SAT Device Requirements: Will Your Device Work?
Lyceon Team · Test Day · Updated October 30, 2026
The SAT is on Saturday, November 7, eight days away. You take it in the Bluebook app on a device, so a device problem is better found today than on test morning. Here is what works, how to check yours, and what to do if it doesn't.
Sources: College Board: SAT dates and deadlines; College Board: Bluebook approved devices
Which devices work
Bluebook runs on a Windows or Mac device, an iPad, or a school-managed Chromebook. It doesn't run on a personal Chromebook or a mobile phone.
Sources: College Board: Bluebook approved devices; College Board: SAT device lending
Your device also has to connect to the Wi-Fi network at your test center and hold a charge for 3 to 4 hours. Bring a charger or portable charger, because you may not have an outlet.
Sources: College Board: Bluebook approved devices; College Board: Bluebook for SAT Weekend
Check yours now
Compare your device with College Board's approved devices page, which lists the minimum system version for each kind of device. Windows laptops, Macs and school-managed Chromebooks each need at least 1 GB of free space. An iPad needs 250 MB.
If you use a Mac or an iPad, don't install the fall system upgrade before the test. College Board says Apple usually releases those in early fall and advises waiting until the test is over.
On a laptop, external keyboards aren't permitted. On an iPad, they're allowed for the SAT.
What happens in the days before
Five days before test day, which is Monday, November 2 for this test, you complete exam setup in Bluebook and get your admission ticket. The setup can be done any time in the five days before. On test morning, you run a final device check.
Sources: College Board: Bluebook for SAT Weekend; College Board: SAT device readiness
If you're using your own, a school's or a friend's device, it needs Bluebook installed and exam setup finished when you arrive. Fix any problem before Monday, so setup doesn't turn up a surprise. If you're borrowing a device from College Board, you pick it up at the test center and complete exam setup there, so arrive 30 minutes before the standard check-in time.
Sources: College Board: Bluebook for SAT Weekend; College Board: SAT device lending
If your device won't work
Ask to borrow an approved device from your school, a family member or a friend. College Board says to try that first. You can practice on any device that can download Bluebook, including a school computer lab.
College Board also lends devices, but a request has to be in at least 30 days before test day, after you register. That window has passed for November 7. If you miss it, College Board says you can register for a later date or borrow a device locally. For Saturday, December 5, a request would be due by November 5.
Sources: College Board: SAT device lending; College Board: SAT dates and deadlines
A request isn't a promise of a loan. College Board also says the app works the same on every approved device, and its studies found that device type and age don't change scores.
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Start the free diagnosticFrequently asked questions
Can I use my phone for the digital SAT?
No. College Board says Bluebook can't run on a mobile phone or a personal Chromebook. It runs on Windows, Mac, iPad or a school-managed Chromebook.
Can I use a school Chromebook for the SAT?
Yes, if it's school-managed. A personal Chromebook doesn't work.