Microsoft Online Proctored Exams: The Complete OnVUE Guide for 2026

Last updated: June 2026. Researched against the official Microsoft Learn certification pages and the Pearson VUE OnVUE documentation.

TL;DR A Microsoft online proctored exam runs through Pearson VUE's OnVUE platform, letting you sit any certification from home under live webcam supervision. You need a single screen, at least 6 Mbps download speed, a government photo ID whose name matches your profile, and a walled, empty room. Check-in opens 30 minutes early and includes a 360-degree room scan.

Booking your Microsoft AI certification online instead of travelling to a test centre is convenient, but the at-home setup is where most candidates feel anxious. The room scan, the single-monitor rule, and the fear of having an exam revoked at the last moment cause more stress than the questions themselves. This guide walks through every requirement and rule, so you arrive at check-in already knowing what the proctor expects.

Everything below is drawn from Microsoft's own certification policy pages and Pearson VUE's OnVUE documentation, current as of June 2026. The rules are global: a candidate in London, Lagos, or Singapore faces the same OnVUE process and the same Microsoft certification at the end of it.

What is an online proctored Microsoft exam?

An online proctored Microsoft exam is a certification exam you take from home or another private space, supervised remotely through Pearson VUE's OnVUE software rather than in a physical test centre [1]. OnVUE is the secure application that locks down your computer, streams your webcam and microphone to a proctor, and verifies your identity before the exam begins [2].

Microsoft delivers its certification exams through Pearson VUE, and OnVUE is the online delivery channel within that partnership [1]. When you schedule an exam, you choose between an in-person test centre and online delivery, assuming online is available in your country or region [6]. The exam content, the passing standard, and the certification you earn are identical either way. Only the environment and the supervision method differ.

Online delivery suits candidates who prefer a familiar space and want to avoid travel, but it shifts responsibility onto you. As Microsoft puts it, online proctored exams "give you the freedom to take the exam almost anywhere, but you'll be responsible for making sure your computer and exam area meet security standards" [1]. A test centre removes that burden because the room and machine are already configured [1]. The rest of this guide is about meeting those standards yourself.

Every exam in the Examinotion catalogue, from AB-730 (AI Business Professional) through to AI-103 (Azure AI Apps and Agents Developer), can be booked through this same OnVUE process where online delivery is offered. You can compare the full range on the Microsoft exams hub before you book.

OnVUE system requirements: can your computer run the exam?

Your computer and connection must meet Pearson VUE's minimum technical specification before OnVUE will let you test. The headline requirements, verified from the Pearson VUE Microsoft OnVUE page as of June 2026, are below [2].

A few of these catch people out. Virtual machines and beta operating systems are not permitted, so you cannot test inside a VM or a pre-release build of Windows or macOS [2]. VPNs, corporate networks, and public or shared networks are blocked, because Microsoft warns that proxy servers, packet inspection, and strict security configurations can disrupt the exam [1][2]. If you normally work behind a company VPN, switch to a home connection.

The single-monitor rule is stricter than it first appears. Microsoft instructs candidates to "unplug any additional monitors and turn them away from you" before the exam, and to turn off any other computers in the area [1]. Simply switching a second monitor off is not enough; it must be physically disconnected. The same applies to admin rights: Microsoft advises logging in as an administrator so you can "determine if any background processes are running and stop them" [1].

Test on a personal computer rather than a work computer where possible. Microsoft explicitly notes that work machines "often contain software that prevents OnVUE software from launching" [1]. Disable antivirus scanning for the duration, turn off pop-up blockers, and make sure your security software will not block JavaScript or Adobe AIR components, which OnVUE depends on [1].

Run the official OnVUE system test on the exact computer, connection, and location you will use on the day. Pearson VUE provides a system-test tool that checks your equipment in advance, and it is worth running it twice: once before you register, and again on exam day [1]. You can also explore the live exam interface, including the digital whiteboard, through Microsoft's exam sandbox at aka.ms/examdemo [1].

Setting up your room and ID before exam day

A compliant exam room is walled, has a closed door, and is free from disruptions [1]. Microsoft is specific here: "Your office, conference room, or space must be walled, have a closed door, and be free from disruptions," and "no one else can be in or enter the room during your exam" [1]. The only standard exception is a child under 13, which we cover in the rules section below.

Clear your desk and the area within arm's reach. Microsoft lists the items that must be out of reach: books, notepads, Post-it notes, typed notes or papers, and writing instruments such as pens, markers, whiteboards, or pencils [1]. Pearson VUE adds electronics, tissue boxes, make-up, handkerchiefs, food, smoking products, personal accessories, and weapons to the prohibited list [2]. The one welcome exception is a drink: "an accommodation request is not required to have a beverage present but it must be in a transparent, spill-proof container" [1].

Your ID is the single most common reason a check-in fails, so get it right. You must present one original, valid, government-issued photo ID with your name, photo, and signature [4]. Critically, "the name on the government issued ID you present must exactly match the name on your Microsoft Certification profile" [1]. If your profile says "Jonathan" and your passport says "Jon", that mismatch can stop you testing.

Acceptable IDs include an international passport, a plastic driving licence, a national or state ID card, or a green card [2]. Expired, digital, damaged, or photocopied IDs are rejected, as are birth certificates and health insurance cards [2]. One important warning for anyone mid-renewal: "legal name-change forms, including ID renewal forms, are not accepted for online proctored exams" [1]. If your ID is being reissued, sort that out before you book, or your fee is at risk.

The OnVUE check-in process, step by step

Check-in opens 30 minutes before your appointment and closes 15 minutes after it [1]. Starting early is the smart move, because the process "takes approximately 15 minutes but may take longer depending on your personal computer configuration" [1]. Here is the sequence.

1. Begin check-in from your Microsoft Learn profile. Sign in, go to Certifications, find your appointment, and select "Go to the exam", then "Begin exam" [1]. This launches the OnVUE download and check-in flow.
2. Pass the technology check. OnVUE verifies your equipment meets the requirements and downloads the secure browser [1].
3. Submit your photos using your mobile phone. You take a headshot, a photo of your government ID, and a set of 360-degree room scan photos to "confirm your environment is ready" [2]. If no phone is available, a webcam can be used, but the phone is the standard tool. These photos must upload successfully before the exam can launch [1].
4. Wait for the greeter review. A human greeter checks your ID and room scan, and if "the greeter has questions about your ID or room scan, they'll work with you to resolve them before you begin" [1]. The greeter then places you in the proctor queue.
5. Wait in the proctor queue. The proctor launches your exam. If you have not heard from a proctor within 30 minutes, the connection may have dropped, and you should contact Pearson VUE support via live chat [1].
6. Start the exam. Once launched, the proctor monitors you live but will not interrupt unless there is an issue, usually contacting you by chat first, then phone [1].

Understand the difference between the two people involved. The greeter is your first human contact and reviews your photos. The proctor monitors the exam itself through your webcam and microphone for the whole session [1]. Monitoring is done by both human proctors and assistive AI tools, and by registering you consent to both [2].

One detail confuses almost everyone: your phone has a dual role. You use it actively during check-in to photograph your ID and room, then you must place it out of arm's reach for the exam, though close enough to hear if the proctor calls [1]. The phone never acts as your webcam; it is only a camera for the check-in photos.

The rules during your Microsoft online exam

Once your exam launches, a set of conduct rules applies continuously. Breaking them can cost you the exam and the fee, so they are worth knowing in advance.

Stay in view and stay quiet. You must not leave the camera's view without starting an official break, and you must not "speak or read aloud, unless instructed" [2]. Microsoft is blunt about the consequence of stepping away informally: "you must make sure to initiate a break through the exam UI or your exam will be revoked" [1]. Reading aloud can be approved as an accommodation if you need it, with no advance documentation required [3].

No physical writing materials, but you do get a digital whiteboard. Every form of scratch paper, notepad, and pen is banned [1][2]. In their place, "digital whiteboard access is provided, though physical writing materials remain prohibited" [2]. Many candidates never realise this tool exists, then waste time hunting for it mid-exam. Practise with it first in the sandbox at aka.ms/examdemo so it feels natural on the day [1].

Food is out, a clear drink is fine. Microsoft states that "eating, smoking, and chewing gum are prohibited during the exam unless you have an approved accommodation" [1]. A beverage is allowed as long as it sits in a transparent, spill-proof container, as noted above [1].

You can take a break, but the clock keeps running. This surprises people. On all Microsoft certification exams except Microsoft Office Specialist exams, "you may take unscheduled breaks ... without requesting them in advance" [3]. Microsoft builds five minutes into the exam time for this and has "removed questions from the exam to accommodate this" [3]. The trade-off is firm: "the exam clock will continue while you are on break" [3], and once you return you cannot revisit any question you saw before the break, including ones you marked for review [3]. Breaks also cannot be taken in the middle of a lab or a case-study question set [3]. To start one, select the break icon in the exam navigation pane [3].

No headphones, no second person, no phone access. Headphones and headsets, including earbuds, are prohibited as standard, though noise-cancelling headphones with Bluetooth disabled can be approved as an accommodation [2][5]. No one over the age of 12 may be in the room; Microsoft confirms that "if someone other than a child under 13 is in the exam room, they will terminate the exam" [1]. You also must not "access your phone unless explicitly permitted by a proctor" [2]. If you have long hair, expect to "pull back long hair back to show there is nothing attached to your ear" such as a Bluetooth earpiece [1].

A note on open-book access, because it is widely misunderstood. Microsoft now allows candidates to "access Microsoft Learn as you complete your associate or expert exam", but "access to Learn is NOT available on Fundamentals exams or GitHub exams" [3]. So an associate-level exam such as AI-103 may include Learn access, whereas Fundamentals-level exams such as AB-730 and AB-900 do not. No extra time is added for using Learn [3]. Because the rules differ by exam level, always check your specific exam's policy on Microsoft Learn before booking.

What gets your exam revoked, and your fee forfeited

The phrase candidates dread is real: "violations will result in your exam being revoked and your fee forfeited" [2]. Worse, Pearson VUE warns that "if any requirement is not met, you cannot test, and your fee will be forfeited" [2]. Understanding the triggers is the best way to avoid them.

Microsoft sets out the serious case plainly. If a proctor believes the candidate rules agreement has been broken, suspects cheating or tampering, or sees someone over 13 in the room, "they will terminate the exam and report the infraction to Microsoft, along with audio and/or video evidence", after which "the exam may be invalidated, and Microsoft may decertify and even ban the candidate from the Microsoft Certification Program" [1]. The security policy page lists specific misconduct, including using AI in any way during the exam, using unauthorised materials, accepting improper assistance, impersonating another person, and "looking off-screen repeatedly" [4].

The most common ways candidates lose a fee are mundane, not malicious:

• The room scan reveals a prohibited item within reach, so the exam cannot start [2].
• A second monitor is still connected, breaching the single-screen rule [1][2].
• The name on the ID does not match the certification profile exactly [1].
• Someone over 12 walks into the room mid-exam, terminating it [1].
• A VPN or blocked network prevents the secure connection [1][2].
• You miss the 15-minute check-in window entirely [1].

There is a route to challenge a serious decision. A candidate who is banned may appeal "by emailing [email protected] within 14 calendar days" of the notice, and Microsoft reserves the right to ask any candidate to retest where fraud is suspected [4]. For an ordinary failed attempt, with no misconduct, the standard retake rules apply: a 24-hour wait after a first fail, then a 14-day wait between subsequent attempts, with a maximum of five attempts in any 12-month window [8]. Microsoft does not refund failed or missed exams [8], so if cost is a concern, our guide to exam vouchers and discounts is worth a read before you book.

Online versus test centre: which should you choose?

Both delivery methods lead to the same certification, so the choice is about environment and control. The table below compares the practical differences drawn from Microsoft's guidance [1][6].

Microsoft frames the trade-off well: "Test centers are a great choice if you prefer a quiet, pre-configured environment without the worry of testing your computer", while online delivery offers freedom of location at the cost of meeting the security standards yourself [1]. If your home is quiet, your kit is solid, and your connection is wired, online is genuinely convenient. If your internet is patchy or your only private room is shared, a test centre removes a lot of risk.

Two scheduling facts apply to both methods. You can book an exam up to 90 days ahead, and you can hold a maximum of two scheduled Pearson VUE exams at once [6]. You must also reschedule or cancel at least 24 hours before your appointment, or the fee is forfeited [7]. Deciding which exam to sit first is a separate question, and our Microsoft AI certification roadmap maps out a sensible order.

Accommodations and special circumstances

Microsoft offers a range of accommodations for online delivery, but they must be requested before you schedule, not after [9]. Processing involves a disability-expert review that can take up to 10 business days, and Microsoft advises allowing up to 20 days in total once scheduling time is added [9]. Plan ahead if you need one.

Available accommodations for online exams include extra time, the ability to read aloud, a reader or recorder, a personal care assistant, noise-cancelling headphones with Bluetooth disabled, screen-reader software, a sign-language interpreter, and chat-only communication with the proctor [9][5]. Candidates whose exam is not offered in their native language can request an additional 30 minutes if English is a second language [9]. Some accommodations, such as noise-cancelling headphones or reading aloud, need no supporting documentation, while others do [5].

A few practical points round this out. Pets, service animals, and comfort animals may all be present during an online exam with no accommodation request, which is more generous than test centres, where only service animals are allowed [5]. Most medical supplies need no request unless they connect to a phone or monitoring device [5]. And if you cannot fully rearrange your home to meet security standards, "limited ability to rearrange your home test environment" is itself a recognised accommodation, with documentation [5]. One thing you cannot opt out of online is facial comparison technology; candidates who object must use a physical test centre instead [5].

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I take any Microsoft certification exam online?

Online delivery is available for Microsoft certification exams in most, but not all, countries and regions [1]. There is no restriction by exam type, so Fundamentals, associate, and expert exams can all be taken online where the option appears during scheduling. If no online slot shows for your exam in your location, it is not offered there and you will need a test centre.

What internet speed do I need for an OnVUE exam?

You need a stable connection of at least 6 Mbps download and 2 Mbps upload to run a Microsoft OnVUE exam [2]. A wired ethernet connection is strongly recommended over Wi-Fi for stability [1]. Avoid VPNs, corporate networks, and public or shared networks, because they can block the secure connection and stop your exam from launching [1][2].

Can I use scratch paper during a Microsoft online exam?

No. All physical writing materials, including scratch paper, notepads, and pens, are prohibited during a Microsoft online proctored exam [1][2]. Instead, a digital whiteboard is built into the OnVUE exam interface for working through problems [2]. Practise with it beforehand using Microsoft's exam sandbox at aka.ms/examdemo so it is familiar on exam day [1].

Are breaks allowed during Microsoft certification exams?

Yes, unscheduled breaks are permitted on all Microsoft certification exams except Microsoft Office Specialist exams, with no advance request needed [3]. Microsoft builds five minutes into the exam time for this purpose [3]. However, the exam clock keeps running during your break, and you cannot return to any question you had already seen before taking it [3].

What happens if someone walks into the room during my exam?

If anyone over the age of 12 enters your exam room, the proctor will terminate the exam [1]. Only a child under 13 is permitted as a standard exception [1]. A terminated exam for a rules breach is reported to Microsoft with video evidence and your fee is forfeited [1][2], so a private, lockable room is essential before you begin.

Does my name really have to match my ID exactly?

Yes, and this is the most common check-in failure. The first and last name on your Microsoft Certification profile must match your government photo ID exactly [1][4]. Nicknames, missing middle names, or a renewal form instead of a valid ID will stop you testing [1]. Update your profile or sort your ID out well before exam day.

Conclusion

A Microsoft online proctored exam is not difficult to pass on logistics, but it is unforgiving of surprises. The candidates who breeze through check-in are the ones who ran the system test in advance, cleared a walled room, unplugged their second monitor, checked their name against their ID, and knew the digital whiteboard was waiting for them. None of that is hard once you know it is coming, which is the whole point of reading this before you book.

Get the environment right and you can give all of your attention to the exam itself, which is where it belongs. When you are ready to prepare for the questions rather than the camera, browse the full range of practice tests on the Microsoft exams hub, or start with a focused plan like our complete AB-730 study guide. Strong preparation reduces the risk on the day; it never guarantees a pass, but it tilts the odds firmly in your favour.

Sources

1. About online exams with Pearson VUE - Microsoft Learn, accessed 2026-06-27
2. Microsoft OnVUE online proctored exams - Pearson VUE, accessed 2026-06-27
3. Exam duration and exam experience - Microsoft Learn, accessed 2026-06-27
4. Exam and assessment lab security policies - Microsoft Learn, accessed 2026-06-27
5. Available exam accommodations and document requirements - Microsoft Learn, accessed 2026-06-27
6. Register for and schedule an exam - Microsoft Learn, accessed 2026-06-27
7. Reschedule and cancellation policy - Microsoft Learn, accessed 2026-06-27
8. Exam retake policy - Microsoft Learn, accessed 2026-06-27
9. Request accommodations - Microsoft Learn, accessed 2026-06-27