Safe Exam Browser lets students take a test in a locked-down browser: while the test is running, they can't open other programs, websites or files. You turn it on for each test under Settings → Online assessment, and your school doesn't need to connect anything. Safe Exam Browser is free and runs on Windows, Mac, iPad and iPhone.
Safe Exam Browser is available on the Teacher and Organization plans.
Require Safe Exam Browser for a test
- Open the test and go to Settings → Online assessment.
- Under Security, turn on Require the use of Safe Exam Browser.
- Choose what students can do in Safe Exam Browser:
| Option | Default | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Show link to install Safe Exam Browser | On | Students see a link to download the browser. |
| Allow quitting before handing in | On | Students can close the browser before they've handed in. |
| Show clock | On | A clock is shown on screen. |
| Show Wi-Fi settings | On | Students can pick a Wi-Fi network. |
| Allow spell check | On | The browser's spell check works. |
Settings save automatically. For a language test, turn off Allow spell check. The regular Disable browser spell check option doesn't apply in Safe Exam Browser, and it disappears once you turn Safe Exam Browser on.
What your students see
When students open the test in a regular browser, they see Safe Exam Browser required, with an Open test in Safe Exam Browser button. If Show link to install Safe Exam Browser is on, they also get a Download Safe Exam Browser link. If the button doesn't work, Download SEB configuration file gives them a file they can open instead.
In Safe Exam Browser, they see the test's usual start screen and click Start test. If the test isn't set to Anyone with the link, they sign in first. After handing in, they close the browser with Close window.
Safe Exam Browser doesn't run on Chromebooks. That's what Schoolyear and Muute are for, see below.
Ask students to install Safe Exam Browser a few days before the test and try it out, for example with a short practice test that has it turned on.
Safe Exam Browser, Schoolyear or Muute?
If your school has connected Schoolyear or Muute, you'll see those in the settings instead of Safe Exam Browser. Tests that already had Safe Exam Browser turned on keep it. Monitoring students during online assessments compares the three. For everything else Examplary does to create, deliver and grade tests with AI, see the product page.
How Examplary checks for Safe Exam Browser
When a student starts the test, Examplary checks that they're using Safe Exam Browser with this test's settings. If you change the settings after students have opened the browser, they need to open it again through the button.
Safe Exam Browser blocks the camera and microphone, so don't use questions that need them, such as Voice recorder.
Troubleshooting
A student gets "Incorrect Safe Exam Browser configuration key." The settings have changed, or the student is using an old configuration file. Have them quit Safe Exam Browser and open the test again with the button in a regular browser.
The Open test in Safe Exam Browser button does nothing. Safe Exam Browser isn't installed, or the browser is blocking the link. Install it, or use the configuration file.
A student stays on Safe Exam Browser required inside Safe Exam Browser. Their version of Safe Exam Browser is probably too old. Have them install the latest version.
The option is grayed out, with Upgrade next to it. Safe Exam Browser isn't included in your plan. It's available on Teacher and Organization.