First check whether your microphone is meant to be on: on Windows, a live CoPilot Interview session starts with your mic muted (đ Muted) so it transcribes only the interviewer; click the button to unmute. If the app shows a microphone error, the message names the cause and the fix, and on Windows the usual culprit is the Let desktop apps access your microphone switch.
CoPilot Interview is an AI interview assistant for Windows and Mac. Live help can run without your microphone, because it mainly needs the interviewer's audio; the AI mock interview cannot, because it grades your spoken answers.
Is it muted on purpose?
| Where | Microphone behaviour |
|---|---|
| Live session on Windows | Muted at the start (đ Muted); click to unmute and capture your side too |
| Live session on a Mac | Always on; there is no mute button |
| đ§ Mock Interview | Turned on automatically, because your answer is the input |
| No mic available at all | The live session still starts on the interviewer's audio and says your own voice is not captured |
The error messages and what to do
| Message | Meaning | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| âMicrophone access is turned off in Windowsâ | A Windows privacy switch is off | Click Open Settings and turn on the switches below, then click Listen again |
| âMicrophone permission is requiredâ (Mac) | macOS denied the mic | Click Open Settings, enable CoPilot Interview under Privacy & Security â Microphone, then restart the app |
| âYour microphone is in use or not respondingâ | Another app (a meeting app, browser tab or recorder) holds it exclusively, or its driver failed | Close the other app or choose another mic, then listen again; if it keeps failing, unplug and reconnect the mic |
| âThe microphone you chose is not connectedâ | Your saved mic is unplugged | Plug it back in or choose another; the app falls back to the default mic and says âSaved microphone not found â using the default microphoneâ |
| âNo microphone was foundâ | No input device at all | Plug in or enable a mic and check your sound settings; on a VM or remote desktop, pass an audio input device through |
Windows: turn on all three switches
- Open Settings â Privacy & security â Microphone (Windows 10: Settings â Privacy â Microphone).
- Turn on Microphone access, Let apps access your microphone and Let desktop apps access your microphone. The desktop-apps switch is the one people miss, and the Microsoft Store version's notice also names the apps switch.
- Restart CoPilot Interview.
- In a live session, click đ Muted if you want your own voice captured.
For driver, cable and Sound-settings checks beyond the app, see microphone not detected on Windows.
Mac: allow the microphone
- Open System Settings â Privacy & Security â Microphone, or click Open Settings in the app's notice.
- Enable CoPilot Interview.
- Quit the app with âQ and open it again.
macOS permissions for interview apps explains each prompt.
Test the mic in two minutes
- On the setup screen, choose your mic under đ€ Microphone in 1. Check your audio.
- Click ⶠStart test and speak: the You meter should move. The meter dips between words because noise suppression removes room noise.
- Click Record 5 seconds, then đ Play back. If you see âNothing was captured â check the microphone.â, the mic isn't delivering sound.
- Fix what the room line flags, such as ââ too quietâ or âclipping â â.
- For a full test, run a 3-question đ§ Mock Interview: if you get a score out of 10 for what you said, the mic works.
Switching mics during a session
Click đ€ Mic in the session bar and pick a device; the app restarts listening and shows âSwitched microphoneâ. If a mic disconnects, the app reconnects and shows âMicrophone reconnectedâ. A USB mic or headset works like any other input; see headphones and audio setup for choosing one. In a live interview, follow your employer's rules.
Frequently asked questions
Why isn't my voice in the transcript on Windows?
A live session starts with the mic muted so only the interviewer is transcribed. Click đ Muted to unmute.
Can I use CoPilot Interview without a microphone?
For live help, yes: the session starts on the interviewer's audio and tells you your own voice is not captured. The mock interview needs a working mic.
Where is the mute button on a Mac?
There isn't one. On a Mac the microphone stays on during a live session.
The app says my mic is in use. What is using it?
Usually a meeting app, browser tab or recorder that took exclusive control. Close it, or choose a different mic, then start listening again.
Practice this interview before the real one
The AI mock interview builds questions from your resume and the job description, reads them aloud and scores each spoken answer out of 10. Included on the free plan.
Start a mock interview