What can an online assessment see about your device?

Before an online assessment, you may wonder whether the website can see your files, installed apps, or everything you do on your computer. A browser-based test usually has less access than installed monitoring software, but it can still collect information you provide and details your browser makes available.

Use TooLab's System Info and Browser Info to check what your device and browser report. Then review the permissions the assessment asks for before you allow them.

Check what your browser exposes

1. Open System Info to review the processor, graphics, screen, battery, and network details available to the browser.
2. Open Browser Info to check your browser version, engine, permissions, privacy settings, codecs, and supported features.
3. Compare the permission information with what the assessment says it needs. A request for camera access may make sense for a proctored exam. It is not needed just to answer a regular multiple-choice quiz.
4. Check the assessment page's site permissions in your browser. Review camera, microphone, location, and screen-sharing access before starting the test.

TooLab's checks run in your browser and do not install software. They show information the browser makes available to a page, not a complete inventory of everything on your computer.

What the result means

You see a device or browser detail

The browser can report that detail to a website if the website requests it. A report of a screen size, browser version, or graphics capability does not mean the site can browse your folders or read documents stored on the computer.

Browser reports have limits. For example, a browser gives only a rounded hint about RAM, not the exact installed amount. A device summary is not a full hardware audit and may not identify a precise model or component.

A permission is allowed

An allowed permission gives the site access to a particular feature, subject to browser and operating-system rules. Camera and microphone access can provide live audio or video while the page is using them. Screen sharing lets you choose what to share, such as a screen, window, or browser tab. It does not automatically mean the site can see every window on your computer.

Look for the browser's camera or microphone indicator while the assessment is active. Stop sharing or revoke access when you are finished if you do not want the page to keep using that permission.

A permission is blocked or unavailable

The site may be unable to use that feature, or the browser may not support it in your current setup. This does not prove the site has no access to other information. A blocked camera permission, for example, does not hide answers you submit or basic connection details from the assessment provider.

The assessment asks for more access than expected

Pause before allowing it. Check the assessment instructions and privacy notice, or ask the school, employer, or test provider why the access is needed and what it records. Some exams use separate lockdown or proctoring software, which can have different access from a page running in a normal browser.

Limit what you share before you start

1. Read the assessment instructions. Find out whether the test needs a camera, microphone, screen sharing, or a separate application. Do not grant a permission simply because a prompt appears.
2. Review the page's browser permissions. Use the site information icon near the address bar, then check the available site permissions. Remove access the assessment does not need. Browser labels differ, so look for the permission name rather than a particular button.
3. Check camera and microphone access in your operating system. In Windows 11, open Settings › Privacy & security › Camera and Settings › Privacy & security › Microphone. On macOS, open System Settings › Privacy & Security › Camera and System Settings › Privacy & Security › Microphone. Allow your browser only if the assessment requires it.
4. Review permissions on a phone or tablet. Search the device's Settings for camera and microphone permissions, then check which browser or assessment app has access. The exact menu names vary by device and operating-system version.
5. Share only the requested screen or window. If screen sharing is required, select the specific tab or window when that option is offered. Close unrelated documents and notifications first, and stop sharing when the test ends.
6. Use a separate browser profile if appropriate. A profile dedicated to the assessment can keep unrelated bookmarks and signed-in accounts separate. It does not hide your IP address, submitted answers, or information the assessment page is allowed to collect.

What the assessment provider may still know

A website can receive information you enter, such as your name, answers, and account details. It can also record page activity, including clicks or how long a test takes, if the assessment is built to track those events. When your browser connects to the service, the service can receive your public IP address and connection times. That is different from being able to inspect your files or see your entire desktop.

Camera, microphone, and screen access are separate from basic page access. A browser asks for permission before a page uses the camera or microphone. Screen sharing also requires you to choose what to share. If the exam requires dedicated monitoring software, review its own privacy information because browser permission checks do not describe every capability of software installed on your device.

Before a high-stakes assessment, ask the provider what it collects, how long it keeps the data, and whether you can take the test without optional permissions. A browser report can help you understand your setup, but it cannot confirm the provider's data-retention practices.