferences > Privacy and unchecking the box for “Prevent cross-site tracking”)
• Update your browser to use the most recent version (Chrome is preferred, but Firefox, Safari, and Edge will also work)
• Bring your fully charged laptop (the same one used for the practice quiz) to class the day of the exam along with your fully charged phone for two-factor authentication.
• Ensure both your laptop and phone are connected to AirPennNet (not the guest network)
• Close all open browser tabs, windows, and any running apps.
• At exam time, open Canvas on your regular browser and navigate to the exam.
• Make sure your browser is not in fullscreen mode before starting the quiz. 
• When instructed by the proctor, click "Begin," enter the access code (if applicable), and then the LockDown Browser should auto-launch. If it doesn't launch right away, please try closing the browser and opening the exam in a fresh browser. A hard restart can be performed if your device freezes.

Troubleshooting

• If you run into any error messages, check with your instructor to ensure you are accessing the quiz correctly: If this is a New Quizzes exam, make sure to open this in a regular browser first (e.g. Chrome, Firefox), not in the LockDown Browser app. In Classic Quizzes, you'll need to open the LockDown Browser app first.
• If LockDown Browser fails to launch or the quiz won’t load, this can usually be fixed by closing and reopening the browser. Be sure to close other browser tabs, windows, and any chat or screensharing applications before reopening the quiz.
• You should be accessing Canvas from https://canvas.upenn.edu (NOT upenn.instructure.com).
• Clear your browser history/cache and restart your device. Click the link for your particular web browser for instructions on clearing your cache (it will open in a new tab).
  • Chrome / Firefox / Safari / Edge
• You may have Screencastify or another 3rd-party tool unknowingly running as a browser extension in Chrome. You can remove the extension completely in Chrome by going to Settings>More Tools>Extensions. If that doesn’t work, follow the additional troubleshooting steps. 
• If you receive a "Failed to Load" error on a Mac, it means you need to upgrade your operating system to the latest version.
  • If you cannot upgrade to the latest version of macOS in the App Store, we recommend going to "How to get old versions of macOS" linked here. If an upgrade is not possible, you will need to use a different computer to take exams that require LockDown Browser.
• Do not submit the quiz until you are sure that you are finished. Once submitted, you will not be able to re-open the quiz.

Questions?

Contact Wharton Student Computing by phone/chat/Zoom on their website, or email support@wharton.upenn.edu.