Does HackerEarth Record Video During a Test?

HackerEarth does not document continuous video recording of candidates during an assessment. What it documents, as of September 9, 2026, is webcam snapshots: "We take a snapshot of the candidate at random intervals when the test is live", and only when the employer has enabled the setting (proctoring settings documentation). Audio is a separate, opt-in recording. Live interviews on HackerEarth's interview product are a different case, and those do record audio and video.

When the camera is on

The webcam is used only if the employer enabled snapshots or ID verification. HackerEarth's candidate instructions are direct about the consequence: "Tests with this setting require you to have an active webcam. You will not be able to take the test if your: The computer does not have a working webcam [or] Webcam is not switched on" (Before you begin). A browser cannot open a camera silently, so a permission prompt on the setup screen is the reliable tell. No prompt, no camera.

In Smart Browser, HackerEarth's desktop lockdown app, camera access is requested during the system check along with microphone and screen recording, and the marketing page describes "taking frequent snapshots via the webcam" (Smart Browser feature page). The interval is not published for either environment.

What happens before the first snapshot

HackerEarth captures reference images at the start. Its candidate snapshots documentation says "candidates are guided to click on five specific screen positions" so the system has baseline images of the person who began the test. If ID verification is also on, an image captured before the assessment is compared with the government ID.

What the snapshots are checked for

HackerEarth sorts snapshots into review categories rather than producing a single score:

• "If the same person who has started attempting the test does not appear in a snapshot, then that photograph is stored in the Needs review category."
• Multiple faces: "These snapshots contain instances where more than one candidate is captured in the webcam frame."
• "If the candidate is missing in a snapshot, then that photograph is stored in the Candidate missing category."
• Low light: HackerEarth "detects the low brightness of the surrounding where the snapshot is captured and suggests to attempt the test in a bright surrounding."

Those categories feed the integrity index, which HackerEarth says is calculated mainly from snapshot and tab-switch violations, and the recruiter's report shows whether "the candidate snapshots are meeting the proctoring guidelines". Someone walking behind you produces a multiple-faces frame; stepping away produces a missing frame. A reviewer opens the images to decide what they mean.

Audio is separate, and opt-in

HackerEarth added audio proctoring in February 2025: "HackerEarth records and analyzes candidate audio during the test. Audio segments are monitored and flagged for review by the test admins." It looks for "Cheating through verbal communication", "Use of unauthorized devices", and "Background noise", and "This feature is not enabled by default" (audio proctoring documentation). Note that HackerEarth's system compatibility check asks for microphone access on every browser test, so the microphone prompt does not by itself mean audio is being recorded. The test instructions and the recruiter do.

Interviews are the exception

HackerEarth's interview product records "audio and video of interviews" as a premium feature, with a dialog "asking permission to share your entire screen, application window, or Chrome tab". If screen sharing is declined, "the audio of the interview and the members' physical environment are recorded from the webcam" (interview recording documentation). If your invitation is for a live interview rather than a timed test, expect a full recording.

What this means for candidates

For a timed HackerEarth test with the camera on, expect still images at unpredictable moments, checked for your face, other faces, and lighting. Sit alone, face the camera, and light the room. If a microphone prompt appears, ask whether audio proctoring is enabled; it is a specific feature, not a default. The screen side of the same setup screen is covered in whether HackerEarth records your screen, and the full list of controls in what HackerEarth proctoring records and flags. How ID images are handled across platforms is in the candidate guide to interview identity verification. For a platform that publishes its snapshot intervals, compare when HackerRank uses your camera.