Enable Respondus LockDown Browser for a Canvas Quiz (Faculty and Instructors)


Respondus LockDown Browser, which will be integrated with Canvas on January 20, 2026, prevents your students from navigating to other websites or using other applications while taking any Canvas Quiz for which LockDown Browser has been enabled. The optimal use cases for LockDown Browser are in-class quizzes, exams, and assignments that can be completed by students using their own computers, but that are still proctored in person by an instructor or TA.  

To require your students to use Respondus LockDown Browser when completing an exam formatted as a Canvas Quiz, follow these steps.

  1. Be sure that the LockDown Browser link is enabled in your Canvas course site menu. If the link does not appear automatically, you can enable it manually via Settings→Navigation.
    Canvas course menu with LockDown Browser option indicated
  2. Click on the LockDown Browser link to go to the Respondus dashboard for your Canvas course. (If you have not used LockDown Browser before, you will be prompted to authorize its access to your Canvas account.)
  3. Find your Canvas Quiz in the list provided and select Settings from the dropdown menu.
    Example Quiz for LockDown Browser with Settings selected
  4. Select Require Respondus LockDown Browser For This Exam.
    1. At this point, you can set an optional access code for the exam. Students will then be required to enter this access code before completing the exam. Note that this option is only available for Classic Quizzes; if you are using New Quizzes, it will not appear.
    2. If you wish, you can also use Advanced Settings to configure detailed options for your students’ use of LockDown Browser (e.g. permitting them to access certain web domains while taking the exam). The precise settings available will differ based upon whether you are using Classic Quizzes or New Quizzes.
      LockDown Browser dashboard with options for advanced settings shown
  5. When your settings are as you would like them, click the blue Save+Close button.
  6. Before administering the exam, make sure that your students have downloaded and installed Respondus LockDown Browser on the devices they will be using. They should also take a practice exam before their first use of LockDown Browser in a classroom setting, to ensure that they are comfortable with the tool. You can set up an ungraded practice quiz with unlimited attempts and enable LockDown Browser for it, so that students can use it as a “test run”.

For additional assistance, please see Respondus’ list of video and text resources for instructors using LockDown Browser.