Control Student Browser Tabs in LanSchool Air

Control Student Browser Tabs in LanSchool Air

Overview

LanSchool Air allows instructors to view and manage student browser tabs from List View and Student Details. Instructors can:

  • View the websites a student currently has open.
  • View the student's active browser tab.
  • See how many browser tabs a student has open.
  • Close a browser tab on a student's device.
  • Add a website to the allowed or blocked websites list.

These controls help instructors monitor student browsing activity and manage website access during class.

View and Control Browser Tabs in Student Details

Open Student Details

Student Details can be viewed from any class view. 

  1. Open a class in LanSchool Air.
  2. Select the student you want to manage.
  3. Open the View Actions menu on the student's class card.
  4. Select View Student Details.
  5. Select the Tabs tab.


View a Student's Open Browser Tabs

In Student Details, select Tabs to view the student's open browser tabs.

You can see:

  • The website addresses for the student's open tabs.
  • The number of tabs the student has open.
  • The student's active browser tab in Live View.

Close a Browser Tab on a Student's Device

  1. Open the student's Student Details.
  2. Select Tabs.
  3. Find the browser tab you want to close.
  4. Select Close Tab next to that tab.

The selected browser tab closes on the student's device.

Add a Website to the Allowed or Blocked Websites List

You can add a website directly from the student's open browser tabs.

  1. Open the student's Student Details.
  2. Select Tabs.
  3. Open the More Options menu next to the website.
  4. Select one of the following:
    • Add to allowed websites to add the website to the allowed websites list.
    • Add to block websites to add the website to the blocked websites list.

The website is added to the corresponding website list. If the website is added to the blocked websites list, the student will no longer be able to access it through the applicable web-limiting controls.

View and Control Browser Tabs in List View

Open List View

  1. Open a class in LanSchool Air.
  2. Select the List View icon.

Select a student from the class list to display the student's card on the right.



View a Student's Open Browser Tabs

In List View, you can view browser activity without opening Student Details.

The class list displays:

  • The website address for the student's active browser tab.
  • The number of browser tabs the student has open.

The student's card displays:

  • An image of the student's active browser tab.
  • The website addresses for the student's open browser tabs.
  • In Desktop View, the open browser tabs are also visible above the image on the student's card.

Close a Browser Tab in List View

  1. Open List View.
  2. Select the student whose browser tab you want to close.
  3. On the student's card, locate the browser tab in the list of website addresses.
  4. Select the 3 dot menu.
  5. Select Close Tab.

The selected browser tab closes on the student's device.

Add a Website to the Allowed or Blocked Websites List in List View

  1. Open List View.
  2. Select the student whose website you want to manage.
  3. On the student's card, locate the website in the list of open browser tabs.
  4. Select the 3 dot menu.
  5. Open the menu and select one of the following:
    • Add to allowed websites to add the website to the allowed websites list.
    • Add to block websites to add the website to the blocked websites list.

The website is added to the selected list. Adding a website to the blocked websites list prevents the student from accessing it through the applicable web-limiting controls.


Troubleshoot Student Browser Tabs Not Displaying

If student browser tabs are missing from List View or Student Details, follow these steps in order. The LanSchool Air browser extension must be installed and enabled for tab viewing to work.

Step 1: Confirm the LanSchool Air Browser Extension Is Installed

Check the extension in the browser the student is using.

Google Chrome

  1. On the student device, open Google Chrome.
  2. Enter chrome://extensions in the address bar and press Enter.
  3. Locate the LanSchool Air Chrome Extension.
  4. Confirm that the extension is installed and enabled.

Microsoft Edge

  1. On the student device, open Microsoft Edge.
  2. Open Settings > Extensions.
  3. Locate the LanSchool Air Web Extension.
  4. Confirm that the extension is installed and enabled.

If the extension is missing or disabled:

Contact your IT administrator to verify that the extension is deployed and enabled.

  • Windows and macOS: The LanSchool Air Student installer attempts to install the browser extension automatically. Installation may fail if the browser was not installed first or if device policies prevent automatic installation.
  • Chromebooks: The LanSchool Air Chrome Extension must be deployed through Google Admin Console. Verify that the extension is assigned to the correct student organizational unit (OU) and configured to force-install.

For deployment instructions, see Troubleshooting Web Limiting.

After the extension is installed and enabled, open several websites on the student device and check whether the browser tabs appear in LanSchool Air.

Step 2: Check Native Messaging on Windows Devices

If the correct browser extension is installed and enabled but student tabs are still not displaying, there may be an issue with Native Messaging.

LanSchool Air uses Native Messaging to allow its Chrome and Edge extensions to communicate with the LanSchool Air Student components installed on Windows devices.

Check the Native Messaging Processes

  1. On the affected Windows student device, enable web limiting in LanSchool Air.
  2. Open Chrome or Edge and navigate to several websites.
  3. Open Windows Task Manager.
  4. Check whether one or more WinNativeMessagingClient processes are running.
  5. Check whether a WinNativeMessagingServer process is running.

If the expected processes are missing, continue with the checks below.

Check antivirus or endpoint security software

Some antivirus products may identify WinNativeMessagingClient.exe as a browser exploit and quarantine or delete it. Check the security software's logs and quarantine to determine whether the process has been blocked or removed.

Check command-line script processing

If command-line access is disabled by policy, verify that Disable the command prompt script processing also? is set to No, as required by the existing troubleshooting guidance.


Check the browser Native Messaging policy

For Windows devices using Chrome or Edge, verify the applicable NativeHostsExecutablesLaunchDirectly registry policy.

Google Chrome

  • Registry location: Software\Policies\Google\Chrome\NativeHostsExecutablesLaunchDirectly
  • Data type: REG_DWORD
  • Expected value: 1 (decimal) or 0x1 (hexadecimal)

Microsoft Edge

  • Registry location: Software\Policies\Microsoft\Edge\NativeHostsExecutablesLaunchDirectly
  • Data type: REG_DWORD
  • Expected value: 1 (decimal) or 0x1 (hexadecimal)

For additional information, refer to the official browser policy documentation:

Step 3: Contact LanSchool Air Support

If the browser extension is installed and enabled but student browser tabs still do not appear after completing these checks, contact LanSchool Air Support for further assistance.

Include the following information in your support request:

  • The student's operating system and browser.
  • Whether the LanSchool Air browser extension is installed and enabled.
  • Whether the issue affects one student or multiple students.
  • Any troubleshooting steps already completed.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why can't I see a student's open browser tabs in LanSchool Air?

The LanSchool Air browser extension may be missing, disabled, or unable to communicate with the student client. First, verify that the appropriate browser extension is installed and enabled. If the extension is working but tabs are still missing, check Native Messaging on Windows devices.

Is the LanSchool Air Chrome Extension required to view student browser tabs?

Yes. The LanSchool Air Chrome Extension must be installed and enabled for browser tab viewing in Google Chrome. For Microsoft Edge, the LanSchool Air Web Extension is required.

How do I check whether the LanSchool Air Chrome Extension is installed?

On the student device, open Chrome and navigate to chrome://extensions. Find the LanSchool Air Chrome Extension and confirm that it is installed and enabled.

The LanSchool Air Chrome Extension is missing. How do I install it?

Contact your IT administrator to verify the extension deployment. On Windows and macOS, the student installer attempts to install the extension automatically. On Chromebooks, the extension must be deployed through Google Admin Console to the appropriate student organizational unit.

The browser extension is installed, but student tabs are still missing. What should I do?

If the extension is installed and enabled, check Native Messaging on Windows devices. Verify that the required WinNativeMessagingClient and WinNativeMessagingServer processes are running. Also check antivirus software and browser security policies that may prevent Native Messaging from working.

How do I see which websites a student has open?

Open a class in LanSchool Air and select List View. Select the student to display their open browser tabs on the student's card. You can also open Student Details and select Tabs.

How do I see how many browser tabs a student has open?

The number of open browser tabs is displayed in the class list in List View and in Student Details under Tabs.

How do I close a student's browser tab remotely?

Open List View or Student Details, locate the student's browser tab, and select Close Tab from the available tab controls.

How do I close all browser tabs on a student's device?

LanSchool Air's documented tab controls allow instructors to close individual browser tabs. To close multiple tabs, repeat the close-tab action for each tab. The documented controls do not provide a single action to close all browser tabs at once.

How do I block a website a student is viewing?

Open the student's browser tabs in List View or Student Details. Open the View Actions or More Options menu next to the website and select Add to block websites.

What is the difference between closing a tab and blocking a website?

Close Tab closes the selected browser tab on the student's device. Add to block websites adds the website to the blocked websites list so the student cannot access it through the applicable web-limiting controls.

Closing a tab alone does not add the website to the blocked list.

How do I allow a website a student is viewing?

Open the menu next to the website in the student's open tabs and select Add to allowed websites.

Why can't I see a student's open browser tabs?

If browser tabs are not displaying, check whether the student device's LanSchool Air browser extension and Native Messaging components are working correctly. On Windows devices using Chrome or Edge, antivirus software and browser policies may affect Native Messaging. Follow the troubleshooting steps above.

Can I view student browser tabs in List View and Student Details?

Yes. Both List View and Student Details provide access to student browser tab information and controls.