Does Proctorio Record You? What the Software Actually Captures During an Exam

If you've been assigned an online exam using Proctorio, you've probably wondered exactly what it can see, hear, and store. That's a fair question — and the answer is more layered than a simple yes or no.

Proctorio is a remote proctoring tool that integrates directly with your browser (primarily Google Chrome via extension) and your institution's learning management system (LMS), such as Canvas, Blackboard, or Moodle. What it records depends heavily on how your institution and instructor have configured it.

Yes, Proctorio Can Record You — But the Scope Varies

The short answer: Proctorio is capable of recording video, audio, and screen activity, but not every exam uses every feature. Instructors and institutions configure the tool before each exam, selecting which data collection options are active.

Here's a breakdown of what Proctorio can technically capture:

The key takeaway: Proctorio operates on a permission-based configuration. An instructor running a low-stakes quiz might only enable tab-monitoring. A high-stakes final exam might activate webcam, audio, room scan, and screen recording simultaneously.

How the Recording Process Works 🎥

When you launch a Proctorio-monitored exam, the Chrome extension requests access to your webcam and microphone (if those features are enabled). You'll typically see a permission prompt from your browser — the same type you'd see on a video call.

During the exam, Proctorio runs continuously in the background. It uses automated behavior analysis to flag activity that might indicate academic dishonesty — things like looking away from the screen frequently, unusual audio, or attempts to open new browser tabs. These flags are not automatic accusations; they generate a report that a human reviewer (usually the instructor or a designated proctor) can later examine.

Recordings are encrypted and stored on Proctorio's servers, then made accessible to authorized institution staff. Students generally do not have access to playback their own recordings, though policies on this vary by institution.

What Proctorio Does Not Do

There's a lot of misinformation about remote proctoring tools online, so it's worth being clear:

• Proctorio cannot access your files or file system — it operates within the browser, not as a system-level application
• It does not activate when you're not in an exam session — the extension only operates when an active Proctorio exam is running
• It does not stream video to a live human proctor in real time (by default) — most implementations use recorded review, not live monitoring, unless your institution specifically pays for live proctoring
• It cannot see through walls or capture what's on a second screen unless screen recording permissions cover your extended display

The Variables That Change Your Experience

What Proctorio captures during your specific exam depends on several factors:

Instructor and institution configuration is the biggest variable. Two students at different universities taking similarly named exams could have completely different monitoring profiles. One might face full webcam, audio, and screen recording; the other might only have browser lock-down enabled.

Your device and OS also matter. Proctorio's Chrome extension is the primary delivery method. If you're on a Chromebook, Windows PC, or Mac, the experience is broadly similar, but certain features (like room scan prompts) may behave differently depending on hardware. Mobile devices are generally not supported for proctored exams.

Browser permissions you grant affect what actually runs. If you deny microphone access, audio monitoring won't function — but this may also prevent you from starting the exam at all, depending on how it's set up.

Network conditions can affect recording quality and whether flagged events are logged accurately. A slow or unstable connection doesn't disable monitoring, but it can affect how smoothly the session runs.

What Gets Reviewed and By Whom 👁️

Automated flags are generated by Proctorio's algorithm, but human review is required for any academic integrity decision. The software itself does not determine if you cheated — it produces a suspicion score and a log of flagged moments that authorized reviewers assess.

Data retention policies vary by institution. Some schools delete recordings after a semester ends; others retain them for longer periods. Your institution's academic integrity policy and data privacy agreements with Proctorio govern this.

Students in certain regions — particularly the EU — may have additional rights under GDPR regarding how their biometric and behavioral data is stored and processed. If data privacy is a concern for you, your institution's IT or academic integrity office is the right place to ask about specific retention and access policies.

The Part That Depends on Your Situation

Understanding what Proctorio can do is straightforward. Understanding what it will do during your exam requires knowing your institution's configuration, your instructor's settings, and the specific exam parameters — details that vary from one test to the next. The technology itself is consistent; how it's deployed is not.