Before a remotely proctored exam, run your proctoring provider’s own system test on the same computer and network you will use on exam day. That test, and the check-in on the day, decide whether you can sit the exam. Then check what the test will not fix for you: camera framing, light on your face, the microphone and speakers in use, a steady connection, power and the room. Close every other app before you launch the exam software.
A failed check-in can also cost the exam fee. Pearson VUE warns that if any OnVUE requirement is not met, you cannot test and your fee is forfeited. Your exam’s rules come first; where this guide differs from them, follow the rules.
Run the provider’s system test first
Your exam confirmation or school instructions name the provider and link to its test. Requirements below are as of October 2026 and can differ by exam program.
| Provider | Where to test | Requirements worth checking early |
|---|---|---|
| Pearson VUE OnVUE | The system test on your exam program’s OnVUE page | Run and pass it on the exam-day device and network. Webcam, microphone and speaker, no headphones or headsets. One display. At least 6 Mbps down and 2 Mbps up. No VPNs, corporate networks or public or shared networks. See the OnVUE requirements. |
| ProctorU (Meazure Learning) | Test Your Equipment in your ProctorU account; see How to test your equipment | Webcam at 640×480 or better, 3 Mbps up and down, speakers, a microphone not built into headphones. One monitor, no virtual machines, no remote-control apps such as TeamViewer or AnyDesk. See the equipment requirements. |
| Examity | The Examity system check, or the link in your exam instructions | The check starts with your camera and microphone. Follow the requirements your exam instructions give. |
Run the test a few days ahead, so there is time to fix a failed item, and again the day before. ProctorU notes that its automated check does not guarantee your equipment will work on exam day; Pearson asks you to test on the same device and network you will use. Changing the laptop, the room or the Wi-Fi after the test makes the result less useful.
Check what the system test will not fix
A system test tells you whether something fails. It rarely tells you why your face is dark or which microphone Windows picked. Check these on the exam computer, in the exam room.
| Check | What to look for |
|---|---|
| Camera position | Pearson’s technical requirements say the webcam must face forward, be at eye level and show your head and shoulders, with no filters. Raise the laptop on something stable if it sits too low. |
| Light on your face | The main light should be in front of you, not behind. A window behind you turns your face into a silhouette. The webcam lighting guide covers the setup. |
| Microphone | Speak at normal volume and confirm that the microphone you are allowed to use responds, not a headset that is still paired. |
| Speakers | Pearson requires built-in or wired speakers and does not allow Bluetooth speakers. Windows should play sound through those speakers, not a headset that connected on its own. |
| Apps holding the camera | Teams, Zoom, a browser tab or the Camera app can keep the camera busy. If Windows says the camera is in use, see camera in use by another app. |
| Connection | Use a cable if you can; Pearson recommends a wired network. Ask others at home not to stream or download during the exam. If you normally use a VPN, read your exam’s rules; the VPN guide explains how it affects the connection. |
| Power | Pearson asks you to connect the device to power before the exam begins. |
The day before
- Install pending updates and restart the computer. Pearson recommends a restart before exam day.
- Run the provider’s system test again on the exam network.
- Run a device check: camera image and framing, light on your face, microphone level, playback device, connection.
- Fix anything that failed, then repeat the provider’s test.
- Set up the room and desk as your exam’s rules describe, and keep your ID ready.
Download the proctored exam tech checklist (TXT) to work through on the day.
30 minutes before
For OnVUE, check-in itself begins 30 minutes before your appointment, so start these steps a little earlier.
- Plug the laptop into power.
- Close the CallReady window, then right-click its icon in the taskbar notification area and select Exit.
- Close Teams, Zoom, camera tabs and every other app. Pearson’s system test troubleshooting guide shows how to end the apps its test flags, in Task Manager.
- Disconnect monitors and devices your exam does not allow.
- Launch only the exam software and follow its check-in.
If something fails during the exam, use the provider’s instructions and support channel. For OnVUE, Pearson says the in-exam chat reaches a proctor, and a frozen session can be restarted by relaunching OnVUE from your downloads folder.
Where CallReady fits, and when to close it
Use CallReady the day before and just before check-in. In one window it shows the camera image, whether your face is visible and evenly lit, the microphone level, which device Windows will play sound through, and your connection’s latency, jitter and throughput. If the camera is already in use, it says so.
It does not replace the provider’s system test, and a good result does not mean the exam software will accept your setup. Do not open it, or any other app, during the exam.
Closing the CallReady window releases the camera and microphone, but the app keeps running in the notification area. Before you launch the exam software, select Exit from its tray icon so nothing else is running when the exam software checks.
Frequently asked questions
Does a CallReady check replace the proctoring system test?
Can CallReady stay open during the exam?
Can I use headphones or a Bluetooth headset?
Can I take the exam over a VPN or a work network?
Check your camera, light, microphone, speakers and connection with CallReady the day before, then exit it and run your provider’s test.
Get CallReady