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Troubleshooting a remotely proctored exam

Updated yesterday

Having trouble launching your remotely proctored exam? This guide walks you through the most common problems and how to fix them step by step.

Before You Begin: Quick Checklist

Make sure you have the following ready before starting your exam:

  • A laptop or desktop computer (tablets and smartphones are not supported)

  • A working webcam (built-in or external)

  • A working microphone (built-in or external)

  • A stable internet connection (wired is preferred; minimum 1 Mbps upload/download)

  • Google Chrome is strongly recommended, though other modern browsers may work

Step 1: Use Google Chrome

While assessmentQ supports most modern browsers, Google Chrome delivers the most reliable experience for remotely proctored exams. Many issues with webcam detection, microphone access, and screen sharing are browser-related and resolve immediately when switching to Chrome.
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What to do:

  1. If you don't have Chrome installed, download it for free at google.com/chrome.

  2. Install it and open your exam link directly in Chrome.

  3. Make sure Chrome is up to date: click the three-dot menu (⋮) in the top-right corner → Help → About Google Chrome. It will update automatically if needed.

Tip: If you are on a managed work or school computer and cannot install Chrome, try Microsoft Edge as a second-best option. Avoid Firefox and Safari for proctored exams, as they have known limitations with camera and microphone permissions.

Step 2: Allow Camera and Microphone Access

When you start a proctored exam, your browser will ask for permission to use your camera and microphone. If you accidentally deny this, or if it was blocked previously, proctoring cannot start.

How to grant permissions in Google Chrome

  1. When the browser pop-up appears asking for camera/microphone access, click Allow.

  2. If you missed the pop-up or clicked "Block", do the following:

    • Click the lock icon (or the tune/sliders icon) in the address bar, to the left of the URL.

    • Find Camera and Microphone in the list.

    • Set both to Allow.

    • Click the reload button or press Ctrl + R (Cmd + R on Mac) to refresh the page.

  3. If permissions still don't appear:

    • Go to Chrome Settings → Privacy and security → Site settings.

    • Scroll down to Camera and Microphone.

    • Make sure the assessmentQ site is not in the "Blocked" list. If it is, remove it and reload the exam page.

How to grant permissions in Microsoft Edge

  1. Click the lock icon in the address bar.

  2. Set Camera and Microphone to Allow.

  3. Reload the page.

Step 3: Check That Your Webcam Is Working

If the proctoring system cannot detect your webcam, try the following:

  1. Close other applications that may be using your camera (e.g. Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Skype, Google Meet, OBS, or any video conferencing tool). Only one application can use the camera at a time.

  2. Test your camera independently:

  3. If you are using an external webcam:

    • Unplug the USB cable, wait 10 seconds, and plug it back in.

    • Try a different USB port.

    • Make sure the webcam's drivers are installed (check the manufacturer's website if unsure).

  4. If your webcam is detected by your system but not by the browser:

    • Make sure your operating system also allows Chrome to access the camera.

    • Windows 10/11: Go to Settings → Privacy & security → Camera → Make sure "Let desktop apps access your camera" is turned on.

    • Mac: Go to System Settings → Privacy & Security → Camera → Make sure Google Chrome is checked.

  5. Restart your browser completely (close all Chrome windows) and try again.

Step 4: Check That Your Microphone Is Working

If the proctoring system reports that no microphone is detected or that audio levels are too low:

  1. Close other applications that might be using the microphone (same list as above: Zoom, Teams, etc.).

  2. Test your microphone:

  3. Check that the correct microphone is selected in Chrome:

    • Click the lock/tune icon in the address bar on the exam page.

    • If you see a microphone dropdown, make sure the correct device is selected (especially if you have multiple microphones, e.g. built-in + headset).

  4. Make sure the microphone is not muted:

    • Check for a physical mute button on your headset or laptop.

    • On Windows: right-click the speaker icon in the taskbar → Open Sound settings → under Input, make sure the volume is not at zero.

    • On Mac: check System Settings → Sound → Input → make sure the input volume slider is not at zero.

  5. Check operating system permissions:

    • Windows 10/11: Settings → Privacy & security → Microphone → Make sure "Let desktop apps access your microphone" is turned on.

    • Mac: System Settings → Privacy & Security → Microphone → Make sure Google Chrome is checked.

Step 5: Disable Browser Extensions That May Interfere

Certain browser extensions can block camera or microphone access, inject content into web pages, or interfere with the proctoring system. Common culprits include ad blockers (e.g. uBlock Origin, AdBlock), privacy extensions (e.g. Privacy Badger, Ghostery), and VPN or proxy extensions.

What to do:

  1. Open Chrome and type chrome://extensions in the address bar.

  2. Temporarily disable all extensions by toggling them off.

  3. Reload the exam page and try again.

  4. If the problem is resolved, re-enable extensions one by one after the exam to identify which one caused the issue.

Tip: You can also open a Chrome Incognito window (Ctrl + Shift + N / Cmd + Shift + N) to start with all extensions disabled by default. Make sure to allow camera and microphone access again in the incognito window.

Step 6: Check Your Internet Connection

A slow or unstable connection can prevent the proctoring session from initializing.

  1. Run a speed test at speedtest.net. You need at least 1 Mbps upload and download.

  2. If your connection is slow:

    • Move closer to your Wi-Fi router, or connect via an ethernet cable if possible.

    • Disconnect other devices from your network (streaming, gaming, large downloads).

    • Ask others on your network to pause bandwidth-heavy activities during your exam.

  3. If you are on a corporate or school network, the network firewall may be blocking the proctoring service. Try switching to a personal/home network if possible, or contact your IT department to whitelist the assessmentQ proctoring domains.

Step 7: Clear Cache and Cookies

If the exam page is not loading correctly or seems stuck, a corrupted cache may be the cause.

  1. In Chrome, press Ctrl + Shift + Delete (Cmd + Shift + Delete on Mac).

  2. Set the time range to Last hour or Last 24 hours.

  3. Check Cookies and other site data and Cached images and files.

  4. Click Delete data.

  5. Close Chrome completely, reopen it, and navigate to your exam link again.

Step 8: Restart Your Computer

If none of the above steps have worked, a full restart often resolves lingering hardware or software conflicts.

  1. Save any open work and close all applications.

  2. Restart your computer (not just sleep/wake — do a full restart).

  3. After restarting, open only Google Chrome (no other applications).

  4. Go directly to your exam link and try again.

Still Not Working?

If you've gone through all the steps above and still cannot start your exam:

  • Read the specific help article for the proctoring tool used by your organization. Not sure which tool is being used? Check with your organization. See this article.

  • Take a screenshot of any error message you see on screen.

  • Note which browser and version you are using (in Chrome: ⋮ → Help → About Google Chrome).

  • Note your operating system (Windows 10, Windows 11, macOS Ventura, etc.).

  • Contact your exam organizer or institution's support desk with these details.

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