How To Use Guided Access For Testing And Exams

As a student with low vision who uses a personal iPad for classes, I find it easier to use my own device when I am taking exams or other proctored assignments because my device is already configured with the accessibility settings I use every day. To ensure I am following the Honor Code, my testing proctors enable another built-in accessibility setting called Guided Access so that I can use a single app and avoid accessing unauthorized resources. Here is an overview of Guided Access and how I use it as a student with low vision, including how to set up Guided Access and using Guided Access as a testing accommodation.

As a bonus resource, I have also included an easy-to-reference checklist for enabling Guided Access for testing, as well as a list of ways I have used Guided Access in various classes.

What is Guided Access?

Guided Access is a built-in accessibility feature in iPadOS that locks the device to a single app. While a Guided Access session is active, the device cannot be used to navigate to the home screen, open another app, or change system settings unless a separate Guided Access passcode is entered or a preset time limit expires. Guided Access provides a clear, verifiable boundary around what apps and device features that students have access to, while ensuring that students can use their own devices instead of an unfamiliar device that may not be configured with low vision accessibility settings.

Guided Access and low vision accessibility

Unlike some other proctoring applications, Guided Access does not block all accessibility settings. Features such as Zoom, large text sizes, high-contrast display modes, VoiceOver, and color filters remain fully active throughout a Guided Access session.

In iOS 26, users can now temporarily share their Accessibility settings with another device, which can be helpful for students that are using an unfamiliar device. However, this feature is not practical for most testing scenarios because the devices must remain powered on within 30 feet of each other and the devices must be connected to the same Wi-Fi network; at my university, I would be expected to turn off my personal devices during an exam.

Related links

• How To Make iPad Accessible for Low Vision
• Enabling Temporary Accessibility Settings For iPad
• How To Use VoiceOver With Low Vision on iPad
• What To Know About College Assistive Technology Specialists

Setting up Guided Access

Guided Access must be enabled in Settings before it can be used. The core setup process is the same in both iPadOS 18 and iPadOS 26.

 To set up Guided Access

1. Open Settings and navigate to Accessibility.
2. Scroll to the bottom of the Accessibility menu and tap Guided Access.
3. Turn on the Guided Access toggle.
4. Tap Passcode Settings, then tap Set Guided Access Passcode.
5. Enter and confirm a passcode. This passcode must be different from the iPad’s standard unlock passcode.
6. Optionally, enable Face ID or Touch ID as an alternative way to end a session

Screen options

During a Guided Access session, the following functions can be individually enabled or disabled depending on the testing context:

• Top / Side / Home Button. Prevents the device from being put to sleep or woken
• Volume Buttons. Prevents volume changes
• Locks screen orientation; disables shake and tilt gestures
• Software Keyboards. Hides the on-screen keyboard, without affecting external keyboard.
• Disables all touch input on the screen
• Specific Screen Areas. Blocks tapping or interacting with circled regions
• Time Limit. Ends or pauses the session after a set duration

The ability to disable specific screen areas is particularly useful in testing environments. For example, if a student is using a calculator app that includes a history log or note-taking panel that should not be accessible during the exam, that portion of the screen can be circled and blocked before using Guided Access.

Additional configuration options

Within the Guided Access settings screen, several additional options are available:

• Accessibility Shortcut: Enabling this allows the triple-click shortcut to still function during a Guided Access session, which is important for students who rely on the shortcut to toggle features like Display Zoom or Color Filters on the fly. Note that the triple-click is also how a Guided Access session is ended, so leaving this off avoids conflicts if the Accessibility Shortcut menu is not needed during the exam.
• Display Auto-Lock: Sets how long the screen stays on before locking during a Guided Access session. In a testing environment, setting this to “Never” prevents the screen from going dark mid-exam.

Adding Guided Access to Control Center

Guided Access can also be added to the iPad’s Control Center for faster access. Go to Settings > Control Center and add Guided Access to the included controls. This provides a one-tap way to initiate a session without needing to triple-click a button.

 Starting a Guided Access Session

To begin a Guided Access session:

1. Open the app to be used during the exam.
2. Initiate Guided Access using one of the following methods (Siri is not recommended):
   1. Triple-press the Home button (on iPads with a Home button / Touch ID)
   2. Triple-press the Side button (on Face ID iPads)
   3. Tap the Guided Access button in Control Center (if added)
3. The app shrinks to the center of the screen, surrounded by the Guided Access setup interface.
4. To block specific areas of the screen, draw a circle with one finger over the region to be disabled. The circle can be resized or repositioned. Tap the X to remove a blocked area.
5. Tap Options to configure which hardware controls and features are active during the session.
6. If using a time limit, tap the Time Limit toggle and set the duration.
7. Tap Start to begin the session.

Once the session starts, the device is locked to that single app. The status bar at the top of the screen displays “Guided Access” to confirm the session is active.

After setting up Guided Access in an app for the first time, iPadOS remembers those settings for future sessions in that same app. On subsequent uses, it skips the setup screen and triggers immediately with the previous settings. To change the settings, triple-click the side button to return to the setup screen, adjust the options, and tap Resume.

Ending a Guided Access Session

Ending a Session in iPadOS 18 and earlier

• Triple-press the Home button (Home button iPads) or Side button (Face ID iPads), then enter the Guided Access passcode and tap End
• Double-click the Side or Top button to trigger Face ID or Touch ID, then tap End

Ending a Session in iPadOS 26 and later

• Triple-press the Home button (Home button iPads) or Side button (Face ID iPads)
• Tap End to stop the session, or enter the six-digit Guided Access passcode if prompted
• Alternatively, authenticate with Face ID or Touch ID if that option was enabled during setup, then tap End

In a proctored testing environment, the proctor typically creates/holds onto the passcode and ends the session after the exam is submitted.

Guided Access as a testing accommodation

Guided Access for college/university testing accommodations

At the college level, Guided Access works best when it is documented as part of a student’s formal disability accommodations or testing accommodations. My approved disability accommodations state that I may use personal assistive technology in classroom and testing environments. The Disability Services Testing Center at my institution enforces this by having the proctor set up Guided Access on my iPad before the exam begins.

The testing center’s standard procedure includes:

• Placing the device in Airplane Mode to disable Wi-Fi and Bluetooth
• Clearing the cache or data of the app being used before the session ends
• Having the proctor hold the Guided Access passcode

Taking exams at the Disability Services Testing Center rather than in the general classroom is strongly recommended when possible, because testing center staff tend to be more familiar with assistive technology and can troubleshoot issues without disrupting the exam.

When explaining Guided Access to a professor who is unfamiliar with it, I find it helpful to introduce it as an academic integrity tool rather than another accessibility setting. Guided Access ensures that the student is using only the approved application and nothing else.

Using Guided Access for K-12 and standardized testing accommodations

In K-12 settings, Guided Access is well-suited for standardized testing accommodations. A common scenario is a student receiving permission to use a specific app such as an accessible calculator on a school-issued iPad, or a student’s personal iPad with prior approval. A paraprofessional or other designated staff member who is not the test proctor sets up Guided Access in advance, locking the device to the approved app before the student receives it.

For state standardized assessments, the specific apps permitted and the procedures for setting up Guided Access will vary by state and testing program. Coordinating with the school’s assistive technology specialist and the testing coordinator well in advance of the exam date is essential. In my experience taking standardized tests in Virginia, the specific calculator app I used and the use of an iPad for displaying the calculator app both had to be documented in my testing accommodations.

Related links

• How To Create A Disability Services File
• How To Get Disability Accommodations In Community College
• How I Receive Accessible Quizzes and Tests in the Classroom
• SOL Test Accommodations And Low Vision
• ACT Accommodations For Low Vision
• SAT Accommodations for Low Vision
• Remote Testing Accommodations For Low Vision
• Math Test Accommodations For Low Vision

Apps that work well with Guided Access

Any app can technically be used with Guided Access, but some categories of apps are better suited to testing environments than others.

Apps that work well include:

• Apps that function fully offline (no internet connection required)
• Apps without advertisements or pop-up notifications
• Apps with a clean, focused interface that does not require navigating between multiple screens

Users should be cautious with enabling Guided Access for internet browsers. Even with Guided Access active, a student could navigate to a different webpage if the address bar is not blocked using the screen-area restriction feature. If a browser must be used, the address bar and navigation buttons should be circled and disabled before starting the session. Additionally, make sure to turn off any AI powered features within applications that could be used to generate answers (e.g. Copilot or Gemini)

Related links

• Create A Personal Accessibility Checklist for Low Vision
• Using A Laptop In High School With Low Vision
• How I Take Math Tests With Double Vision
• Math Test Accommodations For Low Vision
• Testing Accommodations For Low Vision Students

Specific ways that I have used Guided Access as a student with low vision

Examples of ways that I have used Guided Access as a student with low vision include:

• Accessible calculator. My iPad was configured with a large-display calculator app with high-contrast buttons or alternative input options during a math exam. Most recently, I used the myScript Calculator app, though the built-in Calculator app can also be used with an external keyboard.
• Displaying an accessible periodic table with adjustable text size for a chemistry exam.
• Word processor or notetaking application. Typing exam responses in Microsoft Word or Notability, with AI features turned off.
• Reading formula sheets for math, science, and statistics exams
• eReader application with digital textbook for open-book exams
• Dictionary application (available for all students; I needed to use my iPad so I could read the large print version)
• Using Magnifier to enlarge content, transforming iPad into a video magnifier.

When selecting an app for a specific exam, it is worth testing the app in a Guided Access session before the actual test date to confirm that all needed features are accessible and that no unexpected pop-ups or navigation elements appear.

Related links

• Math Test Accommodations For Low Vision
• Five Accessible Calculator Apps For Low Vision
• Five Apps I Use In Statistics Classes As A Low Vision Student
• Accessible Periodic Tables For Low Vision
• How To Create An Accessible Formula Sheet
• Notability and Low Vision
• How To Request Accessible Textbooks In College
• Adapting Accessible Z-Tables: Math Problems and Low Vision

Pre-exam checklist for Guided Access

The following checklist helps ensure a smooth testing experience:

• iPadOS version is confirmed (iPadOS 18.x or iPadOS 26.x) and the device is up to date
• Guided Access is enabled in Settings and a passcode is set up by the proctor.
• The correct app is installed, updated, and tested in a Guided Access session
• Display settings (zoom level, text size, contrast) are configured as needed
• Hover Typing is configured if the exam involves typed responses (iPadOS 18 and later)
• The device is fully charged
• Airplane Mode procedure is confirmed with the testing center (if required)
• The proctor or testing center staff has been briefed on the correct session-ending procedure for the iPadOS version in use
• The Guided Access passcode has been shared with the proctor
• Any screen-area restrictions have been identified and practiced in advance

What to do if iPad gets stuck in Guided Access

When I was taking notes for the updated version of this post, I accidentally froze my iPad with Guided Access enabled, making it impossible for me to turn off Guided Access. This happened another time when the proctor lost the passcode that they had written down for my exam. I had to do a force restart of my device to turn off Guided Access, which included the following steps:

1. Press and quickly release the volume button nearest to the top button (increase volume)
2. Press and quickly release the volume button farthest from the top button (decrease volume)
3. Press and hold the top button
4. When the Apple logo appears, release the top button

When my iPad powered back on, I was prompted to enter my device passcode and could use my iPad again! For devices with a Home button, hold down the home button and power button until the Apple logo appears to override Guided Access.

Alternatives to Guided Access for testing and exams on other operating systems

• Guided Access is not available on MacOS/Mac computers, but several other accessibility features are. Learn more in Low Vision Accessibility Settings For Mac Computers
• The equivalent to Guided Access on Android devices is Screen Pinning, which can be found in Settings > Security > Screen Pinning (may be hidden in More options). While it is not as customizable as Guided Access, Screen Pinning locks the device to a single app, and the user cannot open any other app until someone with the device passcode unlocks it.
• For ChromeOS, the closest equivalent to Guided Access is Kiosk Mode, which can be configured via the Google Admin console. Another option is to launch Chrome in kiosk mode using the --kiosk command-line flag followed by a URL. This opens Chrome in full-screen with no address bar, no bookmarks, and no keyboard shortcuts like Alt+Tab.
• For Windows, the equivalent to Guided Access is Kiosk Mode or Assigned Access, which restricts users to accessing either a single app or a selection of allowed apps. To set up, Go to Settings > Accounts > Family & other users > Set up a kiosk or Add other user(Windows 10/11). Users can create a dedicated kiosk account, and when that account is logged in, it’s locked to the chosen app. Press Ctrl+Alt+Del to exit by default.

Published February 27, 2018. Updated April 2026