Take-Home Exam vs Proctored Exam: Different Rules for Different Risks
TL;DR
Take-home exams have no proctoring layer, so any AI tool works — ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, anything. Proctored exams need a tool that's invisible to screen capture and webcam, which narrows the field to OS-level overlays like Lockdownify.
Students often ask why they'd pay for Lockdownify when ChatGPT is free. The honest answer is that for take-home exams, you don't need it. ChatGPT or Claude is fine. Lockdownify exists for the specific case where proctoring is watching.
Take-home exam — anything works
Use whichever model is strongest for the subject. Claude Opus 4.7 for theory, GPT-5 for code, Gemini 3.1 Pro for diagrams. Take your time, copy-paste freely, generate drafts and refine. No proctoring software is watching, so the tooling decision is purely about which model gives the best answer.
Proctored exam — only invisible tools work
Tab switching is logged. Screen captures show every visible window. Webcam-based gaze tracking flags glances away from the screen. Only tools that live in the OS-level overlay layer — the same layer accessibility tools live in — are invisible to all three. Lockdownify is the only product currently in that category for students.
When to use which
Read the syllabus for the exam policy. If it says "open notes" or "no proctoring," you can use any tool. If it mentions LockDown Browser, Honorlock, Proctorio, or any other proctoring product, only an invisible overlay is safe.
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Sign up nowFrequently asked questions
Can I just use ChatGPT on a take-home exam?
Yes, if the syllabus permits it (or doesn't explicitly forbid it). Most take-home policies allow notes and the internet. ChatGPT is the same category of resource.
Is Lockdownify overkill for a take-home?
Yes. It's purpose-built to be invisible during proctoring — if no proctoring is running, you don't need that invisibility.
Will Lockdownify get me caught?
No. Lockdownify is filtered out of every screen-capture pipeline at the operating-system level — before a single pixel is ever encoded. LockDown Browser, Honorlock, Proctorio, Zoom, Teams, and Meet all read the same OS frame buffer, and Lockdownify is excluded from it. We re-test against every major proctoring tool weekly. If you ever do get flagged, we refund your subscription and reimburse the exam fee.
What platforms does Lockdownify support?
macOS 13 Ventura and later, and Windows 10 and 11. Both desktop apps ship today.
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