September 2025 • Reading time: ~12–14 mins
Manual testing interview preparation 2025: candidate with laptop, checklist and bug iconsBe interview-ready with the most common manual testing questions
Table of Contents
Introduction
Software testing remains one of the most crucial roles in the IT industry. With businesses increasingly relying on seamless digital experiences, demand for skilled manual testers continues in 2025. Whether you’re a fresher or an experienced QA professional, cracking interviews requires strong fundamentals and practical examples.
This guide covers the Top 10 Manual Testing Interview Questions with structured answers, easy examples, and quick tips you can use in real interviews.
1) What is Manual Testing and why is it important?
Answer: Manual testing is the process of validating an application without automation tools. Testers execute test cases by hand, explore the UI, and verify that features behave as expected.
- Captures UX/usability issues tools may miss
- Ideal for exploratory/ad-hoc sessions
- Cost-effective for small/early projects
Interview hint: Emphasize that manual and automation testing are complementary, not competing.
2) What are the levels of testing?
Answer: Unit → Integration → System → Acceptance (UAT).
Example path (Banking app): test login module (unit) → combine with OTP (integration) → validate full app (system) → business users validate flows (UAT).
3) What are the common types of testing?
- Functional: feature validation vs requirements
- Non-functional: performance, security, usability
- Maintenance: regression, retesting after fixes
- Exploratory: charter-based, time-boxed discovery
- Compatibility: browsers, devices, OS versions
4) SDLC vs STLC
SDLC is the software build process (requirements → design → code → test → deploy → maintain).
STLC is the quality process (req analysis → plan → test design → env setup → execution → closure).
Key idea: testing is continuous; shift-left starts quality early.
5) Test case vs Test scenario (with example)
Test Scenario: “Verify login functionality with valid and invalid inputs.”
Test Case (TC_LOGIN_01): Steps → Enter valid creds → Click Login → Expect dashboard redirect.
| Field | Example |
|---|---|
| Pre-conditions | User exists, network stable |
| Test Data | user@example.com / ***** |
| Expected | Dashboard with user name |
6) Smoke vs Sanity
- Smoke: “Is the build stable enough to test?” (broad, shallow)
- Sanity: “Did this change/fix work?” (narrow, deep)
7) Regression testing
Answer: Ensures new code doesn’t break existing features. Build a risk-based regression suite and run it after changes.
Tip: Mention tagging critical paths (search → cart → checkout) for every release.
8) Bug/Defect life cycle
Typical flow: New → Assigned → Open → Fixed → Retest → Verified → Closed (or Reopened / Rejected / Duplicate / Deferred).
Use clear titles, steps to reproduce, expected vs actual, environment, and attachments.
9) Severity vs Priority (with examples)
- Severity: technical impact (Critical/Major/Minor)
- Priority: business urgency (High/Medium/Low)
Examples: Crash on checkout = High severity & High priority. Misspelt brand on home = Low severity but High priority.
10) Black-box vs White-box
- Black-box: validate I/O and behavior without code knowledge
- White-box: validate logic/branches/paths in code (often by devs)
Bonus: Extra FAQs for 2025
- Agile testing vs Waterfall; ceremonies (stand-ups, sprint review)
- Boundary Value Analysis (BVA) & Equivalence Partitioning (EP)
- Retesting vs Regression; When to stop testing?
- Test data management & basic SQL checks
- Basics of API testing (Postman) for manual testers
Real-life scenario: E-commerce checkout
- Positive: Add item → Cart → Address → Payment → Success
- Negative: Invalid CVV → show validation error
- Boundary: Coupon length min/max; quantity limits
- Compatibility: Chrome/Safari/Edge; Mobile vs Desktop
Pro tips to crack manual testing interviews
- Lead with examples, not just definitions
- Know JIRA/Bugzilla basics; attach good evidence (screens, logs)
- Understand Agile, CI/CD, and shift-left concepts
- Be clear, concise, and structured in every answer
Apply to relevant QA jobs
Ready to put this into action? Check this opening perfect for beginners:
Apply Now: Manual QA Tester – Bengaluru
Browse more roles in our Jobs section.
FAQ
Is manual testing still relevant in 2025?
Yes. Exploratory testing, usability checks, and edge-case discovery remain human-driven—even with rising automation.
What tools should a manual tester know?
Issue trackers (JIRA), test management (TestRail), basics of Postman/SQL, and browser dev tools.
How much should I learn automation as a manual tester?
Basics help you collaborate and grow. Start with core concepts and one stack (e.g., Selenium + Java or Cypress + JS).
Conclusion
Manual testing is an evergreen foundation for a QA career. Master these questions, practice with real scenarios, and keep sharpening your test design and bug reporting. Pair that with clear communication and you’ll stand out in interviews.
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