LockDown Browser User Guide for Students

LockDown Browser is a proctoring tool, made by the company Respondus, that your instructor can add to a quiz in Canvas to lock down your computer environment and monitor your activities during the exam.

LockDown Browser can be used in a classroom setting, or when you're taking an exam remotely. It maintains your focus on a Canvas quiz by temporarily preventing you from opening other apps, browsers, etc, on your computer.

Your instructor may use an additional tool called Respondus Monitor to proctor the exam and create a recording of your webcam and screen for later review. Respondus Monitor is designed to be used when you're not in a classroom setting. If this tool is in use you'll see a "Recording" indication while you're taking the exam in Canvas with the LockDown Browser app.

LockDown Browser Instructions

  1. Your instructor will include specific instructions for you within the Canvas course on how to download and use LockDown Browser. If you can't find these instructions in the Canvas course please ask your instructor to tell you where they are posted.
  2. When a quiz requires LockDown Browser that information is included in the quiz title.

Download LockDown Browser

The instructions provided by your instructor include a link for downloading the LockDown Browser app.

Be sure to use that link because it's a Tufts-specific version of LockDown Browser.

Here's the link: https://download.respondus.com/lockdown/download.php?id=694543449

Security and Privacy with LockDown Browser and Respondus Monitor

  • Like all Tufts-approved software, LockDown Browser and Respondus Monitor have been rigorously screened and approved by Tufts' information security team.  
  • While Respondus Monitor does face detection in that it looks for a face (any face) in the video frame during the exam, it does not do any kind of identity recognition (e.g. matching a face to information about that person), and does not capture or store any biometric data.
  • Please see: Respondus Monitor's Data Privacy Overview for a list of what the software does and does not do.

Tech Support

For support using LockDown Browser, including a Quick Start Guide, and links to Tech Support, see:

LockDown Browser Student Help Center