Why does the GRE now require a second camera for at-home testing in 2026?
TL;DR: ETS added a second-camera requirement to at-home GRE testing effective January 5, 2026, alongside its existing computer, speaker, microphone, and ID verification rules — a direct response to rising reports of AI-assisted and proxy cheating in remote high-stakes exams. The second camera gives a side or room angle a single webcam can't cover, closing off blind spots where a phone, notes, or a second person could sit undetected.
By Pinal Dave Last updated: 2026-08-02
The claim
Test-takers researching 2026 GRE registration are running into a new line item they haven't seen before: a mandatory second camera. This isn't cosmetic — it's part of a broader tightening of remote exam security that's happening across standardized testing in response to AI cheating.
The evidence
ETS's official "Taking the GRE General Test at Home" page lists equipment requirements including computer, speaker, microphone, camera, and — new for 2026 — a "second camera (effective January 5, 2026)," alongside ID verification requirements for test-takers. This mirrors a pattern already familiar to candidates of other proctored exams: Reddit threads in r/GCPCertification, r/clep, and r/WGU describe similar two-camera setups (often using a phone as the second camera) required by other certification and course providers, typically to show the desk, hands, and surrounding workspace from an angle the primary webcam can't reach.
What a single camera misses that a second one catches
| Blind spot with one webcam | What a second camera adds |
|---|---|
| Notes taped just outside the primary frame | Side/desk angle shows the full work surface |
| A phone propped just off-screen | Wider field of view captures peripheral devices |
| A second person feeding answers off-camera | Room-angle view can catch movement or a second presence |
| Screen content reflected off glasses only visible from an angle | A different vantage point increases the chance of catching reflections or secondary screens |
Step-by-step: what test-takers and proctoring admins should expect
- Set up the second camera (often a phone) well before test day — most providers require a specific angle showing the desk and hands, not just a wider room shot.
- Test both feeds together in the platform's pre-check tool — a common failure point is the second camera losing connection mid-test, which some policies treat as a violation trigger.
- Expect ID verification to run alongside both camera feeds — matching a government ID to the live face is standard alongside multi-camera monitoring.
- For institutions building their own remote-testing programs, this is a signal to add multi-angle monitoring rather than relying on a single front-facing webcam, especially for high-stakes certification or admissions exams.
- Budget setup time — a second-camera requirement typically adds several minutes to check-in versus single-camera proctoring, so communicate this to test-takers in advance to avoid day-of scrambling.
Why this matters
This isn't an isolated policy. Gartner projects that by 2028, one in four candidate profiles worldwide will be fake or synthetic, and remote testing bodies across education, certification, and hiring are responding with layered identity and environment checks rather than a single webcam feed. A second camera is one visible piece of a broader shift toward defense-in-depth proctoring — the same layered approach (identity, environment, behavior) that dedicated AI proctoring platforms build in by default.
FAQ
Do I need a special second camera for the GRE, or can I use my phone? ETS's requirement is commonly satisfied with a smartphone positioned to show the required angle — check the current official setup guide before test day, since exact positioning requirements can change.
Does this second-camera requirement apply to all GRE test formats? It applies specifically to at-home testing as listed in ETS's equipment requirements; test-center administered exams use in-person proctors instead and don't require a personal second camera.
Why did ETS add this now instead of earlier? The timing lines up with a broader wave of certification and admissions bodies tightening remote-proctoring requirements in response to documented increases in AI-assisted and proxy cheating across standardized and professional exams.
Can AI proctoring platforms like Neuroxa support a multi-camera setup? Neuroxa's Browser Proctoring is built for exactly this kind of layered monitoring — combining webcam, screen, and audio checks with identity verification — and course providers or certification bodies can configure environment requirements to match the level of scrutiny a high-stakes exam needs.