Introduction: Why Candidates Search for Top 50 Manual Testing Interview Questions
When preparing for a QA or software testing interview, one search term appears again and again: top 50 manual testing interview questions.
The reason is simple.
Manual testing interviews are unpredictable. Interviewers can ask:
- Basic theory questions
- Practical, real-time manual testing questions
- Scenario-based questions
- Project and experience-based questions
Candidates search for top 50 manual testing interview questions because they want:
- A focused list (not too long, not too short)
- Coverage of interview questions for QA roles
- Confidence before interviews
- Real examples with easy answers
Whether you are a fresher, a manual tester with 1–3 years, or someone revising before a job switch, this guide will help you prepare smartly and effectively.
What is Manual Testing? (Simple Definition with Example)
Manual Testing is the process of testing software manually without using automation tools to verify that it works according to requirements and user expectations.
Simple Example
Testing a login page:
- Enter valid username and password → Login successful
- Enter invalid password → Error message displayed
- Leave fields empty → Validation message shown
You manually perform these steps and compare expected results vs actual results. This process is manual testing.
Why Companies Ask Manual Testing Interview Questions
Companies ask manual testing interview questions because manual testing is the foundation of quality assurance.
Real Workplace Angle
In real projects:
- Requirements change frequently
- Automation does not cover everything
- Human thinking is required to find usability and logic issues
Interviewers want testers who can:
- Understand requirements
- Think like an end user
- Handle real-time issues
- Communicate clearly
That’s why interviews include top manual testing questions, scenario-based questions, and real-time manual testing questions, not just definitions.
Top 50 Manual Testing Interview Questions (With Simple Answers)
Below is a carefully selected list of top 50 manual testing interview questions, grouped for easy understanding and quick revision.
A. Basic Manual Testing Interview Questions (1–15)
1. What is software testing?
Software testing is the process of finding defects and ensuring software meets user requirements.
2. What is manual testing?
Manual testing is testing software without using automation tools.
3. Why is software testing important?
To improve quality, find bugs, and avoid failures in production.
4. What is a bug or defect?
A defect is a difference between expected result and actual result.
5. What is a test case?
A test case is a documented set of steps with input and expected output.
6. What is a test scenario?
A test scenario is a high-level idea of what to test, covering multiple test cases.
7. What is verification and validation?
- Verification: Checking documents
- Validation: Checking the application
8. What is STLC?
Software Testing Life Cycle.
9. What are STLC phases?
Requirement analysis → Test planning → Test case design → Test execution → Defect reporting → Test closure
10. What is smoke testing?
Basic testing to check whether a build is stable.
11. What is sanity testing?
Focused testing after a small change.
12. What is regression testing?
Testing existing features after code changes.
13. What is retesting?
Testing a fixed defect again.
14. What is black box testing?
Testing without knowing internal code.
15. What is white box testing?
Testing with knowledge of internal code.
B. Test Case & Defect-Related Questions (16–30)
16. What makes a good test case?
Clear steps, valid test data, and expected results.
17. What details are included in a test case?
Test ID, steps, test data, expected result, actual result, status.
18. What is a bug report?
A document that describes a defect.
19. What details are included in a bug report?
Steps, expected result, actual result, severity, priority, screenshots.
20. What is defect lifecycle?
New → Assigned → Open → Fixed → Retest → Closed.
21. What is severity?
Impact of a defect on the application.
22. What is priority?
Urgency to fix a defect.
23. Difference between severity and priority?
Severity = impact, Priority = urgency.
24. What is a rejected defect?
A defect not accepted by the developer.
25. What is a duplicate defect?
A defect already reported.
26. What is a deferred defect?
A defect postponed to a future release.
27. What is defect leakage?
A defect missed during testing and found in production.
28. What is defect triage?
Meeting to decide defect priority and fixes.
29. What is test coverage?
Extent to which requirements are tested.
30. What is traceability matrix?
Mapping between requirements and test cases.
C. Real-Time Manual Testing Interview Questions (31–40)
31. How will you test a login page?
Test valid, invalid, empty inputs, password masking, and forgot password.
32. What will you do if requirements are unclear?
Discuss with BA or senior tester.
33. How do you prioritize test cases?
Based on business impact and risk.
34. What will you do if time is very limited?
Focus on critical features and smoke testing.
35. How do you ensure test coverage?
Cover positive, negative, and boundary scenarios.
36. How do you test without test cases?
Perform exploratory testing.
37. How do you handle production bugs?
Analyze severity, support fix, and validate.
38. How do you test a new feature?
Understand requirements, write test cases, execute tests.
39. What is UAT?
User Acceptance Testing done by business users.
40. How do you support UAT?
Clarify issues, reproduce bugs, validate fixes.
D. Experience & Process-Based Questions (41–50)
41. What challenges have you faced in testing?
Tight deadlines, changing requirements.
42. How do you handle tight deadlines?
Risk-based testing and clear communication.
43. What is exploratory testing?
Testing based on experience without scripts.
44. What is functional testing?
Testing features against requirements.
45. What is non-functional testing?
Testing performance, usability, security.
46. What is browser compatibility testing?
Testing application on different browsers.
47. What is test environment?
Setup where testing is performed.
48. What is release sign-off?
Approval to move application to production.
49. What is quality assurance?
Process-oriented approach to ensure quality.
50. What is quality control?
Product-oriented approach to find defects.
Scenario-Based Manual Testing Interview Questions (15 Examples)
Scenario-based questions are very important in top manual testing questions.
1. Login button not working
Check UI click, browser console, network calls.
2. Application crashes after submit
Reproduce issue, log defect.
3. Data not saved after refresh
Check save functionality and DB update.
4. Password visible instead of masked
Security defect.
5. App works in Chrome but not Firefox
Browser compatibility issue.
6. Duplicate records created
Check double submission logic.
7. Forgot password email not received
Check email trigger and spam folder.
8. Session expires suddenly
Check session timeout.
9. Cart items disappear
Check session handling.
10. Incorrect error message displayed
Compare expected vs actual message.
11–15. More Scenarios
Broken links, slow page load, file upload failure, incorrect validation, UI misalignment.
Real Company Interview Round Format + Preparation Tips
Typical QA Interview Rounds
- HR round
- Top manual testing questions
- Scenario-based questions
- Real-time manual testing questions
Preparation Tips
- Revise basics first
- Practice scenarios aloud
- Think like an end user
- Stay calm and confident
How to Answer Manual Testing Interview Questions Like a Pro
Best Answer Framework
- Define the concept
- Give a simple example
- Explain real-time usage
Example:
“Regression testing ensures existing features work after changes. For example, after fixing login, I test signup and dashboard.”
Common Mistakes Candidates Make
- Memorizing answers without understanding
- Ignoring scenario-based questions
- Not giving examples
- Poor communication
- Overconfidence
Final Revision Sheet – Quick Preparation
Revise these before interview:
- Manual testing basics
- STLC and defect lifecycle
- Top 50 manual testing interview questions
- Scenario-based questions
- Real-time examples
FAQs – Top 50 Manual Testing Interview Questions
Q1. Are these enough to crack interviews?
Yes, if practiced properly.
Q2. Are scenario-based questions mandatory?
Yes, almost always.
Q3. Are these suitable for freshers?
Yes, absolutely.
Q4. Is automation required?
Not mandatory for manual roles.
Q5. How long should I prepare?
7–10 days of focused practice.