The Duolingo English Test is a remotely proctored assessment, so the testing environment and your behaviour form part of the certification process. Prepare by reading the current official rules and rehearsing the approved setup. Knowing English well does not remove the need to keep the required recordings clear and follow the task instructions.
The recording is part of the test
The computer and phone recordings are reviewed with your responses. The phone camera must remain continuous and show the required view; an interruption or blocked view can affect certification.
During the test
Take the test alone and stay in the approved room.
Do not look away except when the task requires typing, and do not read or memorise prepared answers.
Do not take notes, record questions, open other programmes, or use reference and suggestion tools.
Type or speak only when the prompt tells you to do so.
Keep your eyes, ears, and mouth visible as required by the current rules, and remove extra devices, screens, and headphones.
Before you begin
Read the current Test Center policy instead of relying on an old checklist. Rules can change with a format or security update, and the official policy is the authority for your test date.
A quiet room and a clean setup reduce avoidable review problems, leaving the recording focused on your English.
Treat the official policy as your test-day reference
Use the current Test Center rules rather than a checklist copied from an old video or social post. Requirements can change as tasks, software and recording arrangements change. Review both the general policies and the instructions shown during your own setup.
If you are unsure about a disability-related need, identity document, room arrangement or piece of equipment, ask official support about the permitted process in advance. Do not assume that a study accommodation or classroom habit automatically applies to the certified test. Resolve uncertainty before the session so that you can focus on responding naturally.
Distinguish the required camera from other assistance
The secondary-camera device is present to record the required view of your testing environment. Its required presence does not permit unrelated phone use. Keep it positioned and operating according to the official instructions, and do not use it to search, communicate, read a prepared response or receive help.
Similarly, having a computer available does not permit extra programs, reference material, proofreading tools or outside communication. Practise with the same restrictions so that your normal response process does not depend on features that must be unavailable during certification. Use your own language and ideas rather than material prepared by someone else.
Remove note-taking from the test routine
The certified DET does not allow notes. This affects how you prepare for listening, longer prompts and open responses. Build a short mental plan: identify the task, retain the central points, and organise the response without writing a list on paper or another device.
After an ordinary practice exercise, you can record mistakes in a study log. Keep that review activity separate from a rehearsal of certified-test conditions. For example, listen to a practice conversation without notes, give the requested response, and only then write down which detail you missed. This develops the memory habit the real testing conditions require.
Plan for realistic interruptions beforehand
Imagine a fictional rehearsal in which a family member enters to ask a question and the secondary camera slips behind a book. Those problems call for a better room and device arrangement before the actual test: agree on an uninterrupted period, secure the camera support, and check the complete view.
Do not assume that a brief interruption or an accidental blocked view will automatically be accepted. The effect on certification depends on the official review. If a problem occurs during a real session, follow the instructions shown and the provider’s support process. Do not conceal what happened or invent an explanation for a recording.
Respond naturally while keeping the required view
Follow the current visibility and attention rules, including the requirements for your face, ears, mouth and testing area. Use the screen and keyboard as the task requires. Avoid repeatedly looking toward unrelated objects or behaving as though you are reading an answer located elsewhere.
Your goal is an honest, independent response that the recording can capture clearly. A memorised speech that does not answer the prompt is also weak communication practice. Rehearse unfamiliar questions in the approved environment, review your own recordings afterwards, and correct setup problems before booking tightly against an application deadline. If certification is questioned, use the official review or appeal options available for the specific decision.
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