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Will Your Webcam and Mic Pass an Online Proctored Exam?
An online proctored exam can be lost before the first question: the system check fails, the camera is refused, or the connection drops at check-in. Almost every one of those failures can be found and fixed days earlier, because the requirements are published and most of them can be measured at home.
8 min read · updated 25 September 2026 · links to 5 tools
In short
Pearson VUE's OnVUE online exams publish their technical requirements. In the July 2026 version, the webcam must manage at least 640 × 480 pixels at 10 frames per second, face forward at eye level and show your head and shoulders, and a mobile phone cannot be used as the webcam. The connection must support at least 6 Mbps download and 2 Mbps upload, with a wired connection recommended and no VPN or proxy. Speakers must be built-in or wired; headphones and headsets are not allowed unless the exam sponsor approves them, and Bluetooth is never allowed. Only one monitor may be used, touch screens are not allowed, and the minimum display resolution is 1024 × 768. Supported systems are 64-bit Windows 10 and 11 outside S Mode, and macOS 14 or later. Run Pearson VUE's own system test before exam day, and check the camera, microphone and screen with independent tests so you know which part fails if it does.
The requirements, in one table
These are the candidate requirements from Pearson VUE's OnVUE technical requirements document, version 26.7.1, dated July 2026. Pearson VUE notes that minimum requirements may change as exam sponsors update their needs, so check the current version for your exam before relying on any figure.
| Part | Requirement | Can you check it at home? |
|---|---|---|
| Webcam | At least 640 × 480 at 10 fps; facing forward at eye level, showing head and shoulders; no filters; not a mobile phone | Yes — resolution and frame rate |
| Internet | At least 6 Mbps download and 2 Mbps upload; wired recommended; no VPN or proxy | Yes — with a speed test |
| Speakers | Built-in or wired; no Bluetooth | Yes |
| Headphones | Not allowed unless the sponsor approves them; if allowed, wired only | Check your exam's rules |
| Display | At least 1024 × 768; one monitor only; no touch screens | Yes — resolution |
| Operating system | Windows 10 or 11, 64-bit, not in S Mode; macOS 14 or later, not a beta | Yes |
| Memory | The operating system's minimum; 4 GB or more recommended | Yes |
| Power | Plugged in before the exam starts | Yes |
The webcam: resolution, frame rate and position
The resolution and frame-rate minimum is low — 640 × 480 at 10 frames per second is well below what almost any laptop camera offers — so failures are rarely about the camera's specification. They come from what the camera actually delivers. In poor light many webcams slow their frame rate to gather more light per frame, and a camera that another program is already using may refuse to start at all.
Measure what your camera delivers, not what it promises. The webcam test reports the resolution the browser actually received and the frame rate it is really delivering, so a dim room that drags the camera down is visible before exam day. Test in the room and the light you will use for the exam.
Position matters as much as the numbers. The camera must face forward at eye level and show your head and shoulders, placed directly in front of you rather than at an angle, and camera filters, including Apple's Reactions, are not allowed. If you use an external monitor, the document says to close the laptop and use an external keyboard, mouse and webcam.
The microphone and speakers
Speakers must be built into the computer or wired. Bluetooth speakers are not allowed, and neither are headphones used as speakers. Headphones and headsets are not allowed at all unless your exam sponsor has approved them, and if they are approved they must be wired.
Check the microphone picks up your voice at a sensible level with the microphone test, and that sound comes out of the built-in or wired speakers with the speaker test. On a Mac, the document notes that OnVUE may need to be allowed to use the microphone and camera in System Settings, under Privacy; if you choose Don't Allow the first time, it will not ask again.
The connection
The minimum is 6 Mbps download and 2 Mbps upload. Upload is the figure people forget, and it matters most here, because your camera is sending video to the proctor for the whole exam. Many home connections have far less upload than download.
Run a speed test at the time of day you will sit the exam, on the same connection. Pearson VUE recommends a wired connection instead of Wi-Fi, asks you to stop others at home using the internet during the exam, and does not allow VPNs or proxies. Corporate networks and corporate computers often have restrictions that block delivery, so a personal computer on a home connection is the safer choice.
Speeds are quoted in megabits per second. A 6 Mbps connection moves about 0.75 megabytes per second — a download manager showing MB/s will show a number eight times smaller than the same connection in Mbps.
The screen and the computer
The display must be at least 1024 × 768, and 1920 × 1080 or higher is recommended. Only one monitor is allowed, and touch screens are not allowed. The screen resolution checker shows the resolution and scaling your screen is running at.
The supported systems are 64-bit Windows 10 and 11, excluding S Mode, and macOS 14 or later, excluding beta versions. Windows 8.1 and earlier, Linux and Chrome-based systems are not supported, and Windows must pass Pearson VUE's Genuine Windows check. Tablets are not allowed unless they have a physical keyboard and meet the operating system requirements.
A check routine for the week before
- Run Pearson VUE's own system test on the exact computer, in the exact room, on the connection you will use.
- Open the webcam test in the same light and note the delivered resolution and frame rate.
- Check the microphone and speakers, with any Bluetooth devices switched off or unpaired.
- Run a speed test at the exam's time of day and look at the upload figure.
- Disconnect any second monitor, and turn off VPN software.
- Plug the computer into power, and ask others at home not to use the internet during the exam.
What independent tests can and cannot tell you
A browser test measures your camera, microphone and screen as the browser sees them, which is the right way to find a hardware or lighting problem early. It cannot run Pearson VUE's own checks, such as the Genuine Windows validation or the secure browser's rules about which other software may run. Only the official system test can tell you that your setup will be accepted, so use the independent tests to find and fix problems, and the official test to confirm.
Frequently asked questions
What webcam resolution does OnVUE need?
At least 640 × 480 pixels at 10 frames per second, according to Pearson VUE's July 2026 requirements. The webcam can be internal or external, must face forward at eye level and show your head and shoulders, and cannot be a mobile phone.
What internet speed do I need for a Pearson VUE online exam?
At least 6 Mbps download and 2 Mbps upload. Pearson VUE recommends a wired connection rather than Wi-Fi and does not allow VPNs or proxies.
Can I use headphones for an OnVUE exam?
Only if your exam sponsor has approved them, and then only wired headphones. Bluetooth headphones and speakers are not allowed.
Can I use two monitors for an online proctored exam?
No. OnVUE allows only one monitor. If you use an external monitor with a laptop, close the laptop and use an external keyboard, mouse and webcam.
Can I take an OnVUE exam on Linux or a Chromebook?
No. Linux, Unix and Chrome-based operating systems are not supported. OnVUE supports 64-bit Windows 10 and 11, excluding S Mode, and macOS 14 or later.
Why did my webcam fail the system test?
Common causes are another program already using the camera, the camera being blocked in the operating system's privacy settings, or a frame rate that drops in poor light. Check what your camera actually delivers with a webcam test in the same room and light, then run the official system test again.
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