LockDown Browser Error -111 on Mac (Version Mismatch Fix)

Last updated 2026-05-01 · LDBypass Editorial

Error -111 in LockDown Browser is most commonly an LDB version mismatch - your installed LDB is older than what your university's Respondus Dashboard expects for the course. Reinstall from your LMS's current download link to get the latest build. If -111 persists after a clean install, the Dashboard config itself needs review.

What error -111 means

Error -111 fires when the Dashboard's minimum LDB version requirement does not match the version your client reports. The Dashboard refuses to launch the exam with the older client.

Mac-specific causes

LDB installed >6 months ago has not auto-updated and is below the Dashboard's minimum.
University recently updated their Dashboard requirement to a newer LDB.
You installed LDB from a friend's saved .dmg instead of your LMS's current link (older build).

Fix 1 - Reinstall from your current LMS link

The reliable fix:

Run the complete uninstall (uninstall cluster).
Restart your Mac.
Sign in to your LMS, navigate to the assessment that requires LDB, click the download link.
Install the freshly-downloaded .dmg.
Verify the version in About LockDown Browser: it should be 2.1.5.01 or whatever your university's current minimum is.

Fix 2 - Verify the LDB version vs. expected minimum

Right-click /Applications/LockDown Browser.app → Get Info → Version. Compare to your university's LDB IT page (search "[your university] respondus lockdown browser" - most universities post the required minimum version publicly).

Fix 3 - Contact instructor if version is current

If your LDB matches the documented minimum but -111 still appears, the Dashboard's expected version is misconfigured server-side. Email your instructor with the version data.

If none of these work

The remaining cases trace to your specific course's Respondus Dashboard configuration - your university IT or instructor needs to look at the server side. Contact them with: the exact error code, the LDB version (right-click LDB.app → Get Info), the macOS version (About This Mac), and the time of your launch attempt.

Frequently asked questions

Why does my installed LDB say it's up to date but -111 says version mismatch?

LDB's update check runs once per launch and may have failed silently (network issues, see error -7). The bundled version may genuinely be outdated. Reinstall from the LMS link to bypass the auto-updater.

Can I downgrade LDB if my university requires an older version?

Almost never the right move - universities only require minimum versions, not exact versions. If the university genuinely requires a downgrade (rare), they will provide the specific .dmg.