Safe Exam Browser for Moodle: Setup, What It Blocks and Fixes

If your Moodle quiz says it must be taken with Safe Exam Browser, you need to install and test it before exam day. This guide covers the setup, what SEB does and the fixes for the problems students hit most often.

What Safe Exam Browser is

Safe Exam Browser (SEB) is a free, open-source browser built for exams. When a Moodle quiz requires it, Moodle checks that the request comes from SEB with the right configuration. Inside SEB:

• Only the exam (and any allowed resources) can be opened.
• Switching to other applications is blocked.
• Browser extensions are not loaded.
• Some keyboard shortcuts, like copy and paste or screenshots, may be disabled.
• Quitting may require a password or finishing the quiz.

Step 1: Install SEB

Download Safe Exam Browser from its official website, or from the link your school provides. Use the version your school recommends, because very old or very new versions may not match the exam configuration. It runs on Windows, macOS and iPadOS.

Step 2: Launch the quiz

There are two common ways:

1. Launch button: open the quiz page in your normal browser and click Launch Safe Exam Browser. SEB opens and loads the quiz.
2. Configuration file: your teacher provides a .seb file. Open it, and SEB starts with the right settings.

Log in to Moodle inside SEB if asked.

Step 3: Do a test run

If your course has a practice quiz with SEB, take it. If not, ask your teacher whether one can be set up. A test run reveals almost every problem in advance.

Common problems and fixes

"This quiz has been configured so that it may only be attempted using Safe Exam Browser"

You opened the quiz in a normal browser. Use the Launch button or the configuration file instead.

SEB opens but the quiz does not load

Check your internet connection, then quit SEB and launch again from the quiz page. Make sure you are using the version your school recommends.

"Config key or browser exam key mismatch"

The SEB configuration does not match what the quiz expects. Download the latest configuration file or relaunch from the quiz page, and tell your teacher if it persists.

SEB will not start because of another app

Some apps, like screen recorders or remote desktop tools, are blocked. Close them, and close virtual machines, then try again.

I cannot quit SEB

Finish and submit the quiz, then use the quit button. If a quit password is required, your teacher or invigilator provides it.

What SEB does not do

SEB controls your computer, not the room. It does not use your webcam by itself, though some exams combine it with proctoring. Read what to expect in a Moodle proctored exam if your exam uses both.

Do not try to get around it

Prepare the content, not just the software

SEB means no extensions, no notes and no other apps during the exam, so preparation beforehand is everything. Use our Moodle exam success guide to plan your revision, and practise with AI tools before exam day, when they are allowed and useful.