With Enhanced Windows Support, teachers using Securly Classroom in schools with Windows student devices will now have the functionality to view the whole Windows desktop, as well as remotely close Windows apps like they can with Chrome tabs.

To accomplish this, Classroom uses a helper app for the Chrome extension called the Securly Classroom Windows Agent.

If you use this feature, keep in mind that the Securly Classroom Windows Agent is only a helper app for the Chrome extension. Chrome is still needed and students will still need to login to Chrome with their school credentials. It is recommended to set Chrome to require students to log in, which can be done through Google Admin or GPO. You can read more about our best practices for Enhanced Windows Support here.

This is what a teacher will see when teaching a class with a student using a Windows device and the Securly Classroom Windows Agent.

As you can see, the entire Windows desktop is visible, including Chrome, the taskbar, and any other apps the student has open. On the right hand side, you'll see the open tabs sidebar has been split in two, allowing the teacher to see both open Chrome tabs and open Windows apps.

When viewing windows apps, click on an app and click Close to close the app.

FAQs

1. What features does Enhanced Windows Support for Securly Classroom provide?
   With Enhanced Windows Support, teachers using Securly Classroom in schools with Windows student devices will now have the functionality to view the whole desktop, as well as remotely close Windows programs like they can with Chrome tabs.
2. How does Classroom capture the entire Windows desktop on student devices?
   Classroom uses a helper app for the Chrome extension called the Securly Windows Agent.
3. How can schools/districts deploy the Windows Agent to student devices?
   The Securly Windows Agent can be deployed using Group Policy Manager (GPO) from Windows Server. Alternatively, you can use an MDM such as Microsoft InTune or Microsoft Endpoint Configuration Manager (MECM). Instructions on how to do this can be found in our Knowledge Base.
4. Does this mean that schools can use this without Google Chrome?
   No. The Securly Windows Agent is only a helper app for the Chrome extension. Chrome is still needed and students will still need to login to Chrome with their school credentials. It is recommended to set Chrome to require login.
5. Can Classroom be used in a classroom with both Chrome OS and Windows devices together?
   Yes. Students can be in mixed device settings on Chromebooks, Windows devices (with or without the Windows Agent to provide enhanced capabilities) or Macs.
6. Does Classroom save a history of programs that were active on a student’s device during a class session like it does with websites that were accessed?
   No.
7. When closing a Windows app with Classroom that has a file open with unsaved changes, will changes be saved?
   No, the app will close immediately without prompting the student to save. It’s important to keep this in mind when closing Windows apps. If a student is working on a file and you need them to pay attention, you may want to direct them to save their work rather than immediately closing the app.