Yes. Proctorio detects cheating through AI-driven behavioral analysis that monitors multiple signals during a proctored exam — eye movement, tab switching, background audio, and other patterns that suggest outside help. The detection is automated, and flagged sessions are reviewed by the instructor or proctor.
What Proctorio's AI monitors
- Gaze detection. The webcam tracks where you are looking — consistent eye movement away from the screen suggests reading from notes or a second device.
- Audio anomaly detection. Background voices, phone notifications, or spoken conversations are flagged.
- Face detection. Proctorio checks that the candidate's face is visible and matches the identity verification at the start.
- Screen activity. Copy-paste events, tab switches, and application changes are logged.
- Browser lockdown. Prevents navigating away from the exam or accessing external resources during the test.
What gets flagged
Proctorio's AI assigns a suspicion score based on the combined signals. The instructor reviews the flagged moments in the recording — the system does not auto-disqualify. A single accidental glance at a notification is reviewed differently from a sustained pattern of looking off-screen.
What it cannot detect
- Proctorio does not scan the room or detect devices outside the webcam's field of view.
- It cannot see a second monitor positioned out of camera range (though the screen-sharing feed may reveal content).
- It does not detect phones unless the phone is visible on camera or makes detectable sounds.
How to avoid flags
- Stay in the test window and full-screen mode for the entire exam.
- Close all other applications and notifications.
- Keep your phone out of the webcam's view — and out of reach.
- Look at the screen — consistent eye movement is the single most flagged behavior.
For the screen-capture side of Proctorio's monitoring, see does Proctorio record your screen for what it captures and when.
Bottom line
Proctorio detects cheating through AI analysis of eye movement, audio, screen activity, and behavioral patterns. Flags are sent to the instructor for review. The best defense is a clean environment and steady, natural behavior.