Proctorio can detect phone use during a proctored exam, but the detection method depends on the settings your institution or employer has enabled. Proctorio's monitoring is layered — it combines webcam, screen, browser, and behavioral checks that together make phone use difficult to hide.
How Proctorio detects phone use
- Screen recording. If screen sharing is enabled, Proctorio captures the screen periodically. If you pick up a phone in view of your webcam or use it visibly on your desk, the screenshots and webcam footage will show it.
- Webcam monitoring. Proctorio's webcam records video of the candidate throughout the exam. A phone in the camera's field of view is visible to the proctor and the AI analysis.
- Eye and gaze tracking. Some Proctorio settings include gaze detection, which flags candidates who consistently look away from the screen — such as looking down at a phone.
- Audio detection. Microphone monitoring can pick up phone calls, notification sounds, or spoken conversations.
- Browser lockdown. Proctorio restricts the browser environment, making it harder to switch to phone-related apps on the same computer.
Proctorio does not have a dedicated phone-detection sensor — it does not scan the room or connect to your phone. What it does do is make phone use visible through the recording layers it monitors.
When detection is active
Proctorio's monitoring is configured per exam. A low-stakes quiz may have minimal monitoring, while a final exam or certification test may enable full webcam, screen, and audio monitoring. Your instructor or exam administrator sets which features apply.
What happens if a phone is detected
If phone use is visible on the webcam or in screen captures, the session recording is flagged and sent to the proctor or instructor for review. The consequence depends on the institution's academic integrity policy — it can range from a warning to exam invalidation.
How to avoid issues
- Put your phone away — out of the webcam's field of view and out of reach.
- Read the exam instructions for any proctoring requirements.
- Close all other apps and notifications on your computer.
- Use the bathroom and silence your phone before the exam starts.
For the full picture of what Proctorio monitors, see does Proctorio record your screen for the screen-capture and webcam layers.
Bottom line
Proctorio can detect phone use through webcam footage, screen captures, audio monitoring, and behavioral analysis — but only when the relevant monitoring features are enabled. Keep the phone out of frame and out of reach, and take the exam in a clean environment.