Your camera connection problem usually comes from permissions, outdated software, or browser settings — not a broken camera

HireVue needs permission to access your camera and microphone before it can record your interview. If your camera isn't connecting, the most common reason is that your browser blocked HireVue from using it, or your operating system never granted permission in the first place. The second most common reason is that your browser or operating system is out of date. The third is that you're using a browser HireVue doesn't fully support, or you have extensions running that interfere with the connection.

The good news: you can usually fix this in under five minutes by checking a few settings and restarting your browser. This guide walks you through the most likely causes in the order you should check them.

Key Takeaways

  • HireVue requires explicit permission to access your camera, which your browser or operating system may have blocked without telling you.
  • Restarting your browser after granting permission often fixes the connection immediately.
  • Using Chrome, Firefox, Safari, or Edge gives you the best chance of avoiding compatibility problems.
  • Disabling browser extensions temporarily can reveal whether an add-on is interfering with your camera connection.
  • If nothing works, testing your camera in a different browser tells you whether the problem is specific to one browser or a deeper hardware issue.

Check your browser's camera permissions

Your browser keeps a list of websites that are allowed to use your camera. HireVue may be on the blocked list without you knowing it. The steps differ slightly by browser, but the idea is the same: find the permissions settings and look for HireVue.

In Chrome: Click the lock icon next to the web address at the top of the page. Click "Site settings." Look for "Camera" in the list. If it says "Blocked," click the dropdown and change it to "Allow." Then refresh the page.

In Firefox: Click the lock icon next to the web address. Scroll down to "Permissions." If Camera shows a red X, click it and select "Allow." Refresh the page.

In Safari: Go to Safari menu > Settings > Websites. Click "Camera" on the left. Find the HireVue website in the list on the right. Change the dropdown from "Deny" to "Allow."

In Edge: Click the lock icon next to the web address. Click "Permissions for this site." Find Camera and change it from "Block" to "Allow." Refresh the page.

After you change the permission, close the browser completely and open it again. This forces the browser to reload HireVue with the new permission in place.

Grant camera access at the operating system level

Even if your browser allows HireVue to use the camera, your operating system (Windows, Mac, or Linux) may have blocked it. This is a separate permission layer that sits above the browser.

On Windows 10 or 11: Open Settings. Go to Privacy & Security > Camera. Make sure "Camera access" is turned on. Scroll down to "Allow apps to access your camera" and make sure it is also on. Then scroll further and look for your browser in the list (Chrome, Firefox, Edge, etc.). Make sure the toggle next to it is on.

On Mac: Open System Settings. Go to Privacy & Security > Camera. You will see a list of apps that have asked for camera access. Look for your browser in the list. If it is not there, your browser has never asked for permission — close the settings, go back to HireVue, refresh the page, and your browser should prompt you. Click "Allow" when it does. If your browser is in the list but unchecked, click the checkbox to enable it.

After you enable camera access at the operating system level, close your browser completely and open it again before trying HireVue.

Restart your browser and clear the cache

Sometimes HireVue loads with outdated information about your camera from a previous session. Clearing your browser's cache and restarting forces it to load fresh.

Close your browser completely — not just the tab, but the entire application. On Windows, you can press Ctrl+Shift+Esc to open Task Manager, find your browser in the list, click it, and click "End task." On Mac, you can press Command+Q while the browser is in focus.

Open your browser again and go back to HireVue. Your camera should now connect. If it still does not, move to the next step.

Disable browser extensions temporarily

Browser extensions (add-ons you install for ad blocking, password management, or other features) can interfere with HireVue's access to your camera. Testing without them tells you whether an extension is the culprit.

In Chrome: Click the puzzle piece icon in the top right. Click the three dots next to any extension. Click "Manage extension." Toggle off the switch next to each extension. Go back to HireVue and test your camera. If it works, turn extensions back on one at a time to find which one is causing the problem.

In Firefox: Click the menu icon (three horizontal lines) in the top right. Click "Add-ons and themes." Click "Extensions" on the left. Toggle off each extension. Go back to HireVue and test. Turn them back on one at a time to identify the problem extension.

In Safari: Click Safari menu > Settings > Extensions. Uncheck each extension. Go back to HireVue and test. Check them back on one at a time.

In Edge: Click the three-dot menu in the top right. Click "Extensions." Toggle off each extension. Go back to HireVue and test.

Update your browser and operating system

Outdated software often has bugs that prevent camera access. Updating usually fixes them.

Update Chrome: Click the three-dot menu in the top right. Click "About Google Chrome." It will check for updates automatically and install them. Restart Chrome.

Update Firefox: Click the menu icon (three horizontal lines) in the top right. Click "Help" > "About Firefox." It will check for updates and install them. Restart Firefox.

Update Safari: Click Apple menu > System Settings > General > Software Update. Install any available updates and restart your computer.

Update Edge: Click the three-dot menu in the top right. Click "Help and feedback" > "About Microsoft Edge." It will check for updates and install them. Restart Edge.

Update Windows: Open Settings. Go to Update & Security > Windows Update. Click "Check for updates." Install any available updates and restart your computer.

Update Mac: Click Apple menu > System Settings > General > Software Update. Install any available updates and restart your computer.

Test your camera in a different browser

If your camera works in one browser but not another, the problem is specific to that browser and you can use the working one for your HireVue interview. If your camera does not work in any browser, the problem is likely with your operating system permissions or your camera hardware itself.

Try HireVue in Chrome, Firefox, Safari, or Edge — whichever you have not tested yet. If it works, you have found a workaround. If it does not work in any browser, go back and double-check the operating system permissions in the section above, because that is the most likely remaining cause.

Test your camera outside of HireVue

If your camera still will not connect to HireVue after trying all the steps above, test whether your camera works at all. This tells you whether the problem is with HireVue or with your camera hardware.

On Windows: Open the Camera app from your Start menu. If you see a live video feed, your camera is working. If you see an error, your camera hardware may be broken or disconnected.

On Mac: Open Photo Booth (search for it in Spotlight). If you see a live video feed, your camera is working. If you see an error, your camera hardware may be broken or disconnected.

If your camera works in the Camera app or Photo Booth but not in HireVue, the problem is with HireVue's connection to your camera, not the camera itself. In that case, contact HireVue support directly, because you have ruled out the most common causes.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to give HireVue permission every time I use it?

No. Once you grant permission in your browser and operating system, HireVue remembers it. You should only need to grant permission once. If you are being asked repeatedly, it usually means the permission did not save correctly — try the steps above again, making sure to fully close and restart your browser afterward.

What if I see a message that says "Camera not found"?

This usually means your operating system does not see a camera connected to your computer. Check that your camera is plugged in (if it is external) or that nothing is blocking it (if it is built in). Restart your computer. If you still see the message, your camera hardware may be broken.

Can I use my phone camera instead of my computer camera?

HireVue works on phones and tablets, but you cannot use your phone's camera to record an interview on your computer. If your computer camera is broken, you can take the HireVue interview on your phone instead by opening the HireVue link on your phone's browser.

Why does HireVue need permission to use my camera?

HireVue needs to record video of you for the interview. Your browser and operating system require explicit permission before any website can access your camera, as a security measure to prevent websites from recording you without your knowledge.

What if I have tried everything and my camera still will not connect?

Contact HireVue support through the platform itself — there is usually a help or support button in the interview interface. Tell them which browser you are using, what operating system you have, and that you have already checked permissions and tested your camera in other applications. They can see logs of what is happening on their end and may be able to troubleshoot further.