Skip to main content
Student names appear as Pending in GoGuardian Admin when the extension has not yet had a chance to resolve the name from Google, when the name exceeds the character limit, or when a Windows student is not signed in to Chrome correctly. Each cause has a direct fix.

Identify the Cause

Before applying a solution, confirm which scenario matches the student’s situation:
  • Extension not yet used: The student has accounts set up in GoGuardian Admin, but they have not signed in to a managed device since the GoGuardian extensions were deployed.
  • Display name too long: The student’s Google display name is 20 or more characters long.
  • Windows sign-in issue: Your organization uses the GoGuardian extensions for Windows, and the student is not signed in to Chrome with their school account.

Resolve a Pending Name

Extension Not Yet Used

When a student signs in for the first time after the GoGuardian extensions are deployed, the extension retrieves the student’s name from Google. This can take up to 60 minutes after the first session begins. Browsing activity may already be visible for the student during this period, which confirms the extension is working correctly and that the delay applies only to name resolution, not to data collection. Allow at least 60 minutes of active use, then refresh GoGuardian Admin to check whether the name has resolved. If the name is still showing as Pending after 60 minutes, check the other causes below.

Display Name Too Long

GoGuardian Admin cannot automatically pull display names that are 20 or more characters long. Names at or above this limit must be submitted manually. Contact GoGuardian Support and provide the student’s full name and school email address. If multiple students are affected, attach a CSV file with both the name and email for each student.

Windows Sign-In Issue

On Windows, GoGuardian uses the student’s Chrome profile sign-in rather than the device’s Windows account sign-in. A student who is signed in to Windows but not to Chrome will appear as Pending. Confirm that the student is signed in to Chrome with their school email address. Signing in to Gmail or Google Workspace in the browser is not the same as signing in to the Chrome profile. The student must be signed in to the Chrome profile itself.
If the student is signed in to Chrome correctly but the name still shows as Pending, the Windows registry key for the GoGuardian extension may not be configured correctly. Use the Windows troubleshooting guide to verify the setup.

Contact Support

If none of the above resolved the problem, contact GoGuardian Support and provide the affected student’s name and school email address. For multiple students, include a CSV file with all names and corresponding email addresses.

Resources

Enable GoGuardian in the Google Admin Console

Verify that extensions are deployed correctly to the right organizational units.

Review Browsing Activity

Confirm which students have active sessions in GoGuardian Admin.
Last modified on July 15, 2026