Testing without a browser extension

On this page:

• About testing without a browser extension
• Key differences: Extension vs. testing without a browser extension
• When to test without a browser extension
• Set up a test without a browser extension 
• Working with your results
• Participant experience
• Best practices

About testing without a browser extension

• This setting is for the New unmoderated think-aloud tests or Interaction tests on web (Computer devices only).
• Testing without a browser extension allows participants to complete tests without installing UserTesting’s browser extension. 
• This capability is especially useful in environments where installing extensions is restricted, such as highly regulated organizations or secure corporate settings.
• This feature is most commonly used with Invite Network participants, but it is also available for network-based tests.
• While the overall testing experience remains similar to standard (extension-based) testing, there are important differences in data tracking, reporting, and participant experience due to technical limitations.

A few things to note:

• The setting is off by default for all new tests. Turn it on only when removing the install requirement matters more than the data you'll lose.
• This setting locks once your test launches. You can't switch it on or off after participants have started, and you can't mix participants with the extension with those without it. So decide before you launch.

Key differences: Extension vs. testing without a browser extension

When it comes to tracking and results, certain data collection capabilities are limited without the browser extension.

Key differences include:

• These differences can impact how you analyze results and compare tests, especially if mixing methodologies.
• Best practice: Use the testing without a browser setting for qualitative insights and directional feedback, rather than highly metrics-driven studies.
   

When to test without a browser extension

This setting is recommended when:

• Participants cannot install browser extensions due to IT, security, or compliance restrictions
• You are testing with Invite Network participants (e.g., employees, customers, or niche audiences)
• You need a low-friction entry point for participants in controlled environments
• You're okay with navigation tasks that don't capture page views or button clicks (you can still set success URLs manually to get the most out of your results)

In general, testing with UserTesting's browser extension is still recommended when possible, as it provides more robust tracking and data capture.
 

Set up a test without a browser extension

1. Create your test
   • Enable Testing without a browser extension first. 
   • Open Settings in the test builder and toggle on Testing without a browser extension under the Device section.
     
   • A warning message will appear summarizing what changes when the extension isn't required.
     
   • Define your objectives, tasks, and questions.
   • (Recommended) Follow standard test planning best practices to ensure strong results.
2. Select your recruitment method
   • Choose your desired audience.
   • Invite Network is the most common use case for testing without a browser extension.
3. Review your test setup
   • Confirm that your tasks don't rely on extension-based tracking, or make sure the trade-offs are worth it for your test goals.
4. Run a pilot test
   • Use the Preview Test option to see what participants will experience. 
   • This is especially useful for tests with navigation or Figma tasks, where the floating taskbar will display task instructions as participants browse
   • Always test the experience before launching to confirm recording quality and data output.
5. Launch your test
   • Once launched, this setting is locked and cannot be changed.

Working with your results

Manually set outcomes for navigation tasks

For navigation tasks and QXscore, you'll need to mark each participant's response as a success of failure yourself.

To manually set outcomes, follow these steps:

1. Go to the Results page for your test
2. For each task and response, find the Outcome dropdown (defaults to Undefined)
3. Watch the recording for that response
4. Select Success, Failure, or another outcome from the dropdown

Once you've marked all responses, your task success rate will be calculated based on your manual judgments. For more details, see Recode success in Interaction tests.

Participant experience

From the participant’s perspective, the experience is largely similar, but with a few notable differences:

• No extension installation step, leading to faster and easier onboarding into the test
• No need to update to newer versions of the extension
• Chrome and Edge-based recording only
• Participants on Safari, Firefox, or mobile browsers will see a "browser not supported" message and be asked to switch before they can take the test
• A floating taskbar during navigation tasks that requires a new tab and taskbar to be opened

Best practices

To get the most value from testing without a browser extension:

• Use for restricted environments where extensions are not feasible
• Prioritize qualitative insights over detailed quantitative metrics
• Keep sample sizes manageable; manual outcome marking becomes time-consuming at scale
• Always run a pilot test to validate the setup

Coming soon: alternative experience without Picture-in-Picture

• A fallback experience that doesn't require Picture-in-Picture is in development and is targeted for release in September 2026. 
• Once released, customers in environments where Picture-in-Picture cannot be enabled will have an alternative experience where the task instructions appear in the parent UserTesting tab rather than in a floating window.
• This alternative is less ideal than the floating taskbar for navigation and Figma tasks (participants will need to switch between two tabs more frequently), but it removes the dependency on Picture-in-Picture entirely.
   

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