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Troubleshooting

Common issues and how to fix them. If you're stuck, email [email protected] — mention your interview date if it's upcoming and we'll prioritize your case.

Permission Issues​

Camera permission denied (macOS)​

Symptoms: Camera card shows orange warning, webcam preview doesn't appear.

Fix:

  1. Open System Preferences > Privacy & Security > Camera
  2. Find "Interview Zen Proctor" in the list and enable it
  3. Return to the app and click the camera card to retry
  4. If it still doesn't work, click "Restart Now" in the app — macOS sometimes requires a restart after granting camera access

Camera permission denied (Windows)​

Symptoms: Camera card shows orange warning.

Fix:

  1. Open Settings > Privacy > Camera
  2. Make sure "Allow apps to access your camera" is turned on
  3. Find Interview Zen in the app list and enable it
  4. Return to the app and retry

Screen recording permission denied (macOS)​

Symptoms: Screen recording card shows orange warning, "Permission Required" message.

This is the most common issue on macOS because screen recording requires explicit approval in System Preferences.

Fix:

  1. The app will open System Preferences > Privacy & Security > Screen Recording for you
  2. Find "Interview Zen Proctor" and check the box (you may need to click the lock icon first)
  3. Return to the app — you'll likely see a "Restart Now" button. Click it.
  4. After restart, the screen recording card should turn green

Why a restart? macOS caches screen recording permissions at app launch. Granting the permission while the app is running doesn't take effect until it restarts. The "Restart Now" button handles this automatically.

Screen recording permission denied (Windows)​

Screen recording on Windows is handled at the browser level and typically doesn't require separate system permissions. If you're experiencing issues:

  1. Make sure no other app is using exclusive screen capture
  2. Try closing and reopening Interview Zen
  3. If using antivirus software, add an exception for Interview Zen

Camera Issues​

"No camera found"​

  • Make sure your webcam is connected and not being used by another app (Zoom, Teams, FaceTime, etc.)
  • Close any other apps that might be using the camera
  • If using an external USB camera, try unplugging and reconnecting it
  • Try a different USB port if available

Camera preview is black​

  • Check that the camera lens isn't covered
  • Some laptops have a physical camera switch or slider — make sure it's open
  • Try closing other apps that might have a lock on the camera

Camera disconnects during interview​

If your camera disconnects during the interview:

  • You'll see the lockout screen after a 10-second grace period
  • Reconnect your camera or fix the issue
  • The lockout clears automatically once the camera stream is restored
  • If needed, click "Resume Interview" to manually unlock

App Won't Start​

macOS: "App is damaged" or "can't be verified"​

This happens because macOS Gatekeeper doesn't recognize the app yet.

Fix:

  1. Open System Preferences > Privacy & Security
  2. Scroll down — you should see a message about Interview Zen being blocked
  3. Click "Open Anyway"

macOS: App opens but shows a blank window​

Try closing and reopening the app. If the issue persists:

  1. Check that you have a working internet connection
  2. Make sure you're running macOS 10.15 (Catalina) or later
  3. Try right-clicking the app in Applications and selecting "Open"

Windows: Installation blocked by SmartScreen​

Click "More info" then "Run anyway". This is a standard Windows warning for newly-signed applications.

During the Interview​

Interview is locked — what do I do?​

See the Interview Lockout section in the Candidate Guide. In short:

  • Check your camera and screen recording
  • The lockout clears automatically once streams are restored
  • Click "Resume Interview" if streams show as OK but you're still locked
  • Your code and timer are preserved

Lost internet connection​

  • Keep working — your code is saved locally in the app
  • The app queues evidence uploads and sends them when your connection returns
  • You won't lose any work or progress

App crashed during interview​

  • Reopen the app and enter your access code again
  • The app saves your recording progress periodically, so minimal data is lost
  • Your code submissions are preserved

Prohibited app warning​

  • Close the flagged application immediately
  • The warning is logged, but a quick accidental opening is treated differently from sustained use
  • Continue with your interview normally

Access Code Issues​

"Invalid access code"​

  • Double-check the code from your invitation email — copy and paste it to avoid typos
  • Make sure there are no extra spaces before or after the code
  • The code is case-sensitive
  • If the code still doesn't work, contact the person who sent you the invitation

"Interview already completed"​

This means the interview associated with this code has already been submitted. If you believe this is an error, contact [email protected].

Still Need Help?​

Email [email protected] with:

  • Your operating system (macOS version or Windows version)
  • A description of the issue
  • Any error messages you see
  • Your interview date (if upcoming)

We aim to respond within 24 hours and prioritize interview-day issues.