An interview practice app needs your microphone, and often nothing else. A request for contacts, location, SMS, call logs or accessibility control should make you stop and ask why. We make CoPilot Interview, the best choice in our 2027 comparison, and our phone apps ask for the microphone; notifications are optional. This page sets out which permissions are reasonable, which are red flags, how to limit the microphone on iPhone and Android, and how to read a privacy label before you install anything.
Reasonable, questionable and red flags
| Permission | Verdict | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Microphone | Reasonable | It needs to hear your practice answers |
| Notifications | Optional | Reminders; turn off if you prefer |
| Camera | Reasonable for video practice | Only if the app records you |
| Files or photos | Questionable | Fine if you choose to upload a résumé through the system picker; no need for your whole library |
| Contacts | Red flag | No practice app needs them |
| Location | Red flag, unless job search is included | Even then, approximate is enough |
| SMS or call logs | Red flag | No reason for a practice tool to read them |
| Accessibility service | Serious red flag on Android | It can read what is on your screen across apps |
| Device administrator | Refuse | Nothing about interviews requires it |
| Installing a configuration profile on iPhone | Refuse unless you trust the source fully | It can change how your phone behaves |
How to limit the microphone
- iPhone: Settings, then Privacy and Security, then Microphone. Turn it off for anything you are not using. An orange dot shows when it is in use.
- Android 11 and later: Settings, then Apps, then the app, then Permissions, then Microphone. Choose only this time, or while using the app.
- Android 12 and later: look for the indicator in the corner when the microphone is on, and use the privacy dashboard to review past use.
- Revoke permissions for any app you stopped using. Android can also do this automatically.
- Close the app when you finish practicing.
How to read a privacy label
- On the App Store, read App Privacy. On Google Play, read Data safety.
- Look at what is linked to you, not only what is collected.
- Check whether audio is mentioned and whether it is stored.
- These labels are declared by the developer, so also read the privacy policy.
- Find out where to request deletion and whether the company is named.
- For APKs from outside a store, there is no store label, so the policy matters more. Our Android guide covers ours: audio is streamed in short segments for transcription and is not stored on our servers.
Before you upload a résumé
Your résumé contains your address, phone number and work history. Remove your street address and phone number before uploading to any tool you are testing. Do the same with reference names. Do not upload confidential documents from your current employer, and do not paste client names into prompts. If an app looks wrong at any stage, check it against the warning signs and delete it. What actually works on a phone can help you find an alternative.
Where CoPilot Interview fits
CoPilot Interview is an AI interview assistant with phone practice apps that ask for the microphone. On desktop, it also needs system audio access to hear a call. The free plan gives 15 minutes a day of live help in sessions of up to 15 minutes, with AI mock interviews included. Permissions are about your privacy; the rules of the room are a separate matter, so follow your employer's rules.
Disclosure: CoPilot Interview is our product, so weigh what we say about it accordingly.
Frequently asked questions
What permissions does an interview app need?
The microphone, and the camera if it records video. Notifications are optional. Contacts, SMS, call logs and location are not needed for practice.
Why is an accessibility permission a red flag?
On Android, it can let an app read what is on your screen across other apps. A practice app has no reason to need it.
How do I limit the microphone?
On Android 11 and later, choose only this time or while using the app. On iPhone, switch it off per app in Privacy and Security settings.
Are privacy labels reliable?
They are declared by the developer, so read the privacy policy as well and check how to request deletion.
Should I upload my résumé?
Remove your address, phone number and reference names first, especially for a tool you are only testing.
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