Are Online Assessments Proctored? Amazon, HireVue, HackerRank, CodeSignal and SHL (2026)

Some are and many are not. Proctoring is a setting the employer chooses on each platform, so the same vendor can run a camera-and-screen-share test for one company and an unmonitored one for another. As of October 2026, here is what we could verify: CodeSignal and HackerRank both document proctored modes (camera, screen, ID or screenshots) and tell you before you begin. HireVue's standard one-way interview is a video recording by design. Amazon does not publicly describe its online assessment as proctored, but warns against unauthorized tools. SHL's public pages do not state proctoring settings. Even when nothing is proctored, platforms commonly log activity such as tab switching and pasted code.

This post covers general rules and then each vendor. Where we could not reach an official page, we say so.

At a glance

Question	Short answer
Are online assessments proctored?	Sometimes. It is an employer setting, shown to you before you start.
Do they record you?	Only if proctoring or a video format is used. Then camera, screen, or both.
Can they detect cheating?	Platforms log tab switches and pasting, compare code between candidates, and flag patterns. Flags go to a human reviewer.
Amazon OA: camera?	Not publicly described as proctored. Browser use is reported as logged. Check your invite.
HackerRank: proctored?	Optional Proctor Mode (webcam, screenshots). Tab and copy-paste logging on regular tests.
CodeSignal: proctored?	Some assessments. Camera, mic, screen and ID, reviewed by CodeSignal only.
HireVue: do they record me?	Yes, a one-way video interview records your answers.
SHL: proctored?	Depends on the employer and product. SHL's public pages do not say.
What should I do?	Read the rules screen, follow them, practice under the same conditions.

What "proctored" actually means

People use the word loosely, so it helps to split it into layers. In practice, an online assessment can include any mix of these:

1. Identity checks. A photo of you and sometimes a government ID.
2. Camera and microphone monitoring. Live or recorded, with an automated check for presence, other people or devices, or a human review afterwards.
3. Screen monitoring. Screen sharing, periodic screenshots, or a recording of the browser.
4. Browser lockdown signals. Full-screen requirements, tab-switch logging, pasting disabled or logged.
5. Editor and answer analysis. Keystroke playback, time per question, code-similarity checks between candidates.
6. A human live proctor. Rare in tech hiring assessments.

Most coding platforms use some of layers 4 and 5 on every test, and add 1 to 3 only when the employer enables them. That is why advice from a friend can be right for their test and wrong for yours.

General rules that apply almost everywhere

• Read the rules screen. Platforms show prohibited actions before the timer starts and often ask you to tick a box for each one.
• Do not assume "unproctored" means "unmonitored." Logged tab switches, pastes and code playback are available to reviewers even with no camera.
• No AI, outside help, or second person unless the instructions explicitly allow it. If it is not listed as allowed, treat it as not allowed.
• Syntax lookups are sometimes allowed, solution lookups are not. CodeSignal states the line explicitly (see below). Other platforms vary by employer.
• One device, one monitor, one window. Several proctoring tools check this.
• Flags are signals, not verdicts. The platform documentation we read tells employers to review flags manually, but employer policy decides the outcome.
• Ask the recruiter. "Is the assessment proctored, and is a camera required?" is a normal question.

Amazon online assessment

Is the Amazon OA proctored? Amazon does not publicly describe it as a proctored test, and we could not read the answers on its official assessment FAQ page, which lists entries for the HackerRank assessment and the SDE II online assessment but loads the answer text dynamically. A third-party write-up (Control) that cites Amazon's own prep pages says: Amazon states "your browser usage is logged," login-required sites are off limits, print screen ends the session, and a webcam is listed as a technical requirement on the university prep page without saying whether it records continuously. We could not verify those quotes on Amazon's pages ourselves, so treat that as secondary.

What about AI? This is better sourced. Amazon told GeekWire that, where applicable, candidates must confirm they will not use unauthorized tools, such as generative AI, during interviews or assessments (GeekWire). Business Insider reported internal guidance saying candidates who break the guidelines may be disqualified, as relayed by IT Pro.

Amazon's assessment FAQ lists a HackerRank assessment among its online assessments, so the HackerRank section below shows what the platform can do. Which of those settings Amazon enables is not publicly documented, to our knowledge. For preparation, see Amazon's interview process and the Amazon prep page.

HackerRank

HackerRank's knowledge base documents a stricter Proctor Mode:

• Webcam presence monitoring, with warnings and logs if you are not visible or more than one face appears.
• Detection of phones and tablets in the webcam feed.
• Periodic screenshots of your system, every 15 seconds, more often around suspicious activity.
• Full-screen requirement, with tab switches and full-screen exits flagged and logged.
• Copy-paste into the editor disabled.
• A single-monitor check.

Candidates review the prohibited actions and consent before starting. Outside Proctor Mode, regular tests can log tab exits, time outside the window and pasted code, and run code-similarity checks (MOSS), with an optional AI-based detector. HackerRank says its AI model has an overall precision of 85% and that human oversight is needed.

Details, thresholds and what to check in your invite are in does HackerRank record your screen, camera or audio?. For a company example, see JP Morgan's HackerRank coding test.

CodeSignal

CodeSignal's help center says some assessments include remote proctoring and an identity check, and you will see whether it is required in your Assessments section before you start. When proctored, you share camera, microphone and screen for the full assessment and show a government-issued photo ID. CodeSignal's own verification team reviews it, the employer does not see it, and the data is deleted within 15 days. CodeSignal states proctoring does not change your score; it affects whether the result is verified.

On rules for the General Coding Assessment: syntax lookups are allowed, solution lookups are not, AI is not allowed (including for syntax), outside IDEs are not permitted, and you may submit as many times as needed with the highest-scoring submission counting. Full details with quotes: CodeSignal rules and proctoring.

HireVue

HireVue's common format is a one-way video interview: you record answers to set questions and the employer reviews them. Amazon's own FAQ for select roles in EMEA, for example, asks "Can I practice for my HireVue interview before I record my submission?", which shows that recording your answers is the point of the format.

Is anything beyond that tracked? HireVue says on its AI-in-hiring page that it does not use facial recognition and that its video assessments evaluate your language, with humans making the final hiring decision. We did not find a HireVue candidate page describing screen recording or eye tracking, and we will not claim either way. For the detailed breakdown, see what HireVue records and tracks. To prepare, read the HireVue preparation guide and, for coding rounds, the HireVue coding assessment guide.

SHL

SHL's public product pages do not state proctoring settings for a given employer, and we could not find an SHL candidate-support page that does. One third-party guide says monitoring depends on the SHL product and the employer, and can include webcam, microphone and screen activity when proctoring is enabled, with consent requested first. That is secondary, so rely on your invitation and the consent screen. Our SHL coding simulation guide covers the format.

Can online assessments detect cheating?

In the documentation we read, platforms use several signals:

• Behavioral logging. Tab switches, time away from the window, pasted code.
• Code similarity. HackerRank compares your code with other candidates' using a default 75% match threshold for 10 or more lines.
• Pattern models. HackerRank's optional AI detector looks at writing patterns, time taken, copy-paste and tab switching.
• Human review of recordings. CodeSignal's verification team checks that the camera, microphone and screen share were on and the rules were observed.

Two caveats from the sources. HackerRank says flags are indicators and recommends manual review, and its model is not perfect, so a flag is not proof. And none of these tools is the only safeguard. Several large employers have also responded by adding in-person rounds (Axios reported Google, Cisco and McKinsey doing so for some stages). If you are asked to repeat an assessment in person, that is why.

We do not cover how to get around any of this. The consequences of being caught (disqualification, a withheld offer) are far worse than a lower score.

What to do instead: a prep plan under realistic conditions

Seven days out

• Find out the vendor and mode from your invite. Do the vendor's practice assessment if there is one.
• List the topics the role tests, then drill them with the DSA patterns sheet.

Three days out

• Do one full timed run in a plain editor, with a single window, no autocomplete and no outside help.
• Practice small-time habits: read all questions first, submit partial solutions early where the platform allows.

The day before

• Test camera, microphone, browser and internet if the test needs them. Prepare your ID if proctored.
• Close apps, clear the desk, silence notifications.

During

• Follow the rules on screen. If something breaks, tell the recruiter afterwards.

For spoken rounds that follow an assessment, a free AI mock interview lets you rehearse explaining and defending your code. It is our own practice format and does not mirror any vendor's proctoring.

FAQ

Are online assessments proctored?

Some are. Proctoring is an employer setting, and platforms like CodeSignal and HackerRank show you the rules and permissions before you start. Even unproctored tests often log tab switching and pasted code.

Do online assessments record you?

Only if camera, screen or video recording is part of the test. One-way video interviews like HireVue's are recorded by design. Coding platforms record via proctoring modes when enabled, and otherwise keep logs and code playback.

Can online assessments detect cheating?

They can flag suspicious signals: tab switching, pasted code, code similarity between candidates, and unusual typing patterns. Flags are reviewed by humans, and platforms say they are indicators, not proof.

Does the Amazon online assessment have a camera?

Amazon does not publicly describe its OA as proctored. A third-party summary of Amazon's prep pages says a webcam is listed as a requirement for some assessments, without saying whether it records continuously. Check the instructions in your own invitation.

Does the Amazon online assessment use a webcam?

It may be required for your assessment version. We could not confirm this from Amazon's own pages, so rely on the setup steps you are shown.

Are HackerRank assessments recorded?

Your editor activity is available to reviewers on most tests. Webcam and screenshot capture apply when Proctor Mode is enabled. See the HackerRank guide.

Does HireVue record the whole time?

HireVue's one-way interviews record your answers to each question. Whether anything else is captured depends on the employer's configuration, which we could not verify. See what HireVue records.

Does HireVue detect cheating?

We did not find a HireVue candidate page that describes cheating detection for standard video interviews. Employers can also review recordings themselves.

Is the SHL test proctored?

SHL's public pages do not specify. It depends on the employer and product, so read your invitation.

Can I use AI during an online assessment?

Only if the instructions say you can. Amazon, for example, told GeekWire that candidates must confirm they will not use unauthorized tools such as generative AI, and CodeSignal states AI is not allowed on the GCA, including for syntax.

Sources: HackerRank Proctor Mode, CodeSignal's help articles on proctoring and GCA rules, HireVue's AI-in-hiring page, GeekWire and IT Pro for Amazon. Read October 21, 2026. Settings change and vary by employer.