Everyone - Honorlock Information and Troubleshooting Steps

Summary

This article explains how to use Honorlock and some basic troubleshooting tips that will lead to a better experience with Honorlock.

Body

Purpose

The purpose of this guide is to walk students through the process of installing the Honorlock Chrome Extension and preparing their systems for proctored online exams. It also includes basic troubleshooting steps to help resolve common technical issues related to browser compatibility, system permissions, and extension functionality.

 

Process

1. Honorlock is the lockdown browser used for online course components. It restricts certain functions on a student's device to help prevent cheating and other unauthorized activities during online exams.

 

2. Honorlock is only accessible through the Google Chrome browser. When accessing your first exam via Honorlock, you will be prompted to download the Honorlock Chrome Extension before beginning the exam. After clicking on your exam in Blackboard, you should see a screen similar to the example below.

 

3.  Select “I agree to Honorlock’s Terms of Service and Privacy Policy” before clicking “Get Started”.

4.  A redirected will prompt to add the extension to Chrome.  Select “Add extension" when receiving this pop-up box.

 

 

5. After completing these steps, Chrome automatically redirects to the exam page where you can select “Start My Exam.” A window titled “Review Your Exam Guidelines” then appears. An option is provided to perform a system check prior to beginning the exam. This step helps ensure optimal performance during the Honorlock testing process. Once the message “Congrats! Your system is all set to go” appears, select “Launch Proctoring” to proceed to the webcam and audio settings configuration.

 

6. When this window appears, select “Allow” to grant Honorlock permission to access the microphone and camera. The system will then guide through several verification steps, including capturing a photo of the test-taker’s face, verifying a student ID, and performing a scan of the surrounding environment. Finally, screen sharing must be enabled to allow system access to the device. Once these steps are completed, the option to begin the exam will become available.

 

 

Basic Troubleshooting Steps

Checking Google Chrome Version

1. If issues occur while using Honorlock to take an exam, ensure that the Google Chrome browser is up to date. To update, click the three vertical dots in the upper right corner of the browser to open the drop-down menu. This process applies to both Windows and macOS devices.

 

2.  Select “Help” and “About Google Chrome”. It will automatically check if Chrome is up to date and simultaneously update it if needed. 

 

3.  Close out all instances of Google Chrome and reopen the browser before attempting any other troubleshooting steps.

 

Clearing browsing data

1. Another basic troubleshooting step involves clearing browsing data, including cache, cookies, and history. In Google Chrome, click the three vertical dots in the upper right corner and select “Settings.” Then, either choose “Privacy and Security” from the menu on the left or scroll down to locate the “Privacy and Security” section.

 

2. Select “Clear browsing data”.  Ensure all three boxes are checked and select “All time” as the time range. Then select “Clear data".

 

 

Hardware Error Message

  1. The “hardware error” message that may appear when attempting to start the webcam or capture a student photo or ID can result from various configuration or permission issues. It is important to verify that Google Chrome has been granted access to both the camera and microphone.
    • Windows:
      • Search for “microphone privacy settings” in the search bar and select the top option. The same will be done with “camera privacy settings”.
      • Verify that the toggle switch is set to “On”.

 

  • Apple:
    • Navigate to chrome://settings/content/camera
    • Under “Block”, ensure that no Honorlock websites are listed. If there are any listed, select the 'trashcan' icon to remove them.

2. After verifying these settings, refresh the exam page and re-launch proctoring.

 

NOTE: If you are experiencing any issues that are not covered in this knowledgebase article,  or would like further information please visit the Honorlock Resources page https://honorlock.kb.help/ or contact the IT Helpdesk at 208-562-3444.

Details

Details

Article ID: 200
Created
Thu 6/1/23 11:37 AM
Modified
Tue 6/24/25 12:49 PM