Safe Exam Browser for Mac: Complete Installation & Setup Guide

Safe Exam Browser for macOS provides the same robust exam-locking experience as the Windows version, adapted specifically for the macOS environment. This guide walks you through every step of the installation process, from downloading the .dmg installer to configuring SEB for your first exam session on macOS Monterey, Ventura, or Sonoma.

macOS System Requirements

Safe Exam Browser 3.6.1 for macOS is a universal binary, meaning it runs natively on both Apple Silicon (M1, M2, M3) and Intel Macs without requiring Rosetta 2 translation.

Downloading SEB for Mac

Download the official Safe Exam Browser .dmg installer from our download page. The current version is SafeExamBrowser-3.6.1.dmg (approximately 55 MB). Always verify you are downloading from the official GitHub release or this website to ensure file integrity.

Installation Steps

Handling macOS Gatekeeper

macOS Gatekeeper may block Safe Exam Browser from opening the first time because it was downloaded from the internet. This is normal behavior for many legitimate applications. To proceed:

1. If macOS says "Safe Exam Browser cannot be opened because it is from an unidentified developer," go to System Settings (or System Preferences on older macOS).
2. Navigate to Privacy & Security.
3. Scroll down to find a message about Safe Exam Browser being blocked.
4. Click Open Anyway and confirm in the dialog that appears.
5. SEB will now open and macOS will remember this choice for future launches.

On macOS Sonoma, you may need to right-click (or Control+click) the application in Finder and select Open from the context menu instead to get the "Open Anyway" option.

Granting Accessibility Permissions

Safe Exam Browser requires Accessibility permissions to function correctly — these allow it to monitor and block keyboard shortcuts and system-level interactions during an exam. On first launch, macOS will prompt you to grant this permission:

1. When prompted, click Open System Settings.
2. Go to Privacy & Security > Accessibility.
3. Find Safe Exam Browser in the list and toggle it ON.
4. You may need to enter your Mac administrator password to make this change.
5. Return to Safe Exam Browser. It may need to restart for the permissions to take effect.

First Launch and Exam Configuration

Once permissions are granted, SEB is ready to use. Your behavior on first launch depends on how your institution has configured the exam:

• With a .seb configuration file: Double-click the file provided by your institution. SEB will launch automatically with all the correct settings and navigate to the exam URL.
• Without a configuration file: SEB opens in standalone mode. Enter the exam URL in the address bar and press Enter. The browser will lock to that URL.
• Exiting SEB: Press Cmd+Q and enter the quit password provided by your exam administrator. Without the password, SEB cannot be closed during an exam session.

Common Issues on Mac

SEB opens but immediately closes

This usually indicates missing Accessibility permissions. Open System Settings > Privacy & Security > Accessibility and ensure SEB is toggled on.

Screen does not lock properly on external monitor

If you are using a dual-monitor setup, SEB may not cover the secondary display with all settings. Check the SEB configuration for the "Enable screen sharing" and display settings. Exam administrators should test configurations on the specific hardware being used.

SEB won't open on Apple Silicon Mac

SEB 3.6.1 is a universal binary and should run natively. If you encounter issues, ensure your macOS is updated to at least Monterey 12.0 and that Rosetta 2 is installed (for any Intel-only dependencies). Install Rosetta via Terminal: softwareupdate --install-rosetta