Portland Community College | Portland, Oregon

Respondus LockDown Browser

Respondus LockDown Browser is a custom browser that integrates with D2L Brightspace quizzes to create a more secure environment for quizzes and exams. It is new for PCC for Spring 2026 and is provided to increase protection for online assessments. When using LockDown Browser in a quiz, students will not be able to use additional screens, navigate to unapproved websites, copy & paste, print, or access other applications.

Let us know if you’d like to adopt LockDown Browser for spring.

Requirements

• Supported Platforms: Windows 10 and 11, MacOS 11 (Big Sur) or newer, and Chromebook.
• Respondus LockDown Browser requires Brightspace Quizzes.

Respondus LockDown Browser Guides

Recommendations

• Update your Class Details Page to include the following statement in the Technology section
  • Additional Software Required
    This class uses Respondus LockDown Browser for some exams. You can get more information on system requirements and download the software from our LockDown Browser page.
• Email your students before the term starts explaining that the course requires LockDown Browser and share a link to the Respondus LockDown Browser Guides for Students so they can download it before class begins.
• At the start of every term, make sure the settings and and dates are correct after you copy your course.
• Make the practice quiz available immediately
• Limit the number of exams that use LockDown Browser. Exams are stressful.
• Include the guide for students as an allowed resource for support during the exam.

Limitations

LockDown Browser has been available for over a decade and some students claim to have found several ways to “defeat” its functionality, including installing on a virtual machine or simply using another device during the exam. LockDown Browser is not intended to be a complete security solution, but rather a tool to help mitigate issues with accessing unauthorized resources, AI-enabled web browsers, and copy/pasting work during exams.

Sample email for students

This is an example of a message you can include to your students the week before the term starts so they know they have to download and install the LockDown Browser.

This class will be using Respondus LockDown Browser for some of the exams. You will need to download and install the browser before the exam.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1: Do we have access to use Respondus Monitor, proctoring application?
No. PCC does not support the use of 3rd party or AI-managed proctoring solutions.

Q2: Does LockDown Browser work with Assignments or Discussions?
No. It only works with the quiz tool. However, you can create essay-style questions in the quiz tool for written exams.

Q3: Is LockDown Browser spyware?
No. It is a modified version of the Chromium open-source web browser. Respondus does not use any tracking tools.

Q4: Can I exempt some students from using it? (e.g. for accommodations)
Yes. You can exclude some students from using LockDown Browser. To do so:

• Open your Course in D2L
• Go to: Coursework > Quizzes > Edit Quiz
• In the righthand sidebar, expand Availability Dates & Conditions
• Click Manage Special Access
• Make sure that Allow selected users special access to this quiz is selected
• Click Add Users to Special Access
• Look for the LockDown Browser heading, and check the Not required to take this quiz box under it
• Scroll down and locate the student(s) you wish to exempt, and check the box next to their name(s)
• Click Save
• Click Save & Close

Q5: Is LockDown Browser installed on checkout Laptops?
No. During the first term, installation is limited to a few labs at each campus. We will post those locations once we have confirmed with IT and Facilities.

Q6: Is LockDown Browser available in the PCC Testing Centers?
No. It is not yet installed in the PCC Testing Centers. We are in the planning phase with them, but it is not ready for Spring term. The Testing Center currently uses LanSchool to manage exam security. While we figure out an approach for exams in the testing center, we will recommend exempting students (see above).

Q7: What happens if a student receives a message about being “banned?”
A student will get a banned message and code if the browser detects them attempting to access unauthorized applications. The student should contact the Learning Technology Help Desk with the error code to have the ban removed by support.

Support

There is limited support provided during the pilot. Instructors and students can review the knowledge base or submit a support ticket.

updated 02/11/2026