HireVue Camera or Microphone Not Working? How to Test and Fix It

If HireVue cannot access your camera or microphone, allow camera and microphone access in your browser, reload the interview, close other apps that are using the device, and run the equipment test again. If access still fails, check your operating system's privacy settings for the browser or the HireVue app, and use another supported device if the problem continues.

Common causes to check include browser permissions, operating-system privacy settings, and another app already using the device. The details, including what HireVue's equipment test actually shows you, are below.

How to test your camera and microphone before a HireVue interview

HireVue builds an equipment test into the On Demand interview flow, so you do not have to guess whether your setup works. When you open your interview from the invitation link, the flow runs like this:

1. After the introduction pages, HireVue starts an equipment test. You must allow access to your device's camera and microphone here; without it, you cannot continue to the interview.
2. Once the equipment check completes, you can try a practice question or continue without practicing. HireVue recommends trying a couple of practice questions until you feel comfortable and to make sure you are happy with the audio and video quality.
3. During practice, your camera image and a microphone meter appear on screen. If your image shows up and the mic meter moves while you talk, your setup is working.
4. Record a practice answer, then watch the playback. This is the point where you can verify that the video is visible and the microphone captured your voice.
5. You can redo practice questions as many times as you need. Practice responses are never saved or submitted, and nobody but you ever sees them.

If anything looks or sounds wrong in the playback, fix it now, while it costs nothing. The sections below cover the two failure directions separately.

HireVue says camera and microphone access is required

The "Camera and Microphone Access Required" error means exactly what it says: your device is currently not letting the browser use your camera or microphone. HireVue's own troubleshooting for this error is:

1. Allow camera and microphone access when the browser asks. In Chrome or Edge, you can open the site permissions and set Camera and Microphone to Allow.
2. Reload the interview page after granting access, then retry the equipment test.
3. On a phone, grant the permission at the operating-system level as well: in iOS settings, allow Camera and Microphone for the browser or the HireVue app; in Android settings, open the app's permissions and set Camera and Microphone to Allow.
4. If you are completing the interview on a mobile device and the browser keeps blocking access, download the HireVue for Candidates app from the App Store or Google Play and take the interview there.

If the permission popup does not appear at all, our step-by-step camera and microphone permissions guide can help.

HireVue camera not working

Work down this list in order. Each step is drawn from HireVue's published troubleshooting; stop as soon as the image appears.

1. Browser permission: check that the site is allowed to use your camera (see the section above).
2. Operating-system privacy permission: on phones, check the app permissions in your device settings; on a computer, make sure the OS has not denied camera access to your browser.
3. App conflict: HireVue recommends closing other programs that may be using your camera.
4. Device selection and connection: check your camera settings to make sure the webcam is connected, recognized, and selected. If you use an external webcam, unplug it and reconnect it.
5. Reload: refresh the page and re-enter the interview.
6. Restart, then switch: restart your computer if the camera is still not detected. If nothing above works, use a different supported device to complete the interview.

HireVue microphone not working

Same principle, one extra check. In order:

1. Browser permission: make sure microphone access is granted to the interview page, not just the camera. Both need to be allowed.
2. Recognized input device: check your microphone settings to confirm the mic is connected, recognized, and selected as the input device.
3. App conflict: HireVue recommends closing other programs that may be using your microphone.
4. Speak during the equipment test: the mic meter only moves when it hears you, so talk at your normal interview volume during the test and watch for movement. If the meter never moves, the mic is not reaching HireVue.
5. Alternate device: if the microphone still fails, use a different supported device to complete the interview.

If your voice sounds distorted rather than silent, HireVue documents a Windows-specific cause: audio enhancement effects on some Windows 10 machines. Disabling audio enhancements in the sound control panel, or switching to a headset with a microphone, is their recommended fix.

Close apps that may already be using your camera or microphone

HireVue's troubleshooting repeatedly points to the same culprit: another program holding the camera or microphone, with Skype, FaceTime, WebEx, and Microsoft Teams named as examples.

Close those apps completely rather than just muting them, then reload the interview. If you are not sure which app is holding the device, HireVue recommends restarting the computer.

How to verify everything before the real interview

The practice question is your verification window, and it is unlimited:

• Record a practice answer and watch the playback. You should see yourself clearly and hear your voice at normal volume.
• Do a second practice take after any change you make (new permission, new mic, new browser) so you are verifying the fixed setup, not the broken one.
• Practice responses are never uploaded or submitted, and they cannot be viewed by anyone except you, so use as many takes as you need.

Once the playback looks and sounds right, you are ready. Use practice mode now, because HireVue lets you play back practice responses, but you cannot review actual interview responses in the same way after recording them.

What if your camera or microphone fails during the interview?

It depends on when it happens, and HireVue's documentation draws the line precisely:

• If you are between questions, you can re-enter the interview from your invitation link and continue from the next question. Earlier answers were saved.
• If you were mid-answer when the failure happened, that response has most likely already been submitted, and there is no way to reset that individual question. Finish the interview, then contact the hiring company about the affected answer.
• If submitted answers were affected, the hiring company decides what happens next. They can authorize a retake and send a new interview link. HireVue support helps with platform issues, but it cannot authorize retakes or issue interviews.

For the full decision tree, see our guide to redoing a HireVue interview.

FAQs

Why is my HireVue camera not working?

Common causes to check include browser permissions, operating-system privacy settings, and another program using the camera. Allow camera and microphone access, reload the interview, close other apps using the camera, and check your camera settings. If it still fails, use a different supported device.

Why is my HireVue microphone not working?

The same causes apply, with one addition: the mic must be selected as the input device in your microphone settings. During the equipment test, watch the microphone meter while you talk. If it never moves, the mic is not reaching HireVue.

How do I test my camera for HireVue?

You do not need a separate tool. HireVue runs an equipment test before the interview, and the practice question shows your camera image plus a microphone meter. Record a practice answer and watch the playback to verify both video and audio quality. Practice takes are unlimited and never seen by anyone else.

How do I allow camera and microphone access for HireVue?

When the browser asks, click Allow. If you missed the popup, open the site permissions in your browser settings, set Camera and Microphone to Allow, and reload the interview. On mobile devices, also allow Camera and Microphone for the browser or HireVue app in your device's settings.

Can another app block my camera or microphone?

Yes. HireVue's troubleshooting names this cause directly and recommends closing other programs using the camera or microphone, such as Skype, FaceTime, WebEx, or Microsoft Teams. If you cannot tell which program is holding the device, HireVue also recommends restarting the computer. Then reload the interview.

Can I use another device if HireVue cannot detect my camera?

Yes. HireVue's guidance says to use a different supported device to complete the interview if the problem persists. Any supported computer or mobile device with a functioning camera and working microphone meets the requirements; on mobile, the HireVue for Candidates app is the supported route.

Sources

• HireVue Candidate Help Center, "Getting Started with Your On Demand Interview (Computer)" (checked September 2026): equipment test, camera and microphone access required, image and mic meter, practice questions, playback review, unlimited practice.
• HireVue Candidate Help Center, "Allow camera and microphone access in Chrome on an Android Device" and "Allow camera and microphone access in Safari on an Apple (iOS) device": the "Camera and Microphone Access Required" error, granting access and retrying (with Allow / Always Allow documented for Android Chrome), and the HireVue for Candidates app as the mobile fallback.
• HireVue Candidate Help Center, "Issues with Allowing Access to Camera and Microphone on a Mobile Device": device-level permissions for the HireVue app on iOS and Android, restarting the device, and switching devices if the issue persists.
• HireVue Candidate Help Center, "No Image in your Practice Questions", "No Sound in your Practice Questions", and "You Can't See the Interviewer or the Interviewer Can't See You": closing other programs using the webcam or microphone, switching browsers, checking device settings, restarting the computer, and using another device.
• HireVue Candidate Help Center, "Voice Sounds Distorted": disabling Windows 10 audio enhancements and using a headset with a microphone.
• HireVue Candidate Help Center, "Disconnected During the Interview" and "Restart Your Interview": disconnection handling, submitted answers cannot be revisited, contact the hiring company, and only the hiring company can authorize a retake.
• HireVue, "Our Science": for AI-scored video assessments, HireVue analyzes the transcript of what a candidate says, not facial expressions, body language, appearance, background, or tone of voice.