The short answer. Use a PC or Mac, run the technical check before starting, work alone with no outside tools, and contact Solve technical support the moment anything breaks. Recruiting questions and accommodations go to your recruiter, not support.
Before starting
- 1Open your personal link
- 2Run the technical check
- 3Start only after it passes
Check fails? Contact Solve support before proceeding.
During Solve
- 1Stop repeated clicks or restarts
- 2Note the time and describe the fault
- 3Contact support and follow its instructions
Do not photograph, record, or screenshot the assessment.
Pre start checklist
- Correct personal assessment link and written down completion deadline with timezone.
- PC or Mac that passes the technical check through your assessment link. Phones and tablets are not the supported route in the current FAQ.
- Quiet, interruption free room and an uninterrupted block covering the full stated duration plus setup.
- Support path saved where you can reach it without searching: technical support for faults, recruiter for application questions.
- Desk cleared of prepared notes. Sound is not required and a mouse is optional per the FAQ, so confirm both during the check rather than assuming.
- Browser updated, unrelated tabs and apps closed, notifications silenced.
Run the technical check properly
The FAQ describes a technical check you run before starting. Use the device you intend to take Solve on and follow the check's instructions. If your invitation offers a separate precheck, complete it early enough to resolve issues. Do not assume you can start and re-enter an assessment to test your setup. If the link's behavior is unclear or the check fails, contact support before proceeding.
A useful rehearsal tests the boring failure points: power, connection, browser, notifications, link access and the support route. It does not try to reproduce the live assessment or infer hidden scoring. The official instructions and your own invitation control the real sitting; a preparation site's preferred mouse, browser or room setup is only optional advice.
If graphics or the link fail, act immediately
On small screens, scroll the table horizontally to compare all columns.
| Problem | Immediate action | Contact | Do not |
|---|---|---|---|
| Technical check fails | Stop before starting and describe the failure | Solve technical support | Start in the hope it resolves itself |
| Graphics stall or a module does not load | Note the time and report it immediately | Solve technical support | Refresh or restart repeatedly; never photograph or screenshot |
| Link or session freezes | Stop repeated clicks and follow support instructions | Solve technical support | Assume you can safely re-enter on your own |
| A fault puts the deadline at risk | Tell support it is time sensitive | Support for the fault; recruiter for the deadline | Assume a support ticket moves the deadline |
Never photograph, screenshot, or record the live assessment to document a fault. The current official rules prohibit recording and screenshots during the real assessment except where McKinsey has approved a written accommodation. Describe the problem in words instead.
Do I need a camera, calculator or scratch paper?
McKinsey's current general assessment-integrity page says that candidates in assessments or interviews should use one screen, be on camera and use only pen and paper for notes and calculations. The current Solve-specific FAQ does not mention a camera, while the Solve page prohibits outside applications, websites, AI tools and prepared notes. Because those public pages do not fully resolve how the camera rule applies to every Solve sitting, follow your invitation and on-screen instructions and ask your recruiter before test day if anything is unclear.
What is allowed where: preparation vs. live assessment
On small screens, scroll the table horizontally to compare all columns.
| Tool or aid | During preparation | During the live assessment |
|---|---|---|
| Practice sites, guides, videos | Yes, this is what preparation is for. | No. Outside websites are prohibited. |
| AI assistants and chatbots | Yes, for studying concepts. | No. AI tools are prohibited. |
| Prepared notes and blank pen and paper | Prepared notes are fine for study. | Prepared notes are prohibited. McKinsey's general integrity page says to use only pen and paper for live notes and calculations; your invitation and on-screen instructions govern your sitting. |
| Calculator or other apps | Yes, for practice math. | Outside apps are prohibited, except where McKinsey has approved a written accommodation. Use built-in assessment tools only as instructed. |
| Camera and second screen | Use any setup your practice tool allows. | The general integrity page says one screen and camera on; confirm how that applies to your sitting from your invitation or recruiter. |
| Help from another person | Yes, a tutor or peer can teach you. | No. Complete the assessment alone. |
| Screenshots or recordings | Only of practice tools that allow it. | No, unless McKinsey approved it in writing as an accommodation. |
After you submit
Follow the confirmation or next step instructions you receive. Silence afterward is not a verdict, and neither is the number of questions you remember finishing. If interviews may follow, spend waiting time on case and personal experience preparation rather than comparing anonymous completion stories. The scores and results guide explains what happens next.
A quiet next step: rehearse the interface on a practice module before test day so the real tutorials feel familiar. Explore the practice modules when you are ready, not while troubleshooting.
Sources, dated
Official page: McKinsey digital assessment, checked September 20, 2026. Official FAQ: Solve FAQ (PDF, August 2025), reverified September 20, 2026. General official rules: assessment integrity expectations, checked September 20, 2026. The general page mentions camera use; the Solve-specific FAQ does not, so this guide does not invent a universal sitting-specific answer. Competitor setup advice (treated as unverified, not authority): CaseBasix system requirements and SolvePrep's last-48-hours guide, reviewed September 2026. Where third-party advice conflicts with official rules, this guide follows the official material and your personal instructions.
