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This page answers the questions students, teachers, and administrators ask most often about Puddin. If your question is not covered here, visit the Troubleshooting guide or contact the Puddin support team through your institution’s helpdesk.
Puddin captures evidence of the writing process — how a document was created over time, not just the final text. Specifically, Puddin records:
  • Keystroke sequences — the order in which text was typed, deleted, and revised
  • Paste events — when text is pasted into the document, including the length of the pasted content (not the content itself from the clipboard)
  • Edit and revision patterns — insertions, deletions, and structural changes as the document develops
  • Time-on-task — how long the student spent actively writing versus idle
  • Session metadata — when the session started, any interruptions, and when it was submitted
Puddin does not record the student’s screen, webcam, microphone, or any activity outside the Puddin writing environment. It does not capture clipboard contents from outside the document.
Puddin works on any device with a modern web browser, including:
  • Windows and macOS laptops and desktops
  • Chromebooks
  • iPads and Android tablets (via the browser)
The Puddin browser-based editor is compatible with the latest versions of Chrome, Firefox, Edge, and Safari. Puddin does not require any software installation for the browser-based experience.The Microsoft Word add-in is available on Windows and macOS (Microsoft 365 or Office 2019 and later) and in Word for the web. Support on Word for iPad and Android depends on the institution’s Microsoft 365 licence configuration.
For the best experience on touch devices such as iPads, Puddin recommends using a physical keyboard. On-screen keyboard events are captured in most cases, but some touch-specific input methods may not produce the same level of detail as a physical keyboard.
Puddin is designed to handle temporary connectivity loss gracefully. When a student loses internet access during a writing session, Puddin continues to record evidence locally in the browser. The session timer pauses and the student sees a “Connection lost” indicator in the Puddin interface.When connectivity is restored, Puddin automatically syncs the locally stored evidence to the server. The student does not need to take any action — the sync happens in the background.If the student is using the Microsoft Word add-in, the same local buffering applies. Any evidence recorded while offline is uploaded when the connection returns. The student can also manually trigger a sync by clicking Sync session in the Puddin task pane.If the student’s connection is lost immediately before or during submission, they should wait for the connection to restore and then click Submit again. Puddin will not create a duplicate submission.
No. Teachers do not have a live view of a student’s writing as it happens. Puddin records writing process evidence during the session, but teachers can only review that evidence after the student has submitted their work.Once a submission is received, the teacher can view a replay of the writing process — watching how the document developed from the first keystroke to the final submitted version — but this is a recorded playback, not a live feed.This design is intentional. Puddin focuses on capturing verifiable evidence of authorship rather than monitoring students during their writing process.
Puddin retains writing process evidence in accordance with your institution’s data retention agreement. The default retention period is defined in the contract between your institution and Puddin. Administrators can view and configure the retention settings in Settings → Data & Privacy in the Puddin admin panel.Institutions in jurisdictions with specific data retention requirements (such as GDPR in the European Union) can configure Puddin to automatically delete session data after a defined period. Students can also request deletion of their data in accordance with their rights under applicable privacy laws — contact your institution’s data protection officer to initiate this process.
Puddin does not retain data indefinitely. If you need session evidence preserved for a specific period (for example, during an academic integrity investigation), ensure your retention settings accommodate this before the default period elapses.
Puddin requires an internet connection to start a new writing session and to submit completed work. The initial session setup — loading the assignment, authenticating the student, and beginning the recording — all require connectivity.Once a session is underway, Puddin buffers evidence locally if the connection drops, allowing the student to continue writing. The buffered data is uploaded when connectivity is restored (see “What happens if a student loses their internet connection?” above).Full offline support — starting a session without any connection — is not available in the current version of Puddin. Students should ensure they have a reliable internet connection when beginning a Puddin assignment.
Yes. Students can use browser-based and operating-system-level spell check and grammar tools while writing in Puddin. In the Microsoft Word add-in, students can use all of Word’s built-in writing assistance features, including spell check, grammar suggestions, and Microsoft Editor.These tools do not interfere with Puddin’s evidence recording. Corrections made through spell check or grammar suggestions are recorded as normal edit events, which are part of the natural writing process.Third-party writing tools that inject text directly into the document without generating standard keyboard or input events may not be fully captured by Puddin’s recording. If you have questions about a specific tool, contact Puddin support.
Puddin supports the following LMS platforms via LTI 1.3:LTI 1.1 integrations are not supported. If your institution is running an older version of one of these platforms, upgrading to a supported version is required before configuring the Puddin integration.For detailed setup instructions for each supported LMS, see the LTI 1.3 Integration Overview.
Puddin is designed with privacy compliance in mind and supports institutions operating under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and equivalent frameworks.Key privacy features include:
  • Data minimisation — Puddin records only what is necessary to verify authorship. It does not capture screen recordings, camera feeds, or clipboard content from outside the document.
  • Data residency — Puddin offers data residency options for institutions that require data to remain within a specific geographic region (for example, within the European Economic Area).
  • Retention controls — Administrators can configure automatic deletion of session data after a defined period to comply with their institution’s data retention policies.
  • Data subject rights — Puddin supports the ability to export and delete individual student data in response to subject access requests and right-to-erasure requests.
  • Processor agreements — Puddin operates as a data processor on behalf of the institution (the data controller). A Data Processing Agreement (DPA) is available for institutions that require one.
For detailed information about Puddin’s privacy practices, data processing, and how to obtain a DPA, contact your Puddin account manager or visit the privacy section of the Puddin website.
GDPR compliance is a shared responsibility between Puddin and your institution. Your institution remains the data controller and is responsible for informing students about data collection, obtaining necessary consents, and ensuring your use of Puddin aligns with your institutional privacy policy.