The Duolingo English Test (DET) has set out a new phone-based set-up that is now part of its standard security check. A blog post of 9 January 2026 explains the steps. It does not give the exact date the checks began.
Key facts
- Published 9 January 2026
- Needed A smartphone on Wi-Fi, charged or plugged in
- Checks Secondary camera, room scan, ear scan
- Status Part of the standard security check
How the set-up works
During the test start-up, a QR code appears on your computer screen. Scanning it with your phone takes you to the DET mobile app, which then guides you through three steps.
- Room scan: you use the phone to show your whole testing space, including your desk, the walls and the area around you.
- Ear scan: you briefly touch the phone to each ear on camera to show you are not using earbuds or other audio devices.
- Secondary camera: you place the phone to your side so it shows your screen and keyboard for the whole session.
Rules for the phone
The phone must be on Wi-Fi, fully charged or plugged in, and resting on a stable surface rather than in your hand. It must stay in place and in view for the entire test, and you should not touch it once the test starts.
What this means
Before test day, install the DET app, check that your phone connects to a reliable Wi-Fi network, and find a stand or a stack of books that will hold the phone at your side. Clear your desk and the room behind you, since the room scan will show everything. Do a trial set-up a day early so you know where the phone sits and that the charging cable reaches. Read the official test rules again the night before, because breaking a set-up rule during the test can put your result at risk.