Exam & Interview Device Check
This free exam device check tests everything an online exam, proctored test or video interview depends on, in one pass: your browser, webcam, microphone, speakers and internet connection. Each step takes a few seconds and ends with a clear pass, check or fail, and the summary at the end tells you exactly what to fix before the session starts. Camera video and microphone audio stay inside your browser tab and are never recorded or uploaded. Run it on the same laptop, in the same room and on the same network you will use on the day.
How to use the Exam Device Check
- Open this page on the laptop or computer you will use for the exam or interview, ideally in the same room and on the same WiFi.
- Click "Start device check". The browser step runs instantly and needs no permission.
- Turn on the camera and click Allow when the browser asks. Check that your face is clear and well lit, then confirm.
- Turn on the microphone, click Allow, and say "Testing, one, two, three". The step passes as soon as your voice is detected.
- Play the test sound through the speakers or headphones you will use and confirm whether you heard it.
- Run the connection test, then read the summary. Fix anything marked Fail, click that step to re-test it, and copy the results if a support team asks for them.
How to interpret your results
Pass means that part is ready. Check means it works but something could cause trouble on the day: a dark or low-resolution picture, a phone instead of a laptop, an outdated browser, or a connection that is usable but slow. Fail means that part will not work as it is: camera or microphone access is blocked or missing, the test sound was not heard, or the connection is too slow for steady video. For the connection we treat at least 6 Mbps download, 2 Mbps upload and under 150 ms ping as comfortable for a proctoring stream or HD video call. Exam providers publish their own minimums, so check yours as well.
Common issues and what they mean
Camera or microphone access is blocked
The browser or the operating system is refusing access. Click the camera or padlock icon in the address bar and allow both devices for this site. On Windows also open Settings > Privacy & security > Camera (and Microphone) and turn on access for desktop apps and your browser; on a Mac open System Settings > Privacy & Security.
Camera shows a black picture
Look for a privacy shutter over the lens or a camera on/off key (often F8, F10 or a key with a camera icon). If the preview stays black, another app such as Zoom, Teams or the exam software may be holding the camera, so close it and try again.
The wrong microphone or camera is used
Laptops often have several inputs: the built-in array, a headset and virtual devices from meeting apps. Use the selector in the check to pick the right one, then set the same device as the default in your system sound and camera settings so the exam platform picks it too.
No sound from the speakers
Unmute, raise the volume and check which output device is selected. A Bluetooth headset that is paired but switched off often takes the sound, and HDMI monitors can grab audio when connected.
Connection test fails or is very slow
Move closer to the router or use an Ethernet cable, pause cloud backups and streams on the same network, and switch off VPNs unless your exam requires one. School and work networks sometimes block speed-test servers; if this test cannot connect, check that the exam platform itself loads on that network.
When to run this test
- The day before an online exam, so there is time to fix a blocked camera, a missing driver or a slow connection.
- Again 15 minutes before the exam or interview starts, on the same network.
- Before a job interview on Zoom, Teams, Google Meet or a recorded video-interview platform.
- After a Windows or macOS update, a new headset, or moving to a different room or network.
- When a proctoring or interview platform reports a camera, microphone or connection problem and you want to find which part is at fault.
What a proctored exam checks, and what this page can and cannot tell you
Remote proctoring services such as ProctorU, Examity, Honorlock, Proctorio and Pearson OnVUE all depend on the same four things: a working webcam that shows your face clearly, a microphone that picks up the room, a browser that can share both, and an upload connection fast enough to stream your video to a proctor or recording service. If any one of these fails, the session usually cannot start, or it is flagged and stopped part-way through.
This check confirms those four things, plus your speakers, from inside an ordinary browser tab. What it cannot check is anything specific to your provider: whether your exam requires its own app or lockdown browser, whether your operating system version is on their supported list, or whether the platform allows a second monitor. Read the candidate guide your exam board sent you, and run the provider's own system check as well if it has one.
Setting up the day before
Run this check the day before, on the same laptop, in the same room and on the same network you will use. That leaves time to fix the problems that take longest: a camera blocked in Windows privacy settings, a microphone driver that needs reinstalling, or WiFi that is too weak in the room you picked.
Light matters more than camera quality. A lamp or window in front of you, rather than behind you, makes a cheap laptop camera look clear, while a bright window behind you turns your face into a silhouette that some proctoring systems flag as no face detected.
Plug in the charger, pause Windows Update or set active hours so the laptop does not restart, and close apps that use the camera or microphone, including meeting apps sitting in the system tray. Only one app can use a camera at a time on many laptops.
Checklist for a video job interview
Run the camera step and look at your framing: eyes about a third of the way down the picture, laptop raised so the camera is at eye level, and a tidy background. Run the microphone step from where you will actually sit, then the speaker step with the headphones you plan to wear.
Run the connection test in the room you will use. If upload is marked Check or Fail, move closer to the router or use a cable, and ask others on the network to pause streaming and large downloads during your interview. Open the meeting link 10 minutes early, and close this page first so the meeting app can use your camera and microphone.
Frequently asked questions
Is this the official system check for my exam?
No. It is an independent check of the hardware and connection every online exam relies on. Many proctoring services and exam boards also run their own system check or require their own app or lockdown browser, so do theirs as well. This page helps you find and fix a problem with the camera, microphone, sound or network before you get there.
Is my video or audio recorded?
No. The camera and microphone streams are shown only inside your browser tab and are switched off as soon as you leave each step. Nothing is recorded, stored or uploaded. The connection test sends and receives random test data to Cloudflare's speed-test servers, never your video, audio or personal details.
What internet speed do I need for an online proctored exam?
It depends on the provider, so check the minimum they publish. As a rule of thumb, a steady upload of 2 Mbps or more, download of 6 Mbps or more and ping under 150 ms is comfortable for a webcam stream plus screen monitoring. Upload speed matters most, because your webcam video is sent to the proctor.
Can I take an online exam on a phone or tablet?
Usually not. Most proctored exams require a laptop or desktop computer with a webcam, and many block phones and tablets entirely. The browser step flags a phone or tablet as a warning for this reason. Video interviews are more flexible, but a laptop on a stable surface still gives a steadier picture.
Which browser should I use for an online exam?
Use the browser your exam provider names, kept up to date. Most support current versions of Chrome and Edge, and many also support Firefox and Safari. If the provider requires a lockdown browser or a downloadable app, install it in advance and run its own check too.
Why does the microphone step not detect my voice?
The microphone may be muted with a key or switch, the wrong input may be selected, or the input level may be set very low in your system sound settings. Pick another microphone from the list, speak closer to the laptop, and check the mute light. A Bluetooth headset that is switched off but still set as the default input is a common cause.
Should I use headphones for an online exam?
Follow your exam rules: many proctored exams ban headphones and earbuds so the proctor can see and hear that you are alone. For video interviews, wired headphones or earbuds usually give clearer sound and avoid echo. Run the speaker step with whatever you will actually use.