Check your device

Read the result, not just the progress

• Required checks must pass before the device can enter the contest.
• Optional warnings are advisory. They do not block entry, but can help support diagnose a problem.
• Checking, Not verified and an unavailable report are not passing results.
• “Readiness report unavailable” means Access does not have the report it needs. Choose Run checks again. If it persists, ask your invigilator rather than assuming entry is safe.
• A completed readiness check does not override a contest that is unpublished, not open yet or ended. Check the contest window too.

Test the camera and microphone

1. 1

   Open Settings → Hardware

   Choose the intended camera, then select Start camera. Check that the preview shows you clearly. Use Refresh cameras if a newly connected camera is missing.

2. 2

   Test the microphone

   Select Start microphone and speak to check the Input level. Stop the test when finished. The operating system’s selected input and permissions affect this test.

3. 3

   Recheck after changes

   After reconnecting a device or changing permissions, return to Access and repeat the test. Before entry, use Run checks again for the contest’s readiness result.

Desktop app · Example data View larger

Camera and audio settings

Zoom in

Zoom in to read the interface details.

Find camera, microphone and speaker controls in Settings. Example data.

Match the camera message to the next step

1. 1

   Access denied

   Allow camera access for Access in the operating system’s privacy settings. On a managed computer, ask the administrator. If Access asks you to quit and reopen after a permission change, do this during setup, before an active assessment.

2. 2

   No camera found or disconnected

   Check the connection and any physical privacy switch. Reconnect the intended device, use Refresh cameras and test it again.

3. 3

   Blank preview, no frames or camera unavailable

   Check that the lens is uncovered and the selected device is correct. Before the round, close other applications that may be using the camera, then restart its test. If a preview still cannot be obtained, share the exact message with your organizer.

4. 4

   Framing or lighting needs attention

   Follow the setup screen’s guidance for position and lighting. A camera-access success does not mean a later presence or calibration step has passed.

Resolve the permission actually requested

If the microphone is missing, connect the intended device and check your computer’s input setting. If permission was denied, allow it in the operating system and repeat Start microphone.

On macOS, a readiness failure may request Accessibility or Input Monitoring. Use the named settings action in Access, enable the requested permission for Access, and run the checks again. Camera permission does not grant these separate permissions.

If a requirement cannot be met, ask your organizer before the round. Do not disable security software, device-management rules or session controls to force a check to pass.

Keep enough detail to get help

• Note the exact message and whether it appeared on Home, in Hardware or during entry.
• Find the Access version in Settings → About and include your operating system.
• Tell the organizer which device and permission checks you have already tried.
• If the session is already running, use the round’s support channel before restarting or changing devices.