Respondus Lockdown Browser (RLDB)
Installation & Use
See Respondus’s short YouTube videos for Windows, Mac, and Chromebook installation directions.
- Check that your computer meets the operating system, memory, and browser RLDB System Requirements (scroll down to the list).
- Log in to D2L, go to your course, and on the Assessment tab menu, click Quizzes.
- On the Quiz List page, click on the quiz that your instructor has provided.
- Scroll down to the bottom of the instructions page (see Figure 1) where you will find two buttons.
- Select the “Download Respondus LockDown Browser” button. This is labelled by the “1” in Figure 1.
- Follow the onscreen instructions to complete the install.
- If prompted to close a blocked program (e.g. screen capture, instant messaging), choose “Yes.”
- After the installation is complete, exit D2L and restart your computer.
Note: Before you can take a quiz with RLDB, you need to install it on your computer. Follow the directions above to do so.
- Close all programs (except any used to connect you to the Internet).
- Log in to D2L, select your course and navigate to the quiz.
- Click the “Launch LockDown Browser” button, to open LockDown Browser and start the quiz.
- If prompted to close a blocked program (e.g. screen capture, instant messaging) choose “Yes.”
- If you are required to use a webcam to record yourself during a quiz, a startup sequence will then guide you through a webcam check and other items required by the instructor. The webcam check will confirm that your webcam and microphone are working properly. The first time the webcam check is performed on a computer, Adobe Flash Player will require you to select Allow and Remember.
- That’s all! The quiz will then start.
See also Respondus’s Quick Start Guide to LockDown Browser and Respondus Monitor.
Note: The quiz timer will not start until you complete the startup sequence. Once a quiz has been started with RLDB, you cannot exit until you submit the quiz. For more information, check out the Respondus LockDown Browser Student Quick Start Guide.
Features
Respondus provides live chat help within Lockdown Browser for any pre-exam issues related to the webcam and microphone with Respondus Monitor.
Screen recording records a student’s screen during an online assessment. See Screen Recording for Respondus Monitor for more information.
Compatibility
Yes, Respondus Lockdown Browser can be downloaded onto Chromebooks with Georgia Highlands College’s unique download link. Watch the How do I install Lockdown Browser video tutorial for an explanation of how to do so.
Please note that you may not be able to install the LockDown Browser for Chromebook extension if the version of ChromeOS installed on the Chromebook does not meet the minimum version requirement. Some older Chromebooks will have reached their end-of-life in regards to receiving updates from Google. If so, you’ll need to use a different device for your exam that requires LockDown Browser.
Yes, an iPad can be used with RLDB if instructors enable it.
- Note: The LockDown Browser iPad app is not compatible with Pearson MyLab exams.
Students, follow the steps for D2L Brightspace on this page to take an exam with the iPad Edition of LockDown Browser.
See RLDB’s system requirements for information about device compatibility.
Troubleshooting
RLDB requires you to remove Screencastify (or other screen recording software) from your device before it can be installed. Respondus provides this explanation of how to do so.
RLDB may consider Screencastify to be installed on your computer if it is accessible via a school account that is logged in on the device. You may be able to “remove” the screen recording software by logging out of the school account on your device.
To use Lockdown Browser for Chromebook with D2L, you will first need to allow pop-ups for D2L in the Chrome Browser. If you do not do this, you will not be able to move past the “start quiz” page. To do this, in the Chrome browser, go to “Settings” > “Privacy and Security” > “Site Settings” > “Pop-ups and Redirects.”
To avoid receiving this error message:
- Clear your cache and cookies for all time.
- Ensure the RLDB extension is installed via GHC’s unique download link.
- Ensure your ChromeOS is updated.
- Close all other tabs besides D2L.
- Remove/limit the number of other Chrome profiles on your device.
Connecting to media server, please wait…” or “STOP. We’re unable to connect to our media servers from your computer” errors indicate that your computer cannot make the necessary connection with the Respondus media servers in order to record video. Follow these directions to troubleshoot this issue.
There is a problem with the LockDown Browser settings for this exam” or “Problem with Test Options for this exam” errors indicate that there is a problem with an exam’s settings in D2L. Follow these directions to troubleshoot this issue.
- If you installed LockDown Browser last semester, you should update it.
- Confirm that your computer meets the operating system, memory, and browser RLDB System Requirements (scroll down to the list).
- Contact your instructor to confirm that the quiz has been appropriately setup for RLDB.
- Contact Respondus Technical Support.