If your district needs additional test security, here are free lockdown browser options recommended by InnerOrbit that your IT team can consider. These tools help limit what students can access during an assessment by locking devices to a specific URL, such as an InnerOrbit assessment link.
Quick Pick: Which Option Fits Your Devices?
Chromebooks → ChromeOS Kiosk Mode
Windows, Mac, or iPad (or a mix of devices) → Safe Exam Browser (SEB)
What to Know Before you Start
✅ These are IT-managed tools
Both options require device administrator access. They’re not classroom-only settings a teacher can turn on without IT support.
✅ Best use case
These tools work best for schoolwide or districtwide assessments (benchmarks, common assessments, testing windows), where the district wants consistent security expectations.
✅ How they usually work
An admin typically adds an approved/secure URL in a management console, which locks student devices to that experience during testing.
Side-by-side Comparison
Tool | Cost | Supported Devices | Setup Level | Security Level | Key Benefits | Limitations |
Free | Windows, Mac, iPad | Medium | High | Strong lockdown + cross-platform | Requires install + configuration
Not native for Chromebooks or Android | |
Free | Chromebooks | Medium | Medium | Built into ChromeOS
locks device to a single URL | Admin setup required
Fewer lockdown controls |
Option 1: Safe Exam Browser (SEB)
Best for:
Districts using Windows, Mac, or iPads
Requirements:
1. IT/admin access to install and configure SEB on student devices
2. Someone (teacher or admin) who can create a simple SEB configuration file (.seb) for an assessment
3. A list of allowed URLs needed during testing
Setup Steps (at a glance):
1. IT installs SEB on district-managed devices.
2. A teacher or admin creates an SEB configuration file (.seb) for the assessment (including allowed URLs).
3. Students launch the assessment using the secure SEB link/config file.
🔗 Want more details? Visit their website → Safe Exam Browser (SEB)
Option 2: ChromeOS Kiosk Mode (Chromebooks)
Best for:
Chromebook districts that want a simple, built-in approach. ChromeOS Kiosk Mode is a ChromeOS feature that can lock a Chromebook into a single website or app experience.
Requirements:
1. Google Admin access (device management required)
2. A district process for enabling and managing kiosk settings
3. The URL you want devices locked into (such as an InnerOrbit assessment link)
Setup Steps (at a glance):
1. A Google Admin enables and configures Kiosk Mode for managed Chromebooks.
2. Based on district setup, staff launch students into the kiosk testing session.
3. Student devices open directly into the locked experience.
🔗 Want more details? Visit their website → ChromeOS Kiosk Mode
Best Practices for District Rollout
1. Run a small pilot first (a few devices + a short assessment) before using it school or district wide.
2. Plan for IT support during the first testing window, especially with SEB installs/configs.
3. Make a quick internal checklist:
Who requests secure testing?
Who sets it up (IT)?
How far in advance does it need to be scheduled?
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