Some Moodle quizzes require Safe Exam Browser (SEB), a locked-down browser that blocks other applications on your device while you take the quiz. This article covers installing SEB, practicing before an exam, and fixing the most common problems. A section for faculty is at the end.

What Safe Exam Browser Does

• You can only attempt the quiz from inside Safe Exam Browser.
• The SEB window has no address bar or search field.
• SEB cannot be closed until the quiz is submitted.
• Switching to other applications is blocked.

A one-minute demonstration of the student experience is available at safeexambrowser.org/about_demo_en.html.

Install Safe Exam Browser

SEB runs on Windows, Mac, iPhone, and iPad. It does not run on Chromebooks or Android devices. If your only device is one of those, contact your instructor before the exam.

Install SEB on the device you will use for the quiz, several days before the exam. Your instructor may also provide a download link in the Moodle course.

1. Go to safeexambrowser.org/download_en.html.
2. Select the download for your device: Windows, macOS, or iOS and iPadOS.
3. Install it, then check for operating system updates and restart. SEB requires Windows 10 version 1803 or newer, macOS 12 or newer, or iOS and iPadOS 12 or newer.
4. If you already have SEB installed, download and install the current version anyway. Older versions fail on current operating systems; see Troubleshooting.

Practice Before the Exam

Before starting, quit every other application and close every browser tab except the one with your Moodle course. SEB closes other applications on its own, but background activity can interrupt the quiz and force SEB to quit.

If your instructor has included a practice quiz in the course, attempt it. If not, use the practice quiz in the Educational Technology training course:

1. Go to training.wooster.edu and sign in with the OpenID Connect button.
2. Open the Moodle Professional Development course (training.wooster.edu/course/view.php?id=88) and enroll.
3. Open the Safe Exam Browser Example Quiz (training.wooster.edu/mod/quiz/view.php?id=3747) and attempt it.

Troubleshooting

A red screen appears on a Mac

SEB shows a red lock screen when it detects something it treats as a security problem. Read the message on the screen; the fix depends on it.

• The screen says System security feature is disabled. SEB tried to close a background app and could not. Quit SEB, restart the Mac, and try again. If it keeps coming back, update SEB to the current version and contact the Help Desk.
• The screen mentions screen sharing. Open System Settings, General, Sharing, and turn off Screen Sharing and Remote Management. Restart and try again.
• The screen says Re-Opening Locked Exam, or shows no clear reason, on macOS 26.6 or later. SEB is probably out of date. Since August 2026, SEB versions older than 3.7 show a red lock screen on macOS 26.6 and up because Apple changed its code signing certificates, and restarting does not clear it. Quit SEB (an instructor or the Help Desk can enter the quit password if needed), install the current version from safeexambrowser.org/download_en.html, restart, and try again.
• The Mac was put to sleep or the lid was closed during the quiz. Keep the lid open and the Mac plugged in. Restart and try again.

If you are not sure which applies, update SEB first. It is the fix for the most common cause and does no harm for the others.

SEB will not download or install

1. Quit other applications during the download.
2. Install any pending operating system updates and restart.
3. Clear your browser cache and cookies, then try the download again.
4. On Windows, if SEB installs but will not start, uninstall it and install the current version again. One Windows release in 2026 was withdrawn for this reason.

Multi-factor authentication problems

• Restart your device and try again.
• Make sure Microsoft Authenticator is installed on your phone and your sign-in methods are current. See Managing Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) for Your College of Wooster Account.

Still not working

Contact the Help Desk using the information at the end of this article. If the exam is in progress, tell your instructor first.

For Faculty

• Tell students in advance that SEB is required and point them to this article.
• Offer a practice quiz that uses SEB, with unlimited attempts and no grade weight, at least two or three days before the real exam.
• Be available during the practice window. Problems found then do not happen during the exam.
• If a student gets a red screen during the exam, read the message. System security feature is disabled clears with a restart; most other red screens on current macOS need an SEB update. Keep the quit password at hand so a locked session can be closed.

Educational Technology keeps SEB resources in the Moodle Professional Development course on training.wooster.edu, under the Quiz topic, Resources subtopic: the pages Safe Exam Browser quiz setting (training.wooster.edu/mod/page/view.php?id=1877) and For Students: How to use Safe Exam Browser (training.wooster.edu/mod/page/view.php?id=3263).

Getting Help

If you run into any issue during setup, contact the IT Help Desk.

• Email: helpdesk@wooster.edu
• Phone: 330-287-4357 (330-287-HELP)
• Walk-in: Burton D. Morgan Hall – Help Desk, 4th floor
• Hours: Monday through Friday, 8:30 am to 5:30 pm