Exam mode

Exam mode turns Locus into a locked calculator for tests. It keeps students in the Locus window and records when they leave it.

Starting an exam

1. Open the menu and choose Exam Mode. If you have unsaved work, Locus asks you to save it first.
2. In Locus Suite, choose the calculator type for the exam.
3. Click Start.

Locus clears the construction and switches to fullscreen. The elapsed time and exam type are shown during the exam.

During the exam

• Locus stays in fullscreen. Leaving fullscreen or switching to another app is recorded.
• Other Locus windows are hidden. New windows cannot be opened and the app cannot be switched.
• The window cannot be closed and Locus cannot be quit.
• Links to websites are blocked and recorded.
• The AI sidebar, natural language input and the MCP server are turned off.
• Only plugins that are signed and made for exams keep running. See Plugins.
• Themes, resource packs and plugins cannot be added.
• Locus does not offer updates.

macOS

Locus hides the Dock and the menu bar, and blocks Cmd+Tab, Mission Control, switching Spaces, Force Quit, logging out and shutting down. The menu bar only has Edit with Undo, Redo, Cut, Copy, Paste and Select All.

Windows

Locus stays on top of other windows and blocks Alt+Tab, Alt+Esc, Ctrl+Esc and the Windows key. Ctrl+Alt+Del cannot be blocked by any app. Switching to another app in that way is still recorded.

Ending the exam

1. Open the menu and choose Exit Exam.
2. Confirm with Exit.

Locus shows a summary for the teacher with the duration, date, start and end time. If the student left the window, the summary has a red header and lists each time under Activity. Plugins that ran during the exam and their log entries are listed too.

Show this screen to your teacher before closing it. The construction is cleared afterwards.