Online exam system check: mic and webcam test, browser and connection

What the system check tests

The check runs four tests in turn. Each one gives you a clear pass or a clear problem, with the fix right next to it.

The check also confirms that you’re using a browser we support. You don’t need an account, an exam link or any software to run it.

Want to test one device on its own? Use our standalone webcam test or mic test. Before a proctored exam, though, run the full system check for online exam readiness, because it tests everything an exam needs in one go.

Online exam system requirements

These are the proctoring system requirements for a Proctorly exam. Your institution may add its own, so read your exam instructions as well.

A few practical tips:

• Use the device you will sit the exam on. A check on your phone tells you nothing about your laptop.
• Use the place you will sit the exam in. Wi-Fi strength and lighting vary from room to room.
• Plug in. Video drains the battery quickly, so keep your laptop on charge.
• Close what you do not need. Video calls, streaming and large downloads all compete for your camera and bandwidth.

How to run the check

1. Open the check on the device and in the browser you will use for your exam.
2. Allow camera and microphone access when your browser asks. Choose Allow, not Block.
3. Look at the camera preview and say a few words for the microphone test.
4. Share your screen when asked, and choose your entire screen.
5. Wait for the connection test to finish, then read your results.

If every test passes, you’re ready. If one fails, follow the fix shown next to it and run the check again.

Webcam and microphone test

Most candidates worry about the webcam and microphone test, yet it is usually the quickest thing to fix. For the camera, you should see a live, clear picture of your face, centered and well lit. For the microphone, speak at a normal volume and watch the level meter move with your voice, then settle when you stop.

If your picture is dark, add light in front of you rather than behind. If the meter barely moves, check that you’ve picked the right microphone in the browser’s settings. Headsets and external webcams often show up as separate devices.

Screen share test

Many proctored exams record your screen as well as your camera. When your browser asks what to share, it usually offers three choices: an entire screen, a window or a tab. If your exam asks you to share your screen, choose your entire screen. If you have more than one monitor, disconnect the extra one before the exam unless your institution tells you otherwise.

On some computers, the operating system also has to give your browser permission to record the screen. If the preview stays blank, try the fixes below.

Browser check

The browser check confirms that you’re using Chrome, Safari, Edge or Ulaa, and that your browser can use the camera, microphone and screen-sharing features an exam needs. Update your browser to the latest version before exam day, and turn off extensions you don’t need, since some of them block camera access or pop-ups.

Connection check

The connection check measures how fast and stable your internet is. A proctored exam sends video up while it receives the exam down, so upload speed matters. You need at least 512 Kbps download and 128 Kbps upload. If you’re close to the minimum, move nearer your router, use a wired connection if you can, and ask others at home to pause streaming while you sit the exam.

If something fails: fixes that work

Most failures come down to a handful of causes. Work through the fix for your problem, then run the check again.

Camera not found or black screen

• Make sure you chose Allow when the browser asked for camera access. If you chose Block, open the site settings (usually through the icon next to the web address) and change camera to Allow.
• Close other apps that might be using the camera, such as video-call apps. Most cameras only work with one app at a time.
• Look for a physical privacy shutter or a camera key on your keyboard.
• On a Windows or Mac computer, check that the system privacy settings let your browser use the camera.
• If you use an external webcam, unplug it, plug it back in and select it from the browser’s camera list.
• If nothing else works, restart your browser, then your computer.

Microphone not picking up sound

• Check that you allowed microphone access in the browser and in your system privacy settings.
• Pick the right input device. Your browser may be listening to a headset you aren’t wearing.
• Make sure the microphone isn’t muted on your headset or keyboard.
• Turn up the input level in your system sound settings.
• Close other apps that might be holding on to the microphone.

Screen sharing blocked

• When asked what to share, choose your entire screen, then select it and confirm.
• On a Mac, allow your browser to record the screen in the system privacy settings, then restart the browser.
• On a work or school computer, a policy may block screen sharing. Ask your IT team, or use a personal device that meets the requirements.

Browser not supported or out of date

• Switch to Chrome, Safari, Edge or Ulaa.
• Update to the latest version and restart the browser.
• Turn off extensions you don’t need, especially ad blockers and privacy add-ons that block cameras or pop-ups.
• Avoid private or incognito windows if your exam instructions ask you to.

Slow or unstable connection

• Move closer to your Wi-Fi router, or use a cable.
• Pause downloads, streaming, cloud backups and other devices on the same network.
• Restart your router if speeds are much lower than usual.
• If your home connection can’t reach 512 Kbps down and 128 Kbps up, a mobile hotspot may help. If you can’t find a connection that works, tell your institution early.

If you still can’t pass the check, contact your institution or exam provider well before exam day. During exams, Proctorly support is available 24×7 through the help link on your exam screen.

Set up your exam space

A good system check result gets you halfway there. The room you sit in matters just as much.

• Light. Face a window or a lamp so your face is lit from the front. A bright window behind you turns you into a silhouette.
• Quiet. Choose a room where nobody will interrupt you, and tell the people you live with when your exam starts and ends.
• A clear desk. Remove books, notes and devices unless your exam allows them.
• Your camera position. Put it at eye level, with your face and shoulders in view.
• Your ID. If your institution asks for photo ID, keep it within reach.
• Power and water. Have your charger plugged in and a glass of water if it’s allowed. Keep your phone silenced and out of reach unless your rules say otherwise.

Reading aloud to yourself, household noise and movement related to a disability are not misconduct. If you need an accommodation, such as extra time or assistive software, ask your institution before exam day.

The day-before checklist

Many proctored exams run a proctor exam system check again when you open the exam link, so passing today doesn’t replace the check on the day. It does mean that check should be a formality. On the evening before your exam, go through this list:

1. Run the full system check again on the same device, browser and network you’ll use tomorrow.
2. Install updates now, not in the morning. Restart your computer after any system or browser update so it doesn’t restart itself mid-exam.
3. Install the desktop app if your exam asks for it. Only some exams on Windows computers need it, and your exam link will say so.
4. Charge your laptop and put the charger where you’ll sit.
5. Find your ID if your institution asks for one, and check that it hasn’t expired.
6. Read your exam rules once more: what’s allowed on the desk, whether you can use paper, and how breaks work.
7. Save the support details from your exam link or institution, so you know who to contact if something goes wrong.
8. Tell the people you live with when your exam starts and ends, and ask them to keep the network free.

If anything on the list fails, there’s still time to fix it or let your institution know, which is exactly why you check the day before.

On exam day

When you open a Proctorly exam, a few things happen before the first question appears:

1. The system check runs again from your exam link, to confirm nothing has changed since you last tested.
2. You are told what will be captured. Depending on your institution’s rules, your face, audio and screen may be recorded, and you’ll be told before you start.
3. Your identity is checked. Your face is checked at the start and during the exam, and you may be asked to show your ID.
4. The exam opens in a locked browser session.

During the exam, the AI may raise flags, for example if your face leaves the camera view. A flag is not a finding. A person reviews every flag, and only your institution decides the outcome. To learn more about the whole process, read what is a proctored exam.

If your connection drops or your camera fails during the exam, contact support straight away through the help link on your exam screen. The interruption is recorded as a technical gap, and a technical failure is never treated as misconduct.

What happens to your camera and microphone data

During the system check. The check runs in your browser to confirm your devices work. It doesn’t record your video or audio, and nothing is stored or sent to your institution.

During a real exam. Your institution sets what is captured and how long it is kept, and you’ll be told what is captured, and why, before the exam starts. Proctorly does not infer emotion, personality or intent from your face or voice, and nothing is monitored in secret. Candidate recordings are not used to train AI models unless your institution opts in. Read more on proctoring privacy.

For exam offices: send candidates here first

Most exam-day support requests are about cameras, microphones, browsers and connections. A proctor system check a few days ahead turns those into quiet fixes at home, so they don’t become urgent tickets at the start time.

We suggest a simple routine:

• Send the system check link with the exam confirmation, at least three days before the exam.
• Ask candidates to run it on the device, browser and network they will use.
• Send a reminder the morning before, pointing them to the fixes on this page.
• Give candidates who can’t pass a named contact and a fallback, such as a campus computer.

Anyone can use the system check for free. When you’re ready to run proctored exams on Proctorly, with identity checks, AI flags and human review of every flag, see how online proctoring works or book a demo.

Explore device checks

• Webcam test: check your camera on its own, see your live picture and fix common camera problems.
• Mic test: check your microphone on its own and watch the level meter respond to your voice.
• What is a proctored exam: what to expect before, during and after a proctored exam.

Frequently asked questions