Free Exam Word Processor - ExamPad+

[k9mjl]

50 minutes ago, liamrobinson said:

No probs, just let me know, i cant promise i can fix it but i'll help where i can! 

Issue fixed, but I have discovered another the start_fullscreen = false setting is not being used, the program launches in full screen with no ability for the user to get out of this. Great for somethings but when they need to also refer to a PDF document its not helpful, is there a fix for this?

 

[exam_mode]
; Password invigilators use to close the app in exam mode — separate from the admin passcode
invigilator_passcode = xyz123
; Set to false to allow the app to be closed without any password check
require_password_to_exit = false
; Keep the app window above all others during an exam
always_on_top = false
; Cover the entire screen (including taskbar) when the app launches in exam mode
start_fullscreen = false

[liamrobinson]

54 minutes ago, k9mjl said:

Issue fixed, but I have discovered another the start_fullscreen = false setting is not being used, the program launches in full screen with no ability for the user to get out of this. Great for somethings but when they need to also refer to a PDF document its not helpful, is there a fix for this?

 

[exam_mode]
; Password invigilators use to close the app in exam mode — separate from the admin passcode
invigilator_passcode = xyz123
; Set to false to allow the app to be closed without any password check
require_password_to_exit = false
; Keep the app window above all others during an exam
always_on_top = false
; Cover the entire screen (including taskbar) when the app launches in exam mode
start_fullscreen = false

I hadn't noticed that but just confirmed the same issue on mine. Its ignoring the Fullscreen toggle. I'll look at it as soon as i can and hopefully have it fixed and updated int he dashboard this week. If anyone else has any little issues/requests feel free to pop them here i'll do what I can. I prefer to bundle fixes together if i can so i'm not adding anew release every day 😂

[MattR-CSE]

Hey Liam- I've noticed when trying to point the autosave/default save location to (for example) the 'N:\' drive, when testing with the exam account, it won't default to the right saved area.

 

On the actual ExamPadPlus software, it won't autofill and requires the user to browse; we want to limit where possible any user modifications and make it as simple as possible for the exams invigilators/students-

 

[k9mjl]

On 27/04/2026 at 15:49, MattR-CSE said:

Hey Liam- I've noticed when trying to point the autosave/default save location to (for example) the 'N:\' drive, when testing with the exam account, it won't default to the right saved area.

 

On the actual ExamPadPlus software, it won't autofill and requires the user to browse; we want to limit where possible any user modifications and make it as simple as possible for the exams invigilators/students-

 

 

Have you tried adding a folder to the end? We don't have this issue, but we are placing the files in a folder - N:\Exams

[TraceurElmo]

Would there be anyway to change how the documents are named when they're saved? Right now, each time we manually save the doc, the date and time get added to the end of the file name. To keep our exams folder tidy, would it be possible to allow us to customise the file name strings, possibly via flags in settings file?

[k9mjl]

Is anyone else experiencing flickering as the student types? It is not a local issue as only ExamPad+ does it.

[TraceurElmo]

Yeah, I have the same issue. I sent OP a screen-recording of it too. This is on V1.0.6 too.

[dhicks]

2 hours ago, k9mjl said:

Is anyone else experiencing flickering as the student types?

 

Yes. I thought it was because I was running ExamPad+ on a remote Debian session accessed in a web browser using Wine, XFCE4, VNC, Pangolin and Guacamole, so the display had several additional layers to get through so a bit of flickering was to be expected!

[ghu_ferry]

This is a great program! Just what we have been looking for instead of using WordPad.  Only issue I can see are when the font size has been set to 12 and line spacing been set to 2, it doesn't appear to print out with these settings? Also could there be a setting for default save file type?  Does the header and footer only apply when the file is an EPP file?

 

Great work!

[liamrobinson]

Apologies for the delay I've had hospital appointments coming out of my ears and been busy on top of that. I did manage to replicate the issues with the flickering and it was on the second page where the page break happens which was causing it.

 

V.1.0.7 is now available on the dashboard

• Fixed flickering/jumping page
• Fixed issue with not being able to exit full screen despite Always Full Screen toggle being off
• Added custom default file name

[Kriegselend]

@liamrobinson - bit of a long shot but, would there be any scope for making editable PDFs work with this? We have started to use editable PDF files here as a school from Pearson so to have this work for that too would be life saving.

 

Cheers

[synaesthesia]

10 minutes ago, Kriegselend said:

@liamrobinson - bit of a long shot but, would there be any scope for making editable PDFs work with this? We have started to use editable PDF files here as a school from Pearson so to have this work for that too would be life saving.

 

Cheers

Sorry, that made me snort fanta out of my nose.

Entirely missing the point of PDF files!

 

[Kriegselend]

9 minutes ago, synaesthesia said:

Sorry, that made me snort fanta out of my nose.

Entirely missing the point of PDF files!

 

Yes, I was a bit shocked by it initially but..works okay and the kids love it compared to PDF exam paper and Word on another tab. Questions are there, and the answer boxes can be written on in a clearly defined box. Compared to say City & Guilds/WJEC/Evolve - I prefer editable PDFs 10 times out of 10. Just a bit of a pain to lock down on shared devices with different requirements for accessibility each day.

[synaesthesia]

Is said PDF not provided with all the necessary information already present? What would the exam word processor do to help that, surely it'd be entirely defunct?

(aware this is Pearson we're dealing with, so anything from that company is about as trustworthy as a balaclava'd man running towards you with a machete)

 

Edited May 13 by synaesthesia

[Kriegselend]

In short, no as it's more about it being locked down than the fact it's a word processor.

 

As I say, if you have a multi-use exam device i.e. one day spellcheck, the next no spellcheck, the next day spellcheck with reader etc. - it becomes troublesome for some software as generally GPOs are computer based, rather than user based and settings may choose to stick. The point of having something like ExamPad+ do it would be we get to configure those options on a whim regardless of user AND have universal software for digital exams. Rather than have to use say Secure Exam Browser for one exam, and WordPad+ for another for already confused exams teams/students. 

 

Thinking out loud, it would have to be exportable as a PDF rather than .epp - so imagine this isn't of significant interest now. More people are moving towards the web app instead. Depends if AQA and other exam boards go the PDF or WebApp route though (most likely the latter).

[Olliekai]

On 11/03/2026 at 11:27, liamrobinson said:

Thanks for this, this is my project! As Will said that's down to it being a newly registered domain it should be accessible after 20 days i believe, ironic that Cloudflare powers the protective DNS services and also hosts my website! 

It looks great!

[shane.williams07]

This honestly looks amazing, one slight change and it would be perfect for us. 

 

Is there anyway you could have the "Save File Location" once set in the settings just autofill and then be locked "Set by IT Admin" similar to center name and number? 

 

The populated save dialog is helpful but it still leaves room for work to be saved in other locations. 

 

[liamrobinson]

Thanks @shane.williams07. I've just enabled a bug/feature request section in the dashboard. Could you do me a favour and please submit it there? A) So i don't forget and B) to test it actualyl works as expected!

[KK20]

On 13/05/2026 at 14:23, synaesthesia said:

Sorry, that made me snort fanta out of my nose.

Entirely missing the point of PDF files!

 

I can see the thinking behind this.  Download a PDF exam paper, candidate then fills in the PDF exam paper (rather than switch backwards/forwards between paper and answer programs).  We use Read&Write for electronic reader so it would be seamless to highlight, "read", then edit the PDF to write the answer.

[synaesthesia]

As opposed to... a word document?

[KK20]

Im talking about user experience and workflow.  potentially:  User opens PDF, user edits PDF, user saves PDF.    Currently, for our users they open PDF, switch to examwritepad answer document, write answer, switch to PDF document, etc

 

I was merely commenting that I can see the benefit of cutting out a switch.  Not the end of the world of course but if it makes it easy for the candidate.

[synaesthesia]

Yeah I get your point, but what I mean is why add the extra step of editing PDFs when that could then just be achievable via a word document?

I started typing that Word can edit most PDF's anyway but then remembered how "well" it handles tables and things exam papers are often full of

 

But if they're coming down as editable PDFs anyway, and already locked down then the standard Adobe Reader can handle that, and it wouldn't need any of the extra stuff that EWP or other exam specific bits add like cover sheets etc. 

[Tred444]

@liamrobinson 

I too have been using ExamWritePad up until now. Fortunately we had bought a multi-year license so we were able to regain the dictation & narration features they removed once Everway took management of the productfor this year's summer exams but we have been exploring the useability of Read&Write to go alongside EWP for the next academic year. 

I'm encouraged by the positivity around ExamPad+, even more so knowing it's constantly being developed as features are asked for. 

I do have a few sticking points though if we were to trial this from the start of the school year so it became the students normal way of working when it comes to the exams:

1. Very often we have different students sitting exams on the same PC's that require different configurations, Spell Check, Text-to-speech etc. Is it possible to be able to use different program shortcuts to different setting ini files so we can ensure different login accounts have the correct access.
2. We do have some students requiring speech to text tool. Will the built Windows voice typing app work with ExamPad+? 
3. Some previous comments have mentioned a configurable Autosave path. From what I gather, Autosave is supposed to be the 'backlup' location of the file whereas the student should be manually saving to ensure their copy can be restored. Not sure if I'm reading this wrong but is it possible to have both files being Autosaved? The studetns working copy and also a backup copy should they lose all their work? - Can both these paths be configurable?

Congratulations on your work so far 👍

[liamrobinson]

Thank you. @Tred444

 

1. I'll look into it, All I have setup is a shared folder with Years > Student Name > Bespoke settings.ini. This works for us as they always use the same devices but can imagine its difficult if you have shared devices.

2. I've not tried it, but imagine it should be fine.

3. Autosave works for the main (working) file and the backup file. By default they save every 2 mins and 30s respectively.

 

There's a load of feature requests i need to look at, once i get some time i'll go through them and create V1.0.9 

[cheeseboy]

@liamrobinson

 

Nice work thank you  we are currently testing with a view to replacing examwritepad as we have no end of problems if there is any kind of mismatch with the json config files.

 

I don't want to derail anything, but I did manage to knock up a simple web based version with an admin backend if anybody is interested? But I only offer it as a project for people to play with and edit themselves. I've not tried it an anger or to host yet, just as a local application as a proof of concept. We need to look seriously in to the take a test option so students can use their own devices, so really needs to be web based. However, one nice feature that does seem to work on the web system is that it will automatically autosave students documents to a SharePoint site, creating a filename of the student number and exam (or whatever really). This means teachers can go to the site and get the documents directly, or in the admin console there is a button to download. This works because we force all students to sign in to edge, so SSO is already in the browser session to connect to the SharePoint site.