LockDown Browser Pre-Exam Checklist for Mac (2026 - Tested Procedure)

Last updated 2026-05-02 · LDBypass Editorial

24 hours before the exam

1. Update macOS to the current minor. System Settings → General → Software Update. Don't do this 30 minutes before the exam - TCC dialogs may need re-approval after an update.
2. Update LDB to the current build. Launch your installed LDB; it auto-checks on launch. Confirm version matches your university's required version.
3. Run the practice exam. Most universities publish a no-credit practice exam in the same course. Run end-to-end including webcam check. Catches TCC failures + blacklist conflicts in advance.
4. Verify camera + microphone work. Open FaceTime; both should work. If FaceTime sees you and hears you, Monitor will too.

1 hour before the exam

1. Charge to 100%. Plan to take the exam plugged in if your laptop is > 2 years old or your exam is > 90 minutes.
2. Close everything except LDB. Quit Slack, Teams, Zoom, Spotify, Discord, Grammarly desktop, Dropbox, OneDrive, Google Drive Desktop. Leave only macOS system processes + your LMS in Safari.
3. Disconnect external monitors. Unplug HDMI, DisplayPort, USB-C-to-display, AirPlay, Sidecar. LDB blocks dual-monitor by default.
4. Set Do Not Disturb. Control Center → Focus → Do Not Disturb until exam end time.
5. Confirm Wi-Fi stable. Move closer to your router or wire up via Ethernet adapter. Cellular hotspot ready as backup.
6. Use the bathroom. Most exams don't allow breaks; even those that do log it as a flagged event.

10 minutes before the exam

1. Activity Monitor sweep. Search for: VNC, ARDAgent, screensharingd, TeamViewer, AnyDesk, Citrix, Parallels, VMware, UTM, Zoom, Teams. Quit each.
2. System Settings → Privacy & Security. Confirm Camera, Microphone, Screen & System Audio Recording all show LockDown Browser with the toggle on. If Sequoia 15.3+ shows the 30-day re-prompt, click Allow now.
3. Disable third-party antivirus real-time scanning (Malwarebytes, Bitdefender, Sophos). Re-enable after exam.
4. Pause cloud sync. Dropbox menu → Pause; OneDrive → Pause syncing; Google Drive → Pause syncing.
5. Clear desktop / quit FaceTime / quit Photo Booth. Anything that uses the camera.

2 minutes before the exam

1. Open Safari, sign in to your LMS. Navigate to the exam. Don't click "Launch" yet.
2. Position yourself. Camera at eye level, 18-24 inches from face. Light source in front, not behind. Plain background.
3. Ready your student ID. Hold it 6-12 inches from camera, tilted to avoid glare.
4. Click Launch. Allow LDB to open from the macOS prompt. Approve any TCC dialogs that appear.

Common preventable failures (and how the checklist catches them)