Respondus has been around longer than almost any other proctoring tool, and at this point a majority of U.S. universities have at least some courses that require it. If you have ever been asked to download a separate browser just to take a quiz, you have used Respondus LockDown Browser.
The 2026 versions are noticeably tighter than what students were navigating in 2022. The detection has been updated repeatedly, the Monitor recording component is sharper, and the integration with Canvas, Blackboard, Moodle, and D2L Brightspace is now seamless enough that most courses run both LockDown Browser and Monitor together.
Here is what the tool actually does, what is new in 2026, and what to know before your next test.
Two Products, Often Used Together
Respondus sells two things that get confused.
LockDown Browser is a custom browser you download and install. When a proctored quiz launches inside your LMS, it opens in LockDown Browser instead of Chrome or Firefox. The browser disables almost everything: tab switching, screenshots, copy and paste, printing, right-click menus, application switching, virtual machines, screen recording software, and most browser extensions. You can take the quiz; you cannot do anything else.
Respondus Monitor is the recording add-on. When Monitor is enabled, your webcam and microphone capture video and audio for the duration of the quiz, and the recording is analyzed by AI for behaviors that suggest cheating.
Many courses use only LockDown Browser, especially in classrooms where the instructor is physically present. High-stakes online quizzes typically use both.
What LockDown Browser Actually Locks Down
When LockDown Browser launches a quiz, it does a startup scan and a runtime lockdown.
Startup scan. Before the quiz begins, it checks for and shuts down a long list of known applications: screen-sharing tools (Zoom, Teams, Discord screen-share), remote desktop software (TeamViewer, AnyDesk, Chrome Remote Desktop), virtual machines (Parallels, VMware, VirtualBox), screen recording software, instant messaging apps, and several specific cheating tools that have been distributed publicly. If it finds any of these running, it refuses to start the quiz until you close them.
Runtime lockdown. Once the quiz starts, the browser takes over the full screen. The taskbar disappears on Windows, the menu bar disappears on macOS, and you cannot Alt-Tab or Command-Tab to another application. Copy, paste, print, screenshot, and right-click are disabled. Most browser extensions are blocked.
What's New in 2026
Respondus has shipped several updates in 2025 and 2026 that students should know about.
- Second-lockout mechanism. A delayed verification step that activates after the quiz begins, designed to catch students who pass the initial check by closing a tool only at startup.
- External monitor detection. Plugged-in second monitors are now detected at startup and the quiz refuses to start until they are disconnected.
- Updated VM detection. Older virtual machine workarounds that worked in 2022 to 2024 are now flagged. The scan covers most major virtualization software and several lesser-known ones.
- Tighter macOS lockdown. Spotlight, Mission Control, and several macOS-specific shortcuts that previously offered escape paths are now blocked.
- Browser extension scan. A broader list of student-facing browser extensions (homework helpers, answer search tools) are now detected and required to be removed before the quiz can start.
- Updated Monitor AI. The recording side has a new behavior model that is better at distinguishing normal exam behavior (looking at the keyboard, glancing up to think) from suspicious behavior (sustained gaze off-screen, repeated downward glances).
What Respondus Monitor Flags
When Monitor is on, the AI reviews your recording during and after the quiz and flags moments based on behavior. Flag categories are similar to Honorlock's, with some Respondus-specific nuances.
- Face not visible. You stepped out of frame, the camera moved, or the lens was obstructed.
- Multiple faces. Another person walked into or was visible in the frame.
- Eye-gaze deviation. Sustained off-screen gaze, particularly downward.
- Voices detected. Someone in the room talking, including yourself reading aloud.
- Unusual movement. Standing up, leaning out of frame, abrupt camera shifts.
- Phone detected. A phone or second device visible.
- Lighting changes. Significant lighting changes during the exam, which can correlate with someone entering the room or turning on a second screen.
What Respondus Does Not Do
Respondus is more aggressive than Honorlock about locking down your computer, but it is similarly limited when it comes to what happens beyond the camera frame.
It does not see a second device that stays off-camera. It does not read your mind when you pause. It does not directly read the content of paper notes, though it can detect the gaze pattern of reading from them. It does not see what is in another room.
What it does, and does well, is make it very hard to use your own computer for anything other than the quiz. That alone removes the most common cheating method, which is just opening another tab.
Common Issues and How to Fix Them
Most exam-day Respondus problems come from a small set of root causes.
- "LockDown Browser cannot start because another application is running." Close every screen-sharing app, remote-desktop app, and virtual machine. On macOS, quit them fully (Command-Q), do not just close the window. Reboot if it still fails.
- Webcam not detected. Check that no other app (Zoom, FaceTime, Photo Booth) is holding the camera. On Windows, check Privacy settings to confirm browsers have camera access. On macOS, give LockDown Browser explicit camera permission in System Settings.
- Mic level too low. Speak normally during the audio check; do not whisper. Use the built-in mic; external mics sometimes fail the check.
- Wi-Fi drops mid-exam. Use ethernet if available. If you must use Wi-Fi, sit close to the router and turn off other devices on the network.
- Quiz freezes. Do not close the browser. Wait. If it does not recover in two minutes, restart the computer and reopen LockDown Browser; in most cases your progress is preserved and you can resume.
- "You must remove this extension." Disable the listed extension in Chrome before launching LockDown Browser. Some browser extensions cannot be disabled mid-launch.
How to Prepare for a Respondus Exam
- Install at least a day in advance. Not five minutes before. The download is bigger than most students expect, and a failed install at the wrong moment costs you the quiz.
- Run the practice quiz. Almost every Respondus deployment includes one. Run it. Confirm your webcam, microphone, and lockdown all work on your specific computer.
- Charge your laptop. A Respondus session uses significantly more CPU than a normal browser, which drains the battery faster.
- Clear the desk. Books closed, papers away (unless your instructor allows them), phone face-down across the room.
- Tell people you live with. A roommate walking through the room is a Monitor flag. Tell them in advance.
- Plain background. Posters with notes, whiteboards with formulas, or sticky notes on the wall behind you are all visible and flaggable.
- Do not look at your phone, even briefly. This is the single most common avoidable Monitor flag.
Respondus vs. Honorlock: Which One Is Stricter?
On the lockdown side, Respondus is stricter. LockDown Browser actively blocks more on your computer than Honorlock's extension does.
On the AI monitoring side, the two are similar. Both flag a comparable set of behaviors, both have human review layers, and both have similar false-positive rates.
If you are scheduled for an exam that uses both LockDown Browser and Monitor together, treat it as the strictest proctoring most courses use. The combined system is harder to game than either tool alone.
Key takeaways
- Install Respondus at least a day before your exam — last-minute installs are the most common reason students miss the start time.
- Run the practice quiz at least once. Webcam, microphone, and lockdown all need to work on your specific machine before the real exam.
- Updates in late 2025 and 2026 added a "second lockout" that catches students who close cheating tools only at startup, plus external monitor detection.
- Wired internet, plain background, phone face-down across the room, and a charged laptop prevents 95% of exam-day failures.
- Respondus + Monitor together is the strictest proctoring most courses use. If both are required, treat it as a fully proctored test.
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FAQ
Is LockDown Browser the same as Respondus Monitor?
No. LockDown Browser is the application that locks down your computer during the test. Monitor is the optional add-on that records you with your webcam and microphone. Many courses use only LockDown Browser; high-stakes ones use both together.
Can LockDown Browser see other apps or files on my computer?
Indirectly, before the test starts. It scans for known screen-sharing tools, virtual machines, and remote desktop software. During the test, it prevents you from switching to any other application, but it does not browse your file system or read documents.
What happens if my computer crashes mid-exam?
The session is logged. When you restart, you usually have to contact your instructor to resume or restart the attempt. Crashes are recoverable in most cases; abandoned attempts (closing the browser without finishing) are treated as completed and submitted.
Can I use Respondus on a Chromebook?
Yes, with the LockDown Browser for Chromebook build. There are some restrictions on which iPad/tablet models are supported. Check the Respondus system requirements for your school's deployment before exam day.
