Respondus LockDown Browser hides your own camera image during a proctored exam, so it's easy to wonder whether anything is being captured. You can check before, during and after the test. Below are the signs that count, the ones that don't, and how to get a firm answer from your instructor.
Find the Webcam Recording indicator in the corner
During the exam, look at the upper-right corner of the screen. A camera icon with the words Webcam Recording is how Respondus shows that you are being recorded successfully. Older Respondus material calls this a "Recording" icon.
Don't worry if you can't see yourself. Respondus hides your camera image during the test on purpose, so a missing self-preview is normal and doesn't mean the camera is off.
If the indicator isn't there, your exam might not use the webcam at all and could be recording only your screen. Check the startup sequence and the screen-recording prompts covered below. If the webcam check itself failed, use the troubleshooting option further down.
Watch what the startup sequence asks for
The startup sequence tells you whether your exam requires webcam recording.
Open the actual exam through your course, not a practice quiz.
Read the Terms of Use screen when it appears. This screen shows up when the exam requires webcam recording.
Complete the Webcam Check, which tests your camera and microphone.
Work through the rest of the Startup Sequence steps your instructor picked.
Getting through these steps shows the exam expects webcam recording. It does not prove that the whole recording uploaded afterward.
If your exam asks for a second camera
Some exams add a phone or tablet as a second camera. Here's how to confirm it's connected and recording:
- 1.After the Webcam Check on your main computer, look for Second Camera Required and follow the positioning instructions.
- 2.Scan the QR code on screen with your second device, then allow camera and microphone access.
- 3.Select I'm Ready.
- 4.Check for the connection confirmation on both devices, and look for the recording indicator on the second device.
- 5.Keep the second device's video page open and in front for the entire exam.
The second device runs in a web browser. Respondus suggests iOS 18.7.5 or later, or most versions of Android, and recommends Chrome on Android. If an iPad is your main exam device, second-camera recording isn't supported. Unlike your main webcam, the second device is supposed to show its video page.
Spot screen recording that runs without any webcam
A dark webcam light, no self-preview or no webcam check doesn't mean nothing is being recorded. Respondus Monitor has a Screen Only mode that records your screen without the webcam. Instructors turn screen recording on exam by exam, so it isn't automatic for every Monitor exam.
When screen recording is on, you'll be asked to allow it at the start of the exam. It works on Windows, Mac and Chromebook, but not on iPad.
On a Chromebook, the exam shows a choose what to share prompt. The steps Respondus documents are Entire Screen, then the screen thumbnail, then Share. This gives the exam permission to capture your screen. It doesn't confirm that a finished recording was saved.
If you can't tell whether your exam includes screen recording, ask your instructor to check the exam's settings, as covered further down.
When the camera light or menu bar tells you nothing
During the exam, LockDown Browser removes system menus and blocks shortcuts and other apps, which can put your computer's own indicators out of reach.
On Windows, check the webcam's activity light. For cameras without a light, Windows can show an on/off notification. A microphone icon also appears in the taskbar notification area while the mic is in use, but LockDown Browser can hide the taskbar and system tray.
On a Mac, look at the dot next to Control Center when the menu bar is visible. Green means the camera is on, orange means the microphone is on and purple means system audio is being recorded. Only one dot shows at a time, so if the camera and microphone are both on, you'll see just the green one. Open Control Center and check the top for a field naming the app that's using them. If it's there, click it to open the Privacy window, which may show more details.
On an iPad, a green indicator means the camera is in use, and orange means only the microphone is. Control Center shows recent use when you can open it, but it can be restricted during the exam.
All of these show that your hardware is being used. None of them show which recording, if any, was saved.
Review LockDown Browser's permissions outside the exam
Run these checks before or after your locked session, when your system settings are available again. They show what LockDown Browser is allowed to access or has used, not whether a specific exam recorded you.
On Windows 11, go to Start > Settings > Privacy & security > Camera or Microphone. The desktop app list shows apps Windows has detected using the camera or microphone, not individual permissions. Look for LockDown Browser there, and select an entry to see its details. The Let desktop apps access your camera or Let desktop apps access your microphone switch controls access for all desktop apps at once. Windows 10 uses Settings > Privacy > Camera or Microphone. Microsoft warns that this list can miss desktop apps, so if LockDown Browser isn't listed, that doesn't prove it never had access.
On a Mac running macOS 13 or later, open the Apple menu > System Settings > Privacy & Security > Screen Recording. On newer versions this is called Screen & System Audio Recording. Find the LockDown Browser entry. Respondus needs the screen-and-audio permission, not System Audio Recording Only.
On a Chromebook, select the time, then Settings > Privacy and security > Privacy controls. Check Camera access, Microphone access and the app permissions. You can check website permissions at chrome://settings/content.
On an iPad, go to Settings > Privacy & Security > Camera or Microphone and look for LockDown Browser.
A Mac can ask for camera and microphone permission even before you choose a proctored-lab route, so a permission request alone doesn't tell you how you'll end up being recorded.
Ask your instructor for the real answer
Your instructor can see which recordings your exam uses by opening the course's LockDown Browser Dashboard, opening the context menu next to the exam and choosing Settings. That shows whether it's set to Webcam Only, Webcam + Screen or Screen Only, and whether Second Camera is required. Students can't change these settings.
For proof that a recording exists, ask your instructor to open LockDown Browser Dashboard, choose Class Results from the exam's context menu, select + next to your name and play the recordings. Respondus says processing takes 10 to 15 minutes on average, but that isn't guaranteed.
Some exams let you choose between the webcam and a proctored lab when the instructor turns on Allow this exam to additionally be delivered in a proctored lab. On the first screen, you choose between using a webcam and being at a proctored location. If you choose the proctored location, you'll be prompted for a password, and the proctor enters it for you.
Instructor Live Proctoring uses a separate video meeting and an exam start code, and Respondus says this mode doesn't record students by itself. Ask your instructor separately whether the video meeting is being recorded.
Recording indicator missing or the webcam check fails
If your exam uses the webcam and the indicator is missing, check whether your webcam fails its check during the startup sequence.
During the webcam startup sequence, select It's not working. This opens troubleshooting steps and 24/7 Live Chat Help.
To test before exam day, launch LockDown Browser, sign in to your school's learning system and open a course. Select Help Center > Run Webcam Check, then go back and run System Check for diagnostics. On iPad, use Report an Issue for technical help.
Passing a practice check shows your webcam and system are ready. It doesn't show how the real exam is set up, so for questions about a specific exam, contact your instructor or your school's help desk.
Always install LockDown Browser from the download link your school provides, because the download is different for each institution.
Confirm the recording wrapped up properly
These last steps make sure the session ended cleanly, including any second-camera upload.
Finish the exam and submit it.
Exit LockDown Browser normally. Respondus turns off the webcam automatically once you finish or exit.
If you used a second camera, let it stop on its own when you submit on your main computer.
Leave the second device's browser page open until the upload finishes and Session complete appears.
If your camera still looks active afterward, check which app is using it. That alone doesn't prove Respondus is still recording. If your instructor turned on Show Your Work, LockDown Browser uses the webcam after you submit so you can photograph your work, but Respondus says the video recording stops once the exam is submitted.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why can't I see myself on camera during a Respondus exam?
Respondus hides your camera image during the test on purpose. The sign that you're being recorded is the camera icon with "Webcam Recording" in the upper-right corner, not a preview of yourself.
If my webcam light is off, is Respondus not recording anything?
Not necessarily. Respondus Monitor has a Screen Only mode that records your screen without the webcam on Windows, Mac and Chromebook. If screen recording is on, you'll be asked to allow it at the start of the exam.
Can I see my own Respondus recordings afterward?
Respondus documents recording playback for instructors, so ask yours. Your instructor can play them from Class Results in the LockDown Browser Dashboard once processing finishes, which takes 10 to 15 minutes on average.
Does Instructor Live Proctoring record me?
Respondus says Instructor Live Proctoring doesn't record students by itself. It runs through a separate video meeting, so ask your instructor whether that meeting is being recorded.
