[AZ-700]: Technical issue with Azure Lab during exam - qr code scan error

Hi everyone,

I would like to describe a serious issue I experienced during the AZ-700 exam lab and ask whether anyone else has encountered the same problem.

During the lab portion of the exam, I had to use the Contoso Authentication App to scan a QR code for authentication. However, the app repeatedly showed the following error:

"QR code was not found."

This issue has now happened to me twice.

The first time was during a remote Pearson VUE exam. I contacted technical support three times during the session. The lab was restarted, but the problem was not resolved. The ticket was later closed with the explanation that the lab was working. Technically, the lab may have been running, but I was unable to authenticate into the lab account because the QR code scanning step failed. I still have the ticket number from that first exam.

To avoid the same problem, I booked my next attempt at a physical test center. Unfortunately, the same issue occurred again. The test center employee created tickets with Microsoft, but there was nothing more they could do to help me during the exam. I also have the ticket numbers from the test center.

After around 30 minutes of repeated attempts and troubleshooting, the QR code scan finally worked, but only about 10 minutes before the end of the exam. In those final 10 minutes, I managed to complete only two lab tasks.

I failed the exam by about 40 points, so the lost time clearly had a major impact on the result. Honestly, it feels like two exam attempts were taken away from me because of the same recurring technical issue. I almost passed without being able to properly complete the lab, which makes the situation even more frustrating.

I tried basic troubleshooting myself, including changing the screen resolution, but it did not help. Test center employee was not able to help me

What is frustrating is that this was not a one-time issue. It happened in both a remote exam and a test center exam. In the first case, the support ticket was closed without really addressing the actual problem: the lab was accessible, but the authentication process inside the lab was not working correctly.

Has anyone else experienced this issue with the Contoso Authentication App during AZ-700 or another Microsoft exam lab?

I would also appreciate advice on the best way to escalate this with Microsoft Certification Support, because I do not think it is fair to lose two exam attempts due to the same recurring technical problem in the lab environment. The test center employee opened a ticket with Microsoft on my behalf, but I am concerned that this case may be handled the same way as the previous one — closed with a generic conclusion that the lab was working, without addressing the actual authentication issue that prevented me from completing the lab properly.