> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://help.autoproctor.co/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Timer Settings

> Configure test duration, auto-submit behavior, time windows, and buffer time for your AutoProctor tests.

Timer Settings let you control when candidates can start a test, how long they have to complete it, and what happens when time runs out. You access these settings from the **Settings** button on your dashboard.

<Note>
  The times you set are in your local timezone. AutoProctor handles all timezone conversions automatically — if your candidates are in a different timezone, they will see the correct local time on their end.
</Note>

## How to Configure Timer Settings

<Frame caption="How to configure timer settings in AutoProctor">
  <video controls className="w-full rounded-xl" poster="/thumbnails/settings/config-timer-settings.jpg" src="https://mintcdn.com/autoproctor/2nKDVYeZX7Q7bImN/videos/settings/config-timer-settings.mp4?fit=max&auto=format&n=2nKDVYeZX7Q7bImN&q=85&s=1cba8b6bcfb6b6fd4388d5452569a550" data-path="videos/settings/config-timer-settings.mp4" />
</Frame>

<Steps>
  <Step title="Enable the Timer">
    On the Test Settings page, check the **Enable Timer** checkbox. This activates all time-related settings for your test. Unchecking this box disables all time-related checks.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Set the Duration">
    Enter the maximum time a candidate has to complete the test. The countdown starts when the test loads and the candidate sees the questions.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Configure Auto-Submit (Optional)">
    Toggle **Auto-submit Test** to automatically submit the test when the duration ends. If disabled, candidates get unlimited time to submit after the timer runs out.

    <Warning>
      For non-Socratease quizzes, auto-submit only submits the proctoring session — not the quiz answers. If a candidate hasn't manually submitted their answers, **all responses will be lost**. For Socratease quizzes, both answers and proctoring data are submitted automatically.
    </Warning>
  </Step>

  <Step title="Set a Start Window (Optional)">
    Use **Can't Start Before** and **Can't Start After** to define when candidates can begin the test:

    * **Can't Start Before** — the earliest date and time a candidate can start
    * **Can't Start After** — the latest date and time a candidate can start

    If you set a date without a time, midnight is used as the default.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Set a Submission Deadline (Optional)">
    **Must Submit By** sets a hard deadline for submission. If a candidate starts the test close to this deadline, their available time is reduced accordingly.

    For example, if the test duration is 30 minutes and the Must Submit By time is 12:30 PM, a candidate starting at 12:15 PM gets only 15 minutes. This uses the same date as **Can't Start After**.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Configure Buffer Time (Optional)">
    **Buffer Time** is a grace period after the Can't Start After time that allows candidates to complete the demo test and set up their device. AutoProctor adds a default 5-minute buffer when start/end times are set.

    <Note>
      Buffer time does not apply to the Must Submit By deadline.
    </Note>
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Timer Settings Reference

| Setting                | Description                                    | Default                    |
| ---------------------- | ---------------------------------------------- | -------------------------- |
| **Duration**           | Maximum time for a test attempt                | No limit                   |
| **Auto-submit Test**   | Submit automatically when time runs out        | Off                        |
| **Can't Start Before** | Earliest start date and time                   | No restriction             |
| **Can't Start After**  | Latest start date and time                     | No restriction             |
| **Must Submit By**     | Hard submission deadline                       | Not set                    |
| **Buffer Time**        | Grace period for setup after Can't Start After | 5 min (when times are set) |

## Related Resources

* [Proctoring Settings](/proctoring-settings) — Configure camera, microphone, and tab-switching detection
* [Advanced Settings](/advanced-exam-settings) — Login providers, restrictions, and integrations
* [Quiz Settings](/socratease-quiz-settings) — For Socratease quiz-specific settings, see the Socratease Quiz Settings page
* [Resuming Test Attempts](/resume-exam-attempts) — How auto-resume works with timed tests
* [What Gets Tracked](/what-gets-tracked-during-proctoring) — Overview of all proctoring capabilities