Timers on Quizzes
Overview
Learn how to make your Quizzes time-bound — ideal for testing knowledge under pressure or simulating real-world constraints.
The Timers feature on Quizzes allows Admins to set a time limit for quiz completion. This ensures consistency in assessment and adds a layer of challenge where needed.
Functionality Breakdown
When a timer is enabled on a Quiz:
Learners must acknowledge the time limit before starting the quiz.
Learners are informed before starting that the Quiz is timed.
A countdown timer is visible throughout the Quiz.
If time runs out, the Quiz automatically submits with the learner's progress (this is called an "abandoned submit").
Admins can view the time taken by each learner in Reports (from 13th September 2019 onwards).
Time Limit Acknowledgment
Before starting a timed quiz, learners must acknowledge that they understand the time limit:
A confirmation screen appears showing the time limit.
Learners must click to acknowledge before proceeding.
This ensures learners are aware of the time constraint before beginning.
Abandoned Submit
When a timed quiz's time limit expires:
The quiz automatically submits with whatever answers the learner has provided up to that point.
Unanswered questions are marked as incorrect.
The learner cannot continue answering after time expires.
The submission is marked as an "abandoned submit" in the system.
💡 Tip: Abandoned submits ensure fairness—all learners have the same time constraint, and the quiz completes even if a learner forgets to submit manually.
Pre-requisites
Before you begin, make sure:
You have permission to create or edit Quizzes.
You've decided on an appropriate time limit based on quiz length and difficulty.
Required User Roles
To configure timers on Quizzes, you need permission to edit them. This is available to users with one of the following roles:
Curator – Can curate and manage content
Learning Designer – Can create and manage learning content
Admin – Administrative access within their company
Owner – Full access within their company
Coaches can also configure timers on quizzes they create, as they are automatically granted editor access. Additionally, any user who is explicitly assigned as an Editor of a specific Quiz (via the "Editors" field in the Quiz form) can configure timers, regardless of their role.
Quick Start Guide: Enabling a Timer
Navigate to Create or Edit an existing Quiz.
Go to the Rules step.
Tick the checkbox: "Is this quiz timed?"
Enter the desired time limit in seconds (e.g., 600 for 10 minutes, 1800 for 30 minutes).
Save or publish your Quiz.
What Learners See
Before Starting
Time Limit Acknowledgment Screen – Learners see a screen informing them the quiz is timed and showing the time limit.
Learners must click to acknowledge before they can begin.
Once acknowledged, the quiz starts and the timer begins counting down.
During the Quiz
Countdown Timer – A visible countdown timer is displayed at the top of the screen.
The timer shows remaining time clearly.
Learners can see how much time they have left at all times.
If Time Runs Out
Automatic Submission – The quiz automatically submits with answers provided up to that point.
Unanswered questions are marked as incorrect.
Learners are shown their results immediately.
The submission cannot be undone or continued.
Reporting on Timed Quizzes
Time taken per learner is displayed in the Reports section.
You can see which submissions were completed within the time limit and which were abandoned submits.
Important: This data is only available for Quizzes completed on or after 13th September 2019.
FAQs
Q: Can learners pause a timed Quiz?
A: No — once started, the timer runs continuously until the limit is reached or the learner submits the Quiz.
Q: Can I edit the timer after the Quiz is published?
A: Yes, you can edit the time limit at any point by returning to the Quiz settings. However, this may affect learners currently taking the quiz.
Q: What happens if a learner exits mid-Quiz?
A: The timer continues in the background. If time expires while the learner is away, the Quiz will auto-submit with an abandoned submit.
Q: How is 'total time' calculated on Quizzes?
A: The total time is measured from when the quiz is first opened to when it is submitted (either manually or automatically).
Q: What happens to unanswered questions when time expires?
A: Unanswered questions are automatically marked as incorrect when the quiz auto-submits.
Q: Can learners see how much time they have left?
A: Yes. A countdown timer is visible throughout the quiz showing remaining time.
Q: What if a learner's connection is slow when time expires?
A: The system allows a 30-second grace period for slow connections. If time expires, the quiz will still auto-submit, but answers submitted within 30 seconds of expiry will be accepted.
Troubleshooting
Issue | Solution |
|---|---|
Timer not appearing | Ensure the "Is this quiz timed?" option is selected and a time limit is entered |
Quiz auto-submitted too early | Double-check the time limit entered is accurate (it's set in seconds) |
No time data in reports | Make sure the Quiz was completed after 13th September 2019 |
Learner didn't see time limit warning | Ensure they acknowledged the time limit screen before starting |
Timer continues after quiz closed | This is expected behaviour—timer runs until expiry or submission |
Answers lost when time expired | Unanswered questions are marked incorrect; this is by design for fairness |
Last Reviewed: 28/11/2025