What Mercer Mettl Proctoring Records and Flags

Mercer Mettl records different things depending on how the employer configured the test. As of September 9, 2026, Mettl's documentation describes a non-proctored tier with no webcam, a browser-proctored tier that captures your face, your ID, your microphone, and your entire screen, an AI layer that raises eight named flags, optional live human proctors who can chat with you and end your test, and a Mettl Secure Browser that locks the machine. Everything feeds a report with a credibility index the employer sees and you do not.

The tiers Mettl documents

Non-proctored. Mettl's non-proctored test guide says "An integrated web-cam will not be required to launch this test on candidate's system." Two rules still bite: "Don't refresh the webpage during the assessment. This will lead to immediate submission of your responses," and copy-paste is blocked by default across the platform.

Browser-proctored. The proctored assessment guide walks through granting webcam and microphone permission, clicking "Start Screen Capture" and sharing the entire screen, then "Capture Your Face" and "Capture Your ID". Mettl's anti-cheating measures page states that the system "captures the candidate's screen & Camera feed snapshots at every 60 seconds" and can "capture candidate's entire webcam input for the entire test".

Mettl Secure Browser. The MSB guide says it "shuts down all active applications, such as other browsers" and "ensures that test-takers cannot exit the application before the test is completed." Requirements and permissions are in the Mettl Secure Browser requirements guide.

What the AI layer flags

Mettl's remote proctoring overview says its "AI powered system monitors the live feed of candidates and looks for & highlights any suspicious activity using advanced video and audio analytics." It lists eight flags: FACE_NOT_VISIBLE, ANOTHER_PERSON, AWAY_FROM_WINDOW, CANDIDATE_LOOKING_AWAY, CANDIDATE_FACE_PARTIALLY_VISIBLE, CANDIDATE_NOT_PRESENT, CANDIDATE_IMPERSONATION_SUSPECTED, and MOBILE_PHONE_DETECTED.

Mettl's marketing says the model "auto-flags up to 18 digressions with upward of 98% accuracy" (Mettl proctoring FAQ). Other Mettl pages say 95%. The support documentation names eight. Treat the larger number and the accuracy figure as vendor claims; the eight named flags are what the report actually shows.

Who reviews it

Three arrangements are documented. In live proctoring, the Proctoring Guide says a proctor sees your webcam and test screen, can "Chat with the candidate," and can "Pause and end the candidate test if needed." In record-and-review, administrators "have the access to entire video recording of duration where the candidate is attempting the test." In AI-only mode, nobody watches live and the flags stand on their own.

Identity is checked separately. A human authorizer can review your "Live clicked photo and ID card photo" and ask you to resubmit, and the employer can require an emailed OTP "valid for 5 minutes" before the test opens (Start Assessing Better guide).

The report: credibility index

Mettl rolls the flags into a Candidate Credibility Index. The documentation says it "takes inputs from Mercer | Mettl's proctoring flags and test finish status," using seven inputs: five visual flags (not present, additional person, away from window, mobile phone, face partially visible), manual proctoring, and browsing tolerance. It has "values – High, Medium, and Low," and "A client can customize the weightage of the different flags." The page marks the feature as beta. You are never shown your value.

Whose data it is

Mettl's privacy notice, effective December 26, 2025, lists "Facial scans and facial monitoring via photo or video" and "Photo, audio or video of your specific localized area" as proctoring data. It states that "Mettl generally acts as a Processor of your Personal Data and follows the instructions of our client, who acts as the third party Controller." Retention follows the controller's instructions. Questions about deletion go to the employer, not to Mettl.

Specific Mettl questions

• Is Mettl proctored?
• Does Mettl record your screen?
• Does Mettl use your camera?
• Does Mettl detect cheating?
• Does Mettl detect tab switching?
• What to expect in a Mettl test
• Mettl Secure Browser requirements

What this means for candidates

The setup screen tells you the tier. If it asks for your camera, microphone, screen, face, and ID, assume all of it is stored, reviewed by a model, possibly watched live, and summarized into an index you cannot see. Read the instructions page for the browsing rule and the allowed materials. If AI or references are prohibited, prepare with them beforehand and take the test without them; if the instructions are silent, ask the recruiter in writing. How flags are handled on other platforms is covered in what happens when a coding assessment flags you.