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For students · with Proctly

How to take an exam with Proctly: a student’s guide

Try Proctly About Proctly

The short answer

Download Proctly from proctly.com/download for Windows, Mac or Linux and install it. Open it, enter your name, email and the 8-character session token from your teacher, and take the test in Proctly’s window. Stay in that window until you have submitted; leaving it is recorded.

Before you start

  • The session token from your teacher or college: 8 letters and numbers.
  • A Windows PC (64-bit), a Mac with Apple silicon (M1 or newer) or a Linux computer, with a webcam. Proctly has no phone, tablet or Chromebook version.
  • A steady internet connection.

Step by step

  1. Download Proctly

    Go to proctly.com/download and pick your system: Windows (.exe), macOS (.dmg) or Linux (.AppImage, or .deb for Debian and Ubuntu).

  2. Install it

    On Windows, run the installer and follow the steps. On a Mac, open the .dmg and drag Proctly to Applications. On Linux, make the AppImage executable and run it, or install the .deb.

  3. Allow the camera and screen (Mac)

    Proctly needs the camera, the microphone and screen recording. If macOS asks, click Allow. If you said no, go to System Settings → Privacy & Security and turn Proctly on under Camera, Microphone and Screen & System Audio Recording.

  4. Join your exam

    Open Proctly and enter your full name, your email and the session token. Use the email your college has for you, so your teacher can find you.

  5. Take the test in Proctly

    Proctly opens your test in its own window. Stay there until you have submitted. Clicking away from the window or trying to close it is recorded, and copy and paste may be blocked.

Check that it worked

  • Install and open Proctly a day before the exam, not five minutes before.
  • Close other apps that use the webcam, such as Zoom or Teams, before you join.
  • Once you join, your teacher can see you on their screen. If they cannot, check the email address you typed.

Checked October 2026 against each provider’s own help pages. Menus move — if a label differs on your screen, look for the nearest match.

Problems and questions

It says “Invalid or expired token”
Check all 8 characters, for example 0 (zero) and O. If it is still refused, the session may not be open yet; ask your teacher.
macOS says Proctly cannot be opened
Go to System Settings → Privacy & Security, scroll down and click Open Anyway, then enter your Mac password. The button is there for about an hour after you try to open the app.
The webcam is not found
Close any other app using the camera, check that Proctly is allowed under Camera in your privacy settings, then restart Proctly.
I have an older Intel Mac
The Mac download is for Apple silicon only. Use a Windows PC, a newer Mac or a Linux computer, or ask your teacher what to do.
Do I have to pay for Proctly?
No. Your college or teacher’s account covers each exam session.
What does Proctly record?
Screenshots of your screens while you are on the test, photos from your webcam, audio only if your teacher turned it on, the pages you visit, any copy and paste, and when you leave the exam window.
Who can see my recordings?
Only the teacher or college account that created your exam session. Proctly deletes recordings automatically after the account’s retention period, and they can delete yours sooner.
Can I use two monitors?
Yes, but every attached screen is captured. It is simplest to unplug the second one.

Sources: proctly.com/download, github.com/i-internet/proctly.com, support.apple.com/guide/mac-help/open-a-mac-app-from-an-..., support.apple.com/guide/mac-help/control-access-to-scree...

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