Student: Respondus LockDown Browser

What Is Respondus LockDown Browser?

Respondus LockDown Browser gives teachers the ability to give students a test that can only be accessed through a special browser that locks students from being able to access other websites and applications on their devices. This can be used for online or face-to-face tests through an LMS (Canvas). 

Please note that Chapman University does NOT have Respondus Monitor.

System Requirements and Installing Respondus LockDown Browser

Students with internet access and a Windows PC, Mac, Chromebook, or iPad that meets the system requirements Links to an external site. will be able to use Respondus LockDown Browser.

Please note that some free accessibility programs Links to an external site. are not supported. If you have an unsupported accessibility program, please let your instructor know immediately that you will not be able to take a test with Respondus LockDown Browser. 

Students need to download the Respondus LockDown Browser for Chapman University using the following link.

Download the Chapman-specific browser

You will not be able to access a test/quiz that requires Respondus LockDown Browser until you have downloaded and installed Respondus LockDown Browser on your device.

Taking a Test/Quiz

If your instructor is using Canvas Classic Quizzes (most Chapman instructors are), you can follow the steps in this guide Links to an external site. to take the quiz. 

Some Chapman instructors are using Canvas New Quizzes.  If your instructor is using Canvas New Quizzes, you can follow the steps in this guide Links to an external site. to take the quiz.

Once you have opened LockDown Browser and signed in to Canvas, be sure to open the appropriate course and open the quiz from inside the course. Trying to open the quiz from your Canvas Dashboard or Calendar will cause an error message.

Contacting Support

Please report issues with Respondus LockDown Browser to the Service Desk.

What if I Don't Have a Device?

Laptops-To-Go is a free laptop borrowing service available at the Argyros Forum Student Union, Leatherby Libraries, and Rinker Health Sciences Campus.  Students are able to borrow a laptop for one 8-hour timeframe.  Both Dell and Mac laptops are available. 

If you borrow a laptop, we recommend taking it to the Service Desk to confirm that it has the latest version of Respondus LockDown Browser installed.  You will not be able to install Respondus LockDown Browser yourself.

Common Issues

Students can potentially experience issues with LockDown Browser (LDB) not launching, confusion with pop-up messages, and an exam being slow, frozen, or failing to load. Try each suggestion to troubleshoot, then contact Service Desk for further assistance:

  1. A strong internet connection is key for smoothly using LDB. If your internet seems slow or unreliable, it may cause problems with your exam. Switch to a stronger Wi-Fi network Eduroam.
  2. Make sure your system/computer meets the minimum LockDown Browser requirementsLinks to an external site..
  3. LockDown Browser Updates. Occasionally, Respondus will release a new version of the LockDown Browser. When a new version of LockDown Browser becomes available, the system will prompt you to update your installation of the software. Whenever you update your LockDown Browser, you may also want to do the following:
  • Make sure your system is up-to-date by installing all necessary system updates. You will also want to make sure you have the latest version of your web browsers.
  • Make sure you only have one version of the most recent Java installed on your system.
  1. Warning message stating Some Blocklisted Applications are running: Don't panic! This is not an error; simply choose Close Applications and Continue. Do not simply power off; select Restart from the power options. The LockDown Browser is programmed to detect when conflicting programs are still running and will request that you close these programs. Some programs like the Dell Dock and Google Toolbar run as a background process on your computer and will have to be shutdown before you can proceed in the LockDown Browser. You can usually turn these programs off through the task tray or, in the case of the Dell Dock, by right clicking on the application and clicking Exit.
  • In some rare instances, these programs running in the background can cause the LockDown Browser to lock up or stop responding. Programs that use Java or the Internet such iTunes and other media managers, file sharing agents like Bittorent, and instant messenger applications have a higher risk of causing the LockDown Browser to lock up. It is best to close every program on your computer before starting the LockDown Browser.
  1. Turn off your antivirus or firewall software; it can prevent LDB from launching.
  2. LDB can use pop-ups to communicate, and turn off pop-up blockers. If the LockDown Browser stops responding before you start an exam or if you see a blank page that fills the computer screen, this could be due to security windows that have popped up behind the LockDown browser. If you have not started the exam, close the browser and address the security pop-up windows. You should be able to reopen the browser without issue. However, if you have started the exam, the only known workaround is to restart your computer and address the pop-up windows before beginning the exam.
  3. If you take extra time accessing LDB, you can get a timeout error and have to start your access again. If you lose your Internet connection while taking an exam or if you have outdated and/or multiple Java installations, the LockDown Browser and your computer may stop responding or freeze. Currently, the only way to resolve this issue is to do a hard shutdown (i.e., unplugging all power from the computer, including power cables and/or batteries if you are using a laptop). If you are missing your Start Menu or Task Bar or cannot access the Task Manager after doing a hard reboot, you can restore these applications by restarting the LockDown Browser and exiting the software properly. Depending on your system, this could take several minutes and cause you to lose time on the exam. In most cases, if the time has not expired, it should let you back into the exam. As soon as you have completed the exam, immediately e-mail your instructor to let them know what happened.