Guide
How Does Online Proctoring Work?
9 minute read - Updated: November 2026
Online proctoring is the set of methods used to confirm that a person taking a computer-based exam or assessment from their own location is who they say they are and is doing the work under the stated rules. It replaced the testing center for most remote exams, and it has changed more in the last two years than in the previous ten, because the thing it has to catch has changed. This guide explains the four types of online proctoring in use today, what each one actually sees, what the test-taker experiences, and how an institution or employer should think about choosing between them.
The problem online proctoring solves
A testing center solves integrity with a room: an identity check at the door, a proctor who can see every screen, and no personal devices. Online proctoring has to recreate those controls on a computer the test-taker owns, in a room no one else can see, with whatever software is already installed. Every method is a trade between how much of that room and that computer it can see and how intrusive it is for the test-taker.
The four types of online proctoring
Live proctoring
A human proctor watches one or several test-takers over webcam in real time, checks identity at the start, and can pause or end the session. It is the closest match to a testing center and the most expensive per session. It depends entirely on what the camera shows.
Recorded proctoring
The webcam, microphone and sometimes the screen are recorded for the length of the session, and a person reviews the recording afterward, often with software flags pointing to moments worth watching. It scales better than live proctoring and keeps the same field of view.
Automated proctoring
Software watches the recording or the live feed and flags behavior: a second face, a phone in frame, eyes off screen for long periods, unusual audio. A reviewer looks at the flags rather than the whole session. Most automated proctoring is paired with a lockdown browser that keeps the exam in one window and blocks other tabs, copying and printing.
Device-level proctoring
Software runs on the test-taker's computer, not only in the browser or camera, and records what applications and windows are present during the session: AI assistants, overlays that hide from screen capture, remote-control sessions, virtual machines, extra displays and a second device on the network. It can run in Prevent mode, which stops the session until a restricted tool is closed, or Detect mode, which records the event for review. It is the newest type and the only one that sees assistance that lives outside the browser and off camera.
What each type can and cannot see
| Threat | Live | Recorded | Automated with lockdown browser | Device-level |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Second tab or search in the browser | Partial | Partial | Yes | Yes |
| Phone visible in the camera frame | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Phone kept out of frame | No | No | No | Partial |
| Second person in the room, on camera | Yes | Yes | Yes | Partial |
| Desktop AI assistant or copilot | No | No | No | Yes |
| Overlay window hidden from screen capture | No | No | No | Yes |
| Remote-control session or virtual machine | No | No | No | Yes |
| Second monitor | No | No | Partial | Yes |
| Identity at the start | Yes | Partial | Partial | Optional |
"Partial" means the type can catch some cases, for example a reflection or a glance, but not reliably. Device-level proctoring is usually run alongside a lockdown browser or webcam recording rather than instead of it.
What the test-taker experiences
Before the session, a notice states what will be recorded or checked and for how long. The test-taker launches the session from a link, which may open a lockdown browser, start a recording, or install a small application that runs only for the exam. An identity step may ask for a photo or an ID. During the exam, live proctoring means a person may speak to them; automated and device-level proctoring are silent unless a rule is broken in Prevent mode. After the exam, recordings and reports are retained for the period the institution sets, then deleted.
What happens to the data
The data an online proctoring system holds depends on the type: video and audio for live and recorded proctoring, flags and clips for automated proctoring, and application and window events for device-level proctoring, with recordings optional. Institutions should ask three questions of any provider: what is collected, how long it is kept and who can see it, and whether any of it is used to train the provider's models. Policies on face recognition, biometrics and retention vary widely between providers and should be read, not assumed.
How to choose
Match the method to the stakes and the threat. A low-stakes quiz needs a lockdown browser and a stated rule. A high-stakes exam needs identity, a recording and device-level checks, because that is where AI assistance and stand-ins show up. A live interview needs device-level detection in Detect mode so the conversation is not interrupted. Most institutions end up with a layered setup: the lockdown browser or webcam tool they already license, plus device-level proctoring for the sessions where the browser is not enough.
Frequently asked questions
Is online proctoring the same as a lockdown browser?
No. A lockdown browser controls the browser window. Online proctoring is the wider set of methods, including webcam monitoring and device-level checks, that confirm who is taking the exam and how.
Can online proctoring see other applications on my computer?
Browser and webcam proctoring cannot. Device-level proctoring records which applications and windows are present during the session; it does not read files or log keystrokes.
Does online proctoring use face recognition?
Some providers do. Others, including ScreenComply by default, use face detection (is there a face, is it the same face throughout) without identifying the person against a database. Ask the provider.
What does automated proctoring flag?
Typically a second face, a phone in frame, extended time looking away, unusual audio and browser events. Flags are reviewed by a person.
Which type catches AI assistants like Cluely?
Only device-level proctoring, because those tools run outside the browser and hide their windows from screen capture.
How long is proctoring data kept?
It is set by the institution or employer. Common ranges run from a few weeks to the end of an appeal window. Sessions with no findings can be deleted immediately.
See a session, a detection, and a report
A short walkthrough of a live exam, a flagged moment, and the finding your integrity office would receive.