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Sitting a Synoptic Browser Extension Exam

Guide for candidates sititng their first Synoptic Exam

Synoptic Browser Extension Candidate Demonstration

System configurations may need to be granted to ensure Google Chrome has permissions and access to webcams and screens. Some school or business devices have this disabled by default.

Enable Google Chrome screen recording on MacOS

Step by step guide

Enable Google Chrome screen recording on Windows

Step by step guide

Troubleshooting / FAQs

1. Chrome Version & Compatibility Issues

❓ "I got an unclear error message, and Synap wouldn’t work until I updated Chrome."

Solution:

  • Synap supports older versions of Chrome, but we highly recommend keeping Chrome up to date to avoid compatibility issues.

  • To check and update Chrome:

    1. Open Chrome.

    2. Click the three-dot menu (⋮) in the top-right corner.

    3. Go to Help → About Google Chrome.

    4. If an update is available, install it and restart Chrome.

  • If installation is slow, it could be due to your internet speed—try connecting to a stronger network.

2.Screen Sharing Not Recognised

❓ "Synap says I'm not sharing my screen, even though I am."

Solution:

  • Some computers have settings that restrict sharing only one window at a time, instead of the whole screen.

  • Make sure you select ‘Entire Screen’ when prompted.

  • If your screen still isn’t recognised, try:

    • Restarting Chrome.

    • Checking if another app (Zoom, Teams, etc.) is interfering with screen sharing.

    • Restarting your computer and trying again.

Important: Synap cannot override your computer’s privacy settings. If your system blocks screen sharing, we cannot detect why—so ensure permissions are enabled.

3.Repeated Screen Sharing Prompts

❓ "Synap keeps asking me to confirm my screen sharing every few seconds."

Solution:

4.Camera Not Working with Synap

❓ "My camera stops working when Synap is running, but works fine otherwise."

Solutions

Check Chrome Permissions:

  • Go to chrome://settings/content/camera

  • Ensure Synap/Synoptic is allowed to use the camera.

Mac Users: Check System Preferences:

  • Go to System Settings → Privacy & Security → Camera.

  • Ensure Google Chrome has access.

Try Restarting Chrome & Your Device

  • If permissions were recently changed, Chrome might need to restart to recognise them.

5.Sleep Mode & Session Issues

❓ "If my computer goes into sleep mode, I have to confirm all permissions again."

Solution

  • If your device goes to sleep, Chrome may pause Synoptic’s background processes, requiring reconfirmation of permissions.

  • Before your exam, disable sleep mode:

    • Windows: Go to Settings → Power & Sleep → Set "Sleep" to Never.

    • Mac: Go to System Settings → Battery → Set "Turn display off" to Never.

❗ Does this count as a breach? Not necessarily, but it could interrupt the proctoring session. Avoid this by keeping your device awake.

6.MacBook Users Need to Restart Chrome

❓ "After starting the exam, I had to close Chrome, re-confirm laptop settings, and restart."

Solution:

  • MacOS does not grant permissions until an app requests them.

  • If permissions were not granted before the exam, you may need to restart Chrome after granting them.

  • Before the exam, go to System Settings → Privacy & Security → Check permissions for:

    • Screen Recording

    • Camera

    • Microphone

  • Restart Chrome to ensure changes take effect.

7. Issues loading Synap, question content or Synoptic

❓ "I'm having problems launching Synoptic."

Solution:

  • Ensure that the following domains are whitelisted on your network

There is a detailed candidate guide below which includes a video walkthrough of sitting a synoptic exam. You can use this guide to help with instructions or pinned note pages on platforms as well as the content above.

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