Honorlock Resources for Students

Your instructor may choose to proctor your exam online through Honorlock. This online proctoring software is used to help minimize and deter cheating in online exams. To do this, Honorlock records your exam session and notifies your instructor if it detects unusual activity. It is up to your instructor to review any flagged activity and contact you if they have questions or concerns about your exam activity. See “Review exam guidelines and policies” below for information on what happens when an exam is flagged by Honorlock.

After the exam, the instructor reviews any marked footage and may contact you if they have any questions or concerns about your exam.

Please note that FSU values the privacy and security of your data. If you have any questions about FSU’s contract with Honorlock and the information privacy and security measures in place, see the Honorlock Security and Privacy FAQ webpage.

Technical requirements

To use Honorlock, please ensure you have the following computer setup:

• A laptop or desktop computer that meets Honorlock’s minimum system requirements. Macs, Chromebooks, and PCs are supported, but please do not use a tablet or phone when testing as this may interfere with or invalidate your exam.
  • Mac OS users: If you’ve recently upgraded to a newer version of the operating system, you may need to enable screen sharing of your desktop and other applications on your computer for any application like Honorlock that uses screen sharing. See Screen Sharing on macOS for instructions.
• A webcam and microphone. Most computers include a built-in webcam and microphone. If yours doesn’t, you may need a detached webcam and/or microphone to test with Honorlock.
• The Google Chrome web browser with the Honorlock Chrome Extension installed. Google Chrome is the only browser fully compatible with Honorlock. Before starting the exam, Honorlock will automatically request to install the extension on the browser. Afterwards, you can easily remove the Honorlock extension, but rest assured that Honorlock’s extension only runs while taking an Honorlock-enabled exam in Canvas.
• A stable, high-speed internet connection. Honorlock has a custom speed test tool you can run to ensure your internet connection meets or exceeds Honorlock's minimum internet speed.

Before the exam

Familiarize yourself with Honorlock

We recommend taking a look at the resources below so you know what to expect:

• How to Use Honorlock (includes a video)
• Honorlock Student Toolbar Overview
• Honorlock Student Best Practices
• Honorlock Universal (for use with third-party exams such as those from Pearson and McGraw-Hill)

Review exam guidelines and policies

Be sure to closely review the instructor’s exam guidelines and any related policies on the course syllabus. Instructors are responsible for enforcing academic integrity in their classes and for reviewing exam recordings when Honorlock detects unusual activity. If your instructor suspects cheating, they will contact you to discuss any suspicious exam behaviors and determine if further action is warranted. Cheating on an exam can result in severe consequences such as receiving a zero on the test and being charged with an academic honor violation at the university. Students involved in alleged violations of the FSU Academic Honor Policy or Student Code of Conduct have due-process rights. You can learn more about FSU’s academic integrity policies and your rights and responsibilities by visiting the Academic Honor Policy page on the Office of Faculty Development and Advancement website.

Prepare your testing environment

Prepare your testing environment by following these recommendations:

• Have sufficient lighting for a clear ID check, room scan, and monitoring during the exam. Overhead lighting is preferred; if possible, light should not be directly behind you.
• Take the exam at a desk or table (not a bed or couch).
• If possible, take the exam alone and in a quiet area free of conversations, music, and other noises that may be identified as intentional interference. Headphones are generally disallowed.
• Ensure that your desk or table is clear of any unpermitted items and that walls and desk are clear of writing.
• If required by the instructor, show a recognizable photo ID. You can use your FSUID or any government issued ID (i.e., driver’s license, passport) as long as your photo and name on the card are clearly visible.
• If required to perform a room scan by the instructor, please scan your room a full 360 degrees, slowly and thoroughly, and include your entire desk area as shown in this video by Honorlock. This should take at least 30 seconds. Note that Honorlock allows you to repeat the room scan as often as needed until it’s acceptable.
• Before the exam, disable or remove any browser extensions that are not expressly permitted by the instructor. If you use Google Chrome’s Automatic Translation tool, we recommend disabling it as well.

If you have any questions or doubts about what is and isn’t allowed during your exam, double check your syllabus and exam instructions, and don’t hesitate to contact your instructor for exam-specific guidance well before the exam starts.

Tech support

If you’ve hit a snag after starting the exam, you can live-chat with Honorlock Support by selecting the chat bubble in the bottom-right corner of the Honorlock window. Honorlock staff typically respond within 5 minutes. This creates a paper trail for you if the instructor has any concerns. After you finish your exam, we recommend contacting your professor to recap the situation or receive additional guidance.

If you’re having trouble installing or launching the Honorlock Chrome Extension, please see Troubleshooting the Honorlock Extension.

If you have a question or concern about the Honorlock software, you can visit Honorlock Support to receive live chat support or to test your system.

Frequently asked questions (FAQs)

How is my privacy protected?

Honorlock is FERPA-compliant and uses securely encrypted protocols to save and view all test taker assets. Honorlock's certified proctors and your institution's faculty are able to review test session videos until deleted based on the school's retention policy. See the Honorlock Security and Privacy FAQ for more information.

Does Honorlock determine who is cheating?

No. Honorlock simply reports back possible incidents. Ultimately, your instructor determines if cheating occurred by viewing the exam recording and any notes made by Honorlock.

Why am I being prompted for an access code?

If you are being prompted for an access code, you may not be using Google Chrome, or you may not have the Honorlock Chrome Extension installed.

Or, if you are using Google Chrome and have the Honorlock extension installed, your instructor may not have activated Honorlock as intended. In this case, please notify your instructor of the situation.

Do I have to pay for the Honorlock software?

No. FSU’s Office of Distance Learning contracts with Honorlock in order to provide remote proctoring services free of charge to FSU students, instructors, and departments.

Is Honorlock fully accessible?

According to Honorlock, “The Honorlock interfaces for administrators, instructors, and end-users are fully ADA accessible and compliant with Section 508 of the Americans with Disabilities Act. Honorlock has also been developed and tested to conform to WCAG 2.1 level AA guidelines for accessible use” (Honorlock Accessibility Statement).

If you have a disability that inhibits your use of Honorlock, you are welcome to consult the Office of Accessibility Services for specific guidance and support.