Microphone isn’t working
Let Interview Pilot use your microphone on Mac, Windows, iPhone, Android or in the browser, and check which microphone it listens to.
Interview Pilot needs permission to use your microphone, and it listens to the microphone your device has selected. If the main button says Enable Permissions, permission is still missing.
1. Allow microphone access
Check the permission in Interview Pilot
Press ⌘B to show Interview Pilot, open the workspace and go to Settings › Permissions. Microphone should say Allowed. If it doesn’t, click Allow or Settings next to it.
Turn it on in System Settings
Open System Settings › Privacy & Security › Microphone and turn on Interview Pilot.
Try again
Go back to Interview Pilot and click Start.
Check the permission in Interview Pilot
Press CtrlB to show Interview Pilot, open the workspace and go to Settings › Permissions. Microphone should say Allowed. If it doesn’t, click Allow or Settings next to it.
Turn it on in Windows Settings
In Windows Settings, open Privacy & security › Microphone. Turn on microphone access, and make sure desktop apps are allowed to use the microphone. The names may differ slightly on Windows 10.
Try again
Go back to Interview Pilot and click Start.
Screen & System Audio always shows Automatic on Windows. It doesn’t need permission.
iPhone asks for microphone access the first time you use Interview Pilot. If you didn’t allow it:
- Tap Enable Permissions on the Copilot tab. The iPhone Settings app opens on Interview Pilot’s page.
- Turn on Microphone.
- If you use Default transcription, also turn on Speech Recognition.
- Go back to Interview Pilot.
Android asks for microphone access when you first open Interview Pilot. If you didn’t allow it:
- Tap Enable Permissions on the Copilot tab and allow the microphone when Android asks.
- If you see Microphone Permission instead, tap Open Settings. Android opens Interview Pilot’s app info.
- Open Permissions › Microphone and allow access. The exact names may vary by phone.
- Go back to Interview Pilot.
On Android 12 and later, also check that microphone access isn’t turned off for the whole phone in Quick Settings or your privacy settings. That switch blocks the microphone for every app.
AI mock interviews on the web use your browser’s microphone. When you start one, your browser asks to use the microphone. Allow it.
If you blocked it, use the site controls next to the address bar to allow the microphone for platform.interviewpilot.app, then reload the page. Where this setting lives may vary by browser.
2. Check which microphone Interview Pilot uses
Interview Pilot uses the input selected in System Settings › Sound › Input. Choose the microphone you want there before you click Start.
Interview Pilot uses the microphone Windows has set as the default communications device. You can check it in the classic Sound settings, on the Recording tab. There’s no microphone picker in the app.
Interview Pilot picks up your device choices when you click Start. If you plug in a headset or change the default during a session, stop and start again.
Interview Pilot uses the microphone your iPhone is using. If Bluetooth headphones with a microphone are connected, iPhone may use their microphone instead of the one in the phone.
Interview Pilot uses your phone’s microphone.
Your browser chooses the microphone. If you have more than one, you may be able to pick one in the browser’s site settings.
3. Make sure nothing else is blocking it
- Mute switches: a mute button on your headset or a hardware mute key mutes Interview Pilot too.
- Other apps: on a phone, a call or another app using the microphone can stop Interview Pilot from hearing anything.
- Mock interviews on the web: if you muted yourself with the microphone button in the controls, click it again to unmute.
4. If you see an error message
| Message | What to do |
|---|---|
| Enable Permissions on the main button | Allow the microphone, as in check 1. On Mac, this also appears when Screen & System Audio isn’t allowed. |
| Audio setup failed: Microphone permission denied (iPhone) | Allow the microphone, as in check 1. |
| Speech permission denied (iPhone) | Turn on Speech Recognition for Interview Pilot in the iPhone Settings app. |
| Microphone unavailable (Windows) | Your microphone stopped during the session. Interview Pilot keeps listening to the interviewer. Check that the microphone is connected, then stop and start again. |
| Audio capture stopped. Check that your microphone and playback device are available, then start recording again. (Windows) | Reconnect your microphone or headset, then click Start. |
| Microphone Permission (Android) | Tap Open Settings and allow the microphone. |
Still not working?
Quit and reopen Interview Pilot, then try again. On Mac and Windows, quit from Account › Quit App in the workspace. If your microphone works in other apps but not in Interview Pilot, contact us with your device, the app version and any message you see.
Related articles
Copilot can’t hear the interviewer on Mac
If the transcript shows your voice but not the interviewer’s, or stays empty, work through these checks in order.
Copilot can’t hear the interviewer on Windows
If the transcript shows your voice but not the interviewer’s, or stays empty, check your Windows sound devices in this order.
Copilot can’t hear the interviewer on a phone
If the transcript on your iPhone or Android phone stays empty or misses the interviewer, work through these checks in order.
Start doesn’t do anything
If clicking or tapping Start doesn’t start listening, check permissions, your free weekly sessions, sign-in and whether a session is already running.
Still need help?
Email our support team with your device, what you were doing and any message you saw.
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