TestNav is the digital testing platform used by Pearson for a wide range of standardized exams — and the ACT is one of them. If you're taking the ACT in a computer-based format, you'll be working inside TestNav on test day. It's not just a delivery system for questions; the platform has specific navigation tools, interface features, and accessibility options that you'll want to be familiar with before your actual exam.
The ACT began its transition to digital testing through TestNav several years ago, and the rollout has expanded significantly. Many school districts and testing centers now administer the digital ACT, and the transition is ongoing. If your school or test site administers the computer-based ACT, that means TestNav — and not knowing the platform on test day adds unnecessary friction when you should be focused entirely on the content.
Here's what TestNav looks like in practice for the ACT:
When you launch a section in TestNav, you'll see the question text on the left or center of the screen and your answer choices on the right (or below, depending on the question type). Reading comprehension passages display with the passage and questions side by side or with a split-screen view so you don't have to scroll back and forth constantly.
The bottom toolbar contains your core navigation: Previous, Next, and a flag button to mark questions you want to review. The question tray — a minimap of all questions in the section — shows at a glance which questions you've answered, which you've flagged, and which you haven't touched. You can jump directly to any question from the tray.
Managing your time is easier on TestNav than on paper in one important way: you can see exactly how many questions remain and how much time is left at any moment. That said, you still need solid pacing habits — having a timer doesn't automatically mean you'll use your time well.
TestNav provides several tools that can meaningfully improve your experience on the ACT. Knowing about them before test day — and practicing with them — prevents the 'wait, what does this button do?' problem during the real exam.
The highlighter lets you mark text in passages or questions that you want to focus on. Use it the same way you'd mark up a paper passage — circle key terms, underline transitions, note where specific information appears. It's worth practicing so that highlighting becomes an efficient habit rather than a time-consuming distraction.
The answer eliminator lets you cross out answer choices you've ruled out. On paper, you'd cross them out with a pencil. On TestNav, you activate the eliminator and click the choices you want to dismiss. This is genuinely useful — studies consistently show that eliminating wrong answers before choosing improves accuracy. Use it.
The flag button marks a question for review. If you're not sure about an answer, flag it and move on rather than sitting on it. Come back during your review time. The question tray shows all flagged questions so you can find them instantly — no hunting back through 40 questions to find the one you weren't sure about.
For ACT Math sections that allow calculator use, TestNav provides an on-screen calculator in addition to (or sometimes in place of) a physical calculator. Know whether your testing session allows both, just the on-screen calculator, or your own device. The on-screen calculator in TestNav is functional but different from most physical calculators — it's worth trying it at least once before test day.
ACT offers a free TestNav practice app at act.org that lets you experience the actual interface with sample questions. Use it. Not because the practice questions will appear on your actual test, but because familiarity with the interface removes cognitive load on exam day.
If you're going to highlight, practice highlighting. If you're going to use the eliminator, practice using it. The goal isn't to be impressed by the features — it's to use them automatically, without thinking about them, so your mental energy goes to the questions rather than the mechanics of navigating the software.
The ACT itself — content, strategy, pacing — is what most test-takers need to focus preparation time on. But ignoring TestNav entirely and showing up to a digital exam having never used the platform is an unnecessary handicap. Twenty minutes with the practice app removes that risk entirely.
TestNav runs on tablets, Chromebooks, laptops, and desktop computers — the specific device depends on your testing site. School-administered ACTs typically use the school's hardware, so you don't choose the device. National testing centers may use Chromebooks or laptops.
If you're testing at your own school, you may have the opportunity to see the actual testing computers in advance. Take it if you can. Keyboard differences, screen sizes, and whether you're using a mouse versus a trackpad all affect your comfort — especially on ACT Writing, where you'll be typing.
Internet connectivity failures are possible but handled by TestNav's secure browser — your responses are saved locally and synced when the connection restores. In practice, connectivity issues at large testing centers are rare, but the safeguard exists.
If you've practiced primarily with paper ACT materials and you're taking a digital exam, a few differences are worth noting. You can't circle directly on a passage the way you would on paper — but you have the highlighter and can take scratch notes on provided scratch paper. The eliminator replaces pencil crossouts. Flagging replaces circled question numbers on the margins.
Typing speed matters on the Writing section. If you're a slow typist, practice typing timed essays before test day. The content of your essay matters most, but significant typing inefficiency can cut into your planning and writing time in a way that handwriting doesn't — or vice versa, if you type much faster than you write.
The content of the ACT is identical between paper and digital versions — same questions, same timing, same scoring. The platform is just a delivery method. Your ACT score reflects your knowledge and skills, not your familiarity with TestNav. But spending a little time on platform familiarity before test day ensures that when you're in the testing room, you're thinking about the right things — the questions in front of you, not the buttons on the screen.