Manual software testing is a critical phase in the software development lifecycle (SDLC) and ensuring the highest quality standards for any application. As the industry continues to evolve, interview questions related to manual testing have also become more detailed, focusing on the latest best practices, methodologies, and strategies. Whether you’re a fresher preparing for an interview or a professional looking to brush up on your knowledge, it’s essential to stay up-to-date with common questions that might come your way.
In this blog, we have compiled 100 essential manual testing questions that every software tester should be prepared for in 2025. These questions span across various concepts of testing, providing a deep understanding of manual testing techniques.
Top Manual Testing Interview Questions
Basics of Software Testing
- How do you define software testing and its purpose in software development?
- Can you explain the difference between verification and validation with examples?
- How does Quality Assurance (QA) differ from Quality Control (QC)?
- What are the phases of the Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC)?
- Walk me through the Software Testing Life Cycle (STLC).
- What is meant by dynamic testing, and when is it applied?
- How does static testing work, and what is its purpose?
- Can you describe white-box testing and its applications?
- What is black-box testing, and where is it most useful?
- How would you differentiate between positive testing and negative testing with examples?
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Test Planning and Strategy
- What is gray-box testing, and how does it differ from black-box and white-box?
- How would you describe a test strategy and its role in QA?
- How would you define a test plan, and what process would you follow to build it effectively?
- What is a test scenario, and how do you design one?
- How would you explain a test case with an example?
- What is meant by a test bed in manual testing?
- Can you describe what a test suite is and in which stage of testing it is usually prepared?
- How do you define test data, and why is it important?
- Explain the defect life cycle with stages.
- How do smoke tests and sanity tests differ in purpose and execution?
Defect Management and Reporting
- Can you explain entry and exit criteria in the context of software testing with real-world examples?
- In defect management, what does a “blocker” mean?
- How do you explain regression testing with an example?
- What is retesting, and how does it differ from regression?
- What is monkey testing, and how is it performed?
- How would you differentiate between severity and priority of a defect?
- What is meant by defect priority?
- What is meant by defect severity?
- Provide real-world examples of software defects that fall into each category: Low Priority–Low Severity, Low Priority–High Severity, High Priority–Low Severity, and High Priority–High Severity.
- What is unit testing, and who performs it?
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Levels and Types of Testing
- How does integration testing work, and why is it important?
- What is system testing, and what does it validate?
- What is user-acceptance testing, and who conducts it?
- What are alpha and beta testing, and how are they different?
- How is monkey testing different from ad-hoc testing?
- Could you walk me through Test Driven Development (TDD) and explain how it fits into the development cycle?
- Can you explain Equivalence Class Partitioning with an example?
- How does boundary value analysis work in test design?
- What attributes are generally included in a defect report?
- What is a stub in testing?
Test Design Techniques
- What is a driver in testing?
- What are the key benefits of automation testing?
- What are the drawbacks or risks of automation testing?
- Compare the Waterfall Model with Agile methodology.
- How would you define a test plan, and what process would you follow to build it effectively?
- Can you explain how system testing differs from integration testing in terms of scope and objectives?
- What does verification mean in the context of testing?
- What are the main differences between boundary value analysis and equivalence partitioning in test design techniques?
- What is the difference between authentication and authorization?
- Explain the steps involved in reviewing a test case.
- Differentiate between regression testing and retesting.
- What is the purpose of using Equivalence Class Partitioning (ECP)?
- Which Black Box Test Design techniques are most commonly applied, and why?
- Can you explain random testing and describe scenarios where it is most effective?
- Why do we use test design techniques in software testing?
- What is use case testing, and what are its benefits?
- What is equivalence testing in design techniques?
- How does State Transition Testing work?
- How would you categorize different types of test design techniques?
- What is a walkthrough in static testing techniques?
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Static Testing Techniques
- What is a technical review in static testing?
- What are static testing techniques, and how are they applied?
- What are the main uses of static testing?
- What happens during the kick-off stage of a formal review process?
- What is a formal review in testing?
- What is informal review in static testing?
- What does specification-based testing mean?
- Can you explain decision table testing?
- What are the key benefits of decision table testing?
- What is an experience-based testing technique?
Advanced Testing & Non-Functional Testing
- What are the different types of experience-based test design techniques?
- Could you describe the Boundary Value Analysis technique and explain its importance in testing?
- What is exploratory testing, and when is it useful?
- What is equivalence partitioning, and how is it used in testing?
- How would you categorize and explain the different levels of testing within the software development process?
- How would you classify different categories of defects?
- On what basis is an acceptance plan prepared?
- What is the cost impact of detecting and fixing a defect late in the development lifecycle instead of early?
- What factors or metrics would you consider when estimating effort and timelines for a testing project?
- Can you describe performance testing and explain why it is essential before deployment?
- How do load testing and stress testing differ?
- What does concurrent user load mean in performance testing?
- How do you determine if performance testing is necessary before deploying an application to production?
- What is the purpose of security testing?
- What is endurance (soak) testing?
Agile and Scrum in Testing
- Could you explain spike testing and describe scenarios where it becomes essential?
- How does functional testing differ from non-functional testing?
- In what way does the Software Testing Life Cycle align with the Software Development Life Cycle, and which testing tasks are performed in each stage?
- Who is responsible for preparing test cases?
- How are test cases connected to test data, and why is this relationship important?
- What are some methods to collect test data?
- Is test data mandatory for every test case?
- How do testers derive test cases from requirements?
- In your view, what makes a test case clear, effective, and reusable?
- Can you differentiate between a test scenario and a test case with suitable examples?
Practical Test Case Questions
- How do positive test cases differ from negative ones, and why are both important in testing?
- How would you explain Agile methodology?
- What is Scrum, and how does it work?
- Can you outline the primary roles in a Scrum team and explain their responsibilities?
- What is the purpose of a Scrum meeting?
Conclusion
Manual testing remains an essential expertise for software testers in 2025. With technology constantly advancing, the role of manual testers remains crucial for ensuring high-quality software. By mastering the concepts covered in these 100 questions, testers can build a robust foundation that will help them excel in interviews and day-to-day testing tasks. Prepare yourself for success and stay ahead in the competitive landscape! Whether you’re starting your journey in manual testing or enhancing your existing skills, understanding the core principles is vital.
Mastering manual testing is a vital skill for software testers as we move further into 2025. Stay tuned for our follow-up blog, where we’ll provide detailed answers and insights to help you ace these interview questions and take your testing career to new heights. Don’t miss out! Be sure to check out our detailed guide on 100 Manual Testing Interview Questions and Answers for 2025, where we provide in-depth explanations, examples, and insights to help you confidently tackle interviews and strengthen your testing expertise.
FAQs
Q1. Are manual testing interview questions still asked in 2025?
Yes, manual testing questions are still part of QA interviews. They test your analytical skills, understanding of SDLC/STLC, and ability to find defects without automation tools.
Q2. What are the most common manual testing interview questions?
Some common ones include: What is the difference between verification and validation?, Explain STLC, What are test cases?, and Differentiate regression testing and retesting.
Q3. How should I prepare for a manual testing interview?
Focus on understanding test case design techniques, defect lifecycle, SDLC/STLC, Agile methodology, and practice solving scenario-based questions.
Q4. Is manual testing still relevant with automation testing rising?
Yes. Manual testing is crucial for exploratory, usability, and ad-hoc scenarios where human judgment is necessary. Automation complements but doesn’t replace it.
Q5. What is the best way to answer manual testing interview questions?
Keep answers short, structured, and include real-world examples. Use clear definitions and, when possible, explain with scenarios.
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Author’s Bio:
Content Writer at Testleaf, specializing in SEO-driven content for test automation, software development, and cybersecurity. I turn complex technical topics into clear, engaging stories that educate, inspire, and drive digital transformation.
Ezhirkadhir Raja
Content Writer – Testleaf
