The digital ACT: everything you need to know.

This guide covers everything you need to know before you register, from how the digital format works to what tools are available on test day.

For a deeper look at how the content of the ACT is evolving alongside the digital format, see our guide to the Enhanced ACT.

For official details from ACT on computer-based testing, including availability in your area, how online compares to paper, and ACT's own FAQs, see ACT online testing on ACT.org.

The digital ACT is the same test as the paper version, but delivered on a computer at a test center. It covers the same three sections that make up the composite score (English, Math, and Reading), with Science available as an optional addition. The same 1 to 36 composite scoring scale applies, and the test is accepted by every college and university in the United States. The only difference is the format: you read and answer questions on a screen instead of a test booklet.

Students outside the United States should note that the digital format is the only version of the ACT available internationally.

Both formats test the same content and produce scores that are equally valid with colleges. The choice comes down to which experience suits you best.

The digital format tends to be a strong fit for students who:

• Already use computers for most of their schoolwork and feel comfortable reading on a screen
• Have taken an ACT through their school during the school day, since school-day testing is often computer-based and the experience will feel familiar
• Prep digitally and want test day to match their practice environment
• Want access to the built-in Desmos graphing calculator for the Math section (a significant advantage for many students)
• Benefit from digital accessibility tools like text zoom, answer masking, or the line reader

Students who prefer marking up passages by hand, circling answer choices, or working through math problems directly on a printed page may find the paper format more comfortable. Both are valid choices.

One of the most meaningful advantages of the digital ACT is access to the built-in Desmos graphing calculator during the Math section. You can still bring your own permitted calculator, but the Desmos tool is available to every student testing digitally at no extra cost.

Desmos can solve equations, graph functions, find intersections, run regressions, and handle statistics functions instantly. Students who know how to use it well can save significant time on math and reduce careless errors.

See our full guide to Using Desmos on the ACT to learn every feature and hack you should know before test day, and our ACT Math guide for strategies, formulas, and practice tips.

The digital ACT includes a set of built-in accessibility supports available to all students, no accommodations request required:

• Choice of colors and color contrast
• Magnification and zoom
• Line reader tool (mimics a straight edge for visual tracking)
• Text highlighting
• Answer masking and custom masking
• Option eliminator
• Mark for review
• Time remaining indicator
• Built-in calculator

Students with a disability or English learners who need additional supports beyond these tools should respond “Yes” when asked about accommodations during registration in MyACT and work with their school to request authorization from ACT.

The registration process for the digital ACT is the same as for the paper version with one additional step: selecting your format. ACT also walks through online testing, test centers, and related questions on its ACT online testing page.

1. Go to MyACT.org and begin registration.
2. When prompted, select “Computer” as your preferred test format.
3. Use the test center locator to find a center offering digital testing near you.
4. Choose between bringing your own device (BYOD) or using a device provided by the test center.

You can change your format up until the late registration deadline for a fee. You cannot switch formats on test day.

A few important things to know about devices for digital ACT testing:

• BYOD (bring your own device): If you register for BYOD, you are responsible for bringing a compatible device. Test centers are not required to provide backups, and arriving without a device means you will not be able to test.
• Devices not supported: Personal Chromebooks, Windows S Mode devices, iPads, and tablets are not supported.
• Test center provided devices: If you register for the non-BYOD online option, the test center will provide and prepare all devices.
• Technical difficulties: If your device has an issue during testing that the staff cannot quickly resolve, they may move you to a new device. If no resolution is possible, ACT will work with the test center to arrange rescheduled testing.

The admission ticket policy is the same for both formats. ACT recommends bringing your printed ticket because it contains the login information you will need to access the testing platform. You will not be turned away without it, but you will still need a valid ID.

For ACT's full test day checklist, including what to bring, what to leave at home, acceptable ID, calculators, timing, and more, see the test day guide on ACT.org.

• Your admission ticket (printed or digital)
• A valid, acceptable photo ID
• Your own permitted calculator (optional, since the built-in Desmos is available)
• Your testing device, if you registered for BYOD

• Any electronic devices other than a permitted calculator and your testing device
• Textbooks, notes, dictionaries, or any reading materials
• Highlighter pens, colored pens or pencils, mechanical pencils, or correction fluid

Scratch paper is provided by the test center for digital testing and collected at the end of the exam.