AI Overlay for Moodle Quizzes on Mac
Moodle is the open-source LMS used by universities worldwide, including most public universities outside the US. Moodle quizzes can run on the open web or behind a proctor like Safe Exam Browser, Respondus LockDown Browser, or a Moodle-specific plugin like Proctorio.
Moodle's native quiz module has no client-side proctor. Anti-cheat features (question randomization, time limits, browser focus checks) run in the browser tab and do not capture anything. When proctoring is required, Moodle pairs with one of three tools: Safe Exam Browser (configured via .seb file), Respondus LockDown Browser (via the Moodle Respondus plugin), or Proctorio (via the Proctorio Moodle plugin). All three on macOS use Apple's standard screen-capture APIs, all of which respect window privacy. LDBypass overlay is invisible to each.
Key points
- Moodle 4.x ships a "Quiz access plugin" interface; SEB, Respondus, and Proctorio each install as one of those.
- A Moodle quiz with no proctor plugin is just a webpage - no screen capture, no monitoring, the overlay is unnecessary.
- SEB on Mac uses standard NSWindow lookups; flagged windows do not appear in its enumeration.
- Some institutions (Spain, Mexico, Australia) prefer Moodle + SEB. Others (US extension programs) use Moodle + Respondus.
How it works
┌── macOS host ─────────────────────────────────┐ │ ┌── proctor desktop app ───────┐ │ │ │ Calls ScreenCaptureKit / │ ← misses │ │ │ CGWindowListCreateImage │ flagged │ │ └──────────────────────────────┘ windows │ │ │ │ ┌── LDBypass overlay window ───┐ │ │ │ sharingType = .none │ ← invisible │ │ └──────────────────────────────┘ to capture│ └───────────────────────────────────────────────┘
Compatibility on Mac
| macOS 14 Sonoma+ | Yes (required for window-privacy API) | ✓ |
| Apple Silicon (M1/M2/M3/M4) | Native arm64 build | ✓ |
| Intel Macs (2019+) | Universal binary supported | ✓ |
| Moodle quiz with SEB | SEB cannot see flagged windows | ✓ |
| Moodle quiz with Respondus | Same capture, same outcome | ✓ |
| Moodle quiz with Proctorio | Browser ext, capture honored | ✓ |
Common questions
My Moodle exam has no proctor plugin. Why would I need the overlay?
You probably do not. The overlay matters when something is actively recording or monitoring; an open-web Moodle quiz is just a webpage.
Does Moodle's own "browser security" mode block the overlay?
Moodle's browser security blocks copy/paste and right-click via JavaScript inside the tab. It does not capture screen and cannot see external windows.
Are SEB exams safer for the overlay than Respondus exams?
They behave the same on the screen-capture front. SEB is technically simpler, but the privacy mechanism the overlay relies on is the same in both.