Key takeaways
- LockDown Browser is documented as a secure browser that restricts task switching, external websites, other applications, printing, copying, and screen-capture functions during an active assessment. [1]
- Respondus does not describe the core browser as a list of outside-tab names or contents; a restriction is not the same as a complete activity history.
- Webcam and screen recording can be selected through Respondus Monitor settings for a particular exam, rather than applying automatically to every LockDown Browser assessment. [2]
- Multiple monitors are not supported, while the accessible first-party sources do not establish a general scan of nearby phones or every device on a shared network. [3]
- Monitor flags and Review Priority are materials for institution review, not automatic academic conclusions. [2]
What Respondus LockDown Browser can do
Respondus describes LockDown Browser as a custom browser that locks down an online assessment in a learning management system. Its product documentation says assessments display full-screen and cannot be minimized; browser menu and toolbar options are removed; printing, screen-capture, copying, pasting, keyboard shortcuts, and task switching are disabled; and access to other applications, messaging, screen sharing, virtual machines, remote desktops, and other websites is prevented. [1]
The student guide describes the same core distinction: once an exam begins, a student is locked into the assessment and cannot print, copy, visit another web address, run a web search, minimize the browser, or access other applications. When the assessment is complete, LockDown Browser can be exited and the computer returns to its normal state. [2]
| Question | What first-party documentation supports | What it does not establish on its own |
|---|---|---|
| Does it stop tab or task switching? | Respondus says task switching and access to other web addresses are disabled while the locked assessment is running. [1] | A record naming every outside browser tab or describing what happened in another browser before or after the exam. |
| Does it record the screen? | LockDown Browser disables screen-capture functions. Respondus Monitor settings can separately select webcam-only, webcam-plus-screen, or screen-only recording. [3] | A claim that LockDown Browser alone records the screen on every assessment. |
| What about multiple monitors? | Respondus support says multiple connected monitors are not supported and can contribute to a blank-screen problem. [4] | A universal claim about how every setup detects, records, or interprets a second display. |
| What about phones or devices on a network? | Respondus says LockDown Browser and Monitor are not available for mobile phones; an institution can separately select Monitor recording options for an assessment. [3] | A documented inventory of nearby phones or every device sharing a Wi-Fi or other network connection. |
Does Respondus LockDown Browser track tabs, record screens, or see other devices?
For LockDown Browser alone, Respondus’s documentation describes prevention inside the testing environment: task switching, other applications, and other web addresses are blocked while the assessment is active. It does not describe the core browser as a list of outside-tab names or contents. That makes it inaccurate to turn a secure-browser restriction into a claim that the browser supplies a complete history of every tab or activity outside the assessment.
Screen recording is a separate question. Respondus says LockDown Browser disables the computer’s screen-capture function, while instructors using Respondus Monitor can choose webcam-only, webcam-plus-screen, or screen-only recording for a particular exam. [3] The student guide likewise says a webcam check and a visible Recording icon apply when the exam requires a webcam, and that recording stops when the submitted assessment ends. [2]
Respondus support states that multiple monitors connected to the computer are not supported. That is a compatibility and exam-start boundary, not a published universal account of how a second display is observed or interpreted. The sources used here also do not describe a general scan of phones or every other device on a shared network. A phone may be outside the supported exam-device category; it should not be confused with a documented claim that LockDown Browser alone identifies every nearby device.
Why Respondus Monitor changes the answer
Respondus Monitor is an additional proctoring service, not a synonym for LockDown Browser. Respondus says instructors select settings for LockDown Browser and proctoring options in the course dashboard. For Monitor, the instructor can choose whether the relevant exam records webcam only, webcam plus screen, or screen only, and can require a second camera for added visibility of the testing environment. [3]
Respondus’s published student terms for Monitor say that certain assessment sessions can record individual activity audibly and visually and can include other assessment-session data. The terms also explain that automated processing can create additional data for the instructor’s evaluation of recordings. The same page warns that terms can vary by region or institution, so the agreement and privacy information shown for the individual exam remain the controlling source. [5]
A Monitor-enabled recording or flag is not itself a final academic finding. Respondus’s instructor materials describe proctoring results, timelines, thumbnails, flags, milestones, Review Priority, and instructor-selected sensitivity levels as items for closer review. [3] The academic meaning of a defined event depends on the assessment rule, the selected tools, and the institution’s own review process.
How to read a Respondus record fairly
Begin by identifying the actual assessment configuration. Was the record generated by LockDown Browser alone, a Monitor webcam recording, screen capture, a second-camera setting, or another institution-managed component? Then check the visible notice, timestamp, assessment attempt, and policy that applied. A restriction in a secure browser, an early-exit reason, or a Monitor review item gives information about a defined system event; it does not independently explain intent, identify every physical device, or decide whether an academic rule was breached.
If a student is asked about a technical event, the constructive response is to request the specific information, give relevant technical context truthfully, and follow the published institutional process. Accessibility arrangements, system problems, permitted materials, or an approved support route may be relevant. This guide explains documented capabilities and boundaries; it does not provide instructions for defeating assessment controls.
Student checklist before a Respondus assessment
- Read the assessment instructions. Confirm permitted resources, timing, exam rules, and whether LockDown Browser alone or Respondus Monitor is required.
- Use the institution’s official download route. Respondus directs students to use the unique link supplied by their institution, rather than a generic download result. [2]
- Check the actual recording notice. Look for the webcam, screen, or second-camera requirements shown before the assessment begins.
- Complete any official practice check early. Use the course-provided test to identify a genuine device, webcam, or connection issue before the deadline.
- Follow the stated workspace rule. Use only the permitted materials and devices, and ask the institution’s approved support or accessibility channel about a legitimate concern.
Frequently asked questions
Can Respondus LockDown Browser see which browser tab I open?
Respondus says LockDown Browser disables task switching and access to other web addresses while an assessment is active. Its core product documentation does not describe a report naming the contents of outside browser tabs. A separate Monitor or institution-managed tool can change what is recorded for a particular exam. [1]
Does Respondus LockDown Browser record my screen?
LockDown Browser disables screen-capture functions. Screen recording is an optional Respondus Monitor configuration: Respondus says instructors can select webcam-only, webcam-plus-screen, or screen-only recording for an exam. Check the actual assessment notice. [3]
Can it detect a second monitor, phone, or another device on my network?
Respondus support says multiple connected monitors are not supported. The first-party sources used here do not support a blanket statement that LockDown Browser alone detects every second display, nearby phone, or device sharing a network. Respondus says its products are not available for mobile phones, and an individual assessment may have separate Monitor or institution-managed requirements. [3]
Do Respondus Monitor flags decide an academic-integrity case by themselves?
No. Respondus describes flags, timelines, and Review Priority as proctoring results available for instructor review, with sensitivity settings that can affect flagged events. They should be considered with the assessment policy, the specific configured feature, and the institution’s process rather than as a standalone conclusion. [3]
Sources and further reading
- Respondus: LockDown Browser
- Respondus Support: LockDown Browser - The Student Experience
- Respondus: Rollout of LockDown Browser & Respondus Monitor for Instructors
- Respondus Support: Blank screen during exam
- Respondus: Respondus Monitor Student Terms of Use (Pearson reference)
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QuickEduHelp Editorial Team. (14 September 2026). Does Respondus LockDown Browser Track Tabs? What It Can and Cannot See. QuickEduHelp. https://quickeduhelp.com/blog/does-respondus-lockdown-browser-track-tabs/