Safe Exam Browser Configuration File: Complete Guide

The Safe Exam Browser configuration file (.seb) is the heart of any SEB deployment. It defines every aspect of how SEB behaves during an exam — from which URL to open, to which keyboard shortcuts to block, to whether virtual machines are permitted. Understanding how to create, customize, and distribute .seb files is essential for any exam administrator. This guide explains everything from the basics to advanced configuration options.

What Is the .seb Configuration File?

A .seb file is a binary property list (plist) file that is compressed and optionally password-protected. It contains all configuration settings that control SEB's behavior during an exam session. When a student double-clicks a .seb file, SEB reads these settings and launches in the configured mode automatically — no manual setup required on the student's part.

The file format is cross-platform. A .seb file created on macOS will work on Windows and vice versa (with minor limitations depending on platform-specific settings). This makes it ideal for institutions where students use different operating systems.

Creating a Configuration File

Configuration files are created through the SEB Preferences window. Open Safe Exam Browser, then access Preferences:

• Windows: Press Ctrl+P while SEB is running, or right-click the SEB taskbar icon and select Preferences.
• macOS: Go to the SEB menu in the menu bar and select Preferences, or press Cmd+,

Once you have configured all settings (detailed in the sections below), export the file by going to File > Export Preferences as SEB File. Choose a descriptive filename like ExamName_2026.seb and save it to a convenient location for distribution.

General Settings

The General tab controls the startup behavior of SEB:

Browser Settings

The Browser tab controls what students can and cannot access:

• URL Filter: Add a whitelist of allowed URLs. Students can only navigate to these domains. Add your LMS domain and any authorized resources (digital dictionaries, formula sheets).
• URL Filter Regex: For advanced filtering using regular expressions, giving finer control over which URLs are accessible.
• Zoom: Enable or disable page zoom. Useful for accessibility accommodations.
• Search: Disable in-page search (Ctrl+F / Cmd+F) to prevent students from searching for text.
• Reload: Control whether students can reload the page.
• Show SEB taskbar: Display or hide the SEB taskbar at the bottom of the screen. The taskbar shows a clock, reload button, and other permitted tools.

Exam Settings

The Exam tab contains security-critical settings:

• Quit Password: Required to exit SEB during or after the exam. Without this, students cannot close SEB on their own. Always set a quit password for supervised exams.
• Allow quit: Toggle whether the quit button appears at all. For timed online exams that close automatically, you may hide the quit button entirely.
• Browser Exam Key Algorithm: Choose SHA-256 (default and recommended). This determines how the BEK is calculated.
• Config Key: This is auto-calculated from the configuration. Use it in Moodle instead of the BEK for easier multi-quiz management.

Application Settings

The Applications tab defines what software students can use during the exam:

• Terminate applications: List applications that SEB will close when it launches. Add common cheat tools: screen recorders, remote desktop software, communication apps.
• Permitted processes: Specify applications that are allowed to run alongside SEB. This might include an authorized offline calculator or a specific accessibility tool.
• Terminate running processes: SEB can attempt to kill running processes from the terminate list before the exam begins, ensuring students cannot pre-launch forbidden apps.

Security Settings

The Security tab provides advanced protection options:

• Detect virtual machine: Enable this to block SEB from running inside VMware, VirtualBox, or other virtual machines, which could be used to bypass restrictions.
• Disable Siri (macOS): Prevents the voice assistant from being used during exams.
• Disable dictionary lookup: Prevents right-click dictionary lookups in macOS.
• Disable Notification Center (macOS): Hides notifications that could distract or provide information during an exam.
• Enable remote configuration: Allows IT administrators to push configuration changes over the network.

Distributing the Config File

Once you have created and tested your .seb configuration file, distribute it to students using one of these methods:

• Moodle file resource: Upload the .seb file to your Moodle course and link to it. Students click the link to download and open it.
• Email or LMS message: Send the .seb file as an email attachment before the exam day.
• Direct download link: Host the file on your institution's server and share the URL. Hosting the file at an HTTPS URL also allows SEB to load the configuration automatically if students click the link while already running SEB.
• IT pre-installation: For managed devices, IT can pre-install the .seb file in a standard location so students simply double-click it on exam day.

The Config Key Explained

The Config Key is a SHA-256 hash of the entire .seb configuration file. Unlike the Browser Exam Key (which includes the URL), the Config Key is the same regardless of which URL SEB is navigating to. This makes it particularly useful for Moodle administrators who manage multiple quizzes — you configure Moodle once with the Config Key and it applies to all quizzes that use the same SEB configuration file.

Important: any change to the .seb configuration file — even a minor one — produces a completely different Config Key. Always regenerate and update your LMS settings after modifying a configuration file.