Introduction: Why Interviews Focus on Manual Testing Interview Questions and Answers
If you are preparing for a QA or software testing role, one thing is guaranteed: manual testing interview questions and answers will appear in almost every interview round.
Interviewers ask these questions not to test memory, but to understand:
- Your testing fundamentals
- Your ability to apply concepts in real projects
- How you respond to real time QA interview questions
- How clearly you can explain defects, risks, and scenarios
Whether you are a fresher or an experienced tester, manual testing is the foundation of software quality assurance. That is why candidates actively search for manual testing interview questions and answers instead of just reading theory.
This article is written for:
- Freshers entering testing roles
- Manual testers preparing for job switches
- Experienced QA professionals revising basics
- Candidates facing HR + technical test rounds
What Is Software Testing? (Short and Interview-Friendly)
Software testing is the process of verifying and validating a software application to ensure it works according to business and user requirements.
Simple Interview Example
If a login page:
- Allows valid users to log in
- Blocks invalid users
- Displays correct error messages
Then the feature passes testing.
👉 Interview Tip: Always keep your answer short and add a small real-world example.
Common Manual Testing Interview Questions and Answers (With Examples)
Below are top testing interview questions commonly asked, along with clear answers and practical examples.
1. What is manual testing?
Answer:
Manual testing is testing software manually without using automation tools.
Example:
Manually checking login validation, error messages, and UI behavior.
2. Why is manual testing important?
Answer:
Manual testing helps find usability, logic, and real-user issues that automation may miss.
Example:
Identifying confusing error messages or poor UI alignment.
3. What is a test case?
Answer:
A test case is a document that contains test steps, test data, and expected results.
4. What is a test scenario?
Answer:
A test scenario is a high-level description of what needs to be tested.
5. What is a defect or bug?
Answer:
A defect is a mismatch between expected and actual results.
6. What is STLC?
Answer:
STLC stands for Software Testing Life Cycle.
7. Explain STLC phases
Answer:
- Requirement analysis
- Test planning
- Test case design
- Test execution
- Defect reporting
- Test closure
8. What is smoke testing?
Answer:
Smoke testing checks basic functionality to ensure the build is stable.
Example:
Checking login, logout, and dashboard access.
9. What is sanity testing?
Answer:
Sanity testing verifies specific functionality after minor changes.
10. What is regression testing?
Answer:
Regression testing ensures existing functionality works after code changes.
Example:
Testing signup and dashboard after fixing login issues.
11. What is retesting?
Answer:
Retesting is testing a defect again after it has been fixed.
12. What is black box testing?
Answer:
Testing without knowing the internal code structure.
13. What is white box testing?
Answer:
Testing with knowledge of internal code.
14. What is exploratory testing?
Answer:
Testing based on experience without predefined test cases.
15. What is functional testing?
Answer:
Testing application features against requirements.
16. What is non-functional testing?
Answer:
Testing performance, usability, and security aspects.
17. What is severity?
Answer:
Severity indicates the impact of a defect on the application.
18. What is priority?
Answer:
Priority indicates how urgently a defect should be fixed.
19. Difference between severity and priority
Answer:
- Severity = impact
- Priority = urgency
20. What is a defect lifecycle?
Answer:
New → Assigned → Open → Fixed → Retest → Closed
21. What is UAT?
Answer:
User Acceptance Testing performed by business users.
22. What is a test environment?
Answer:
The setup where testing is performed.
23. What is test coverage?
Answer:
The extent to which requirements are tested.
24. What is defect leakage?
Answer:
Defects found in production but missed during testing.
25. What is a test plan?
Answer:
A test plan defines testing scope, strategy, schedule, and resources.
Real-Time Scenario Based Manual Testing Interview Questions
Scenario-based responses are the most important part of manual testing interview questions and answers.
1. Login button is not working
Answer Approach:
- Check UI click functionality
- Check browser console errors
- Verify network requests
2. Application crashes after clicking Submit
Answer Approach:
- Reproduce the issue
- Check input values
- Log a defect with steps
3. Data not saved after refresh
Answer Approach:
- Verify save functionality
- Check backend update
4. Password visible instead of masked
Answer:
This is a security defect.
5. App works in Chrome but not Firefox
Answer:
Browser compatibility issue.
6. Duplicate records created
Answer:
Check double submission handling.
7. Forgot password email not received
Answer:
Check email trigger and spam folder.
8. Session expires suddenly
Answer:
Check session timeout configuration.
9. Cart items disappear after refresh
Answer:
Session handling issue.
10. Incorrect error message displayed
Answer:
Compare expected vs actual message.
11–15 More Real-Time Scenarios
- Broken links
- UI alignment issues
- File upload failure
- Slow page loading
- Incorrect validation messages
Why Interviewers Ask Manual Testing Interview Questions and Answers
Interviewers ask manual testing interview questions and answers to evaluate:
- Conceptual understanding
- Practical problem-solving
- Real project exposure
- Communication skills
They look for testers who:
- Think like end users
- Identify risks early
- Explain defects clearly and logically
How to Structure Good Interview Answers
Best Answer Structure
- Short definition
- Real example
- Practical usage
Sample Answer
“Regression testing ensures existing features work after changes. For example, after fixing login, I test signup and dashboard to ensure nothing breaks.”
Quick Revision Shortlist (Before Interview)
- Manual testing fundamentals
- STLC and defect lifecycle
- Smoke, sanity, regression testing
- Severity vs priority
- Real time QA interview questions
FAQs – Manual Testing Interview Questions and Answers
Q1. Are these questions enough to crack interviews?
Yes, if you practice explaining them clearly with examples.
Q2. Are these suitable for freshers?
Yes, very beginner friendly.
Q3. Do interviews focus on scenario-based questions?
Yes, scenario based responses are extremely important.
Q4. Are HR questions also asked?
Yes, especially about teamwork, challenges, and communication.
Q5. How long should I prepare?
7–14 days of focused preparation is sufficient.