> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://help.equip.co/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.
# Taking an AI Interview
> Equipment checks, the live interview experience, and what happens if you disconnect.
Equip offers two kinds of AI interview. A **One-Way Interview** shows you a fixed set of questions that you answer by video, audio, or text. A **Conversational Interview** is a live, spoken conversation with the **Equip AI Interviewer**, which asks follow-up questions based on your answers.
This guide walks you through the candidate experience for both, from the pre-interview equipment check to submission.
You reach the interview through a link your recruiter shares, either in an invitation email or as a public URL. Sign in with the 6-digit code sent to your email; the code expires after 30 minutes. See [Candidate Login Methods](/candidate-login-methods) for details.
## Equipment Checks
Before the interview begins, Equip runs a short **three-step wizard** to make sure your camera and microphone work. You cannot start until both are verified.
The first screen explains how the interview works: the question format, how answers are recorded, and which proctoring measures are active. You consent to proctoring before continuing.
Grant camera and microphone access when your browser asks. Equip records a **5-second test clip** and plays it back so you can confirm your video and audio are clear. Conversational interviews add a **read-aloud microphone calibration**, where you speak a short passage so the AI can hear you properly.
Once your equipment passes, click through to begin. If your recruiter set an availability window, you can only start within that window.
Use **Google Chrome** on a laptop or desktop for the smoothest experience. On an iPhone or iPad, use **Safari**. See [Device Compatibility](/device-compatibility) for the full browser guidance.
## During the Interview
The experience differs by interview type:
| | One-Way Interview | Conversational Interview |
| ------------------ | -------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------ |
| **Format** | Fixed questions, no follow-ups | Live conversation with adaptive follow-ups |
| **How you answer** | Video, audio, or text, as set by the recruiter | Speaking, plus optional written or coded answers |
| **Question order** | All questions visible at once; answer in any order | The AI Interviewer leads the conversation |
| **Sessions** | One single session | One live session |
### One-Way Interviews
All questions are shown up front, and you answer them in any order within a single session. For recorded answers, the screen shows how many **retakes** you have left, and any minimum or maximum answer duration is enforced automatically.
When you submit a video or audio answer, an **upload progress** indicator confirms it saved. On a slow connection, wait for the upload to finish before moving on.
### Conversational Interviews
The interview uses a **live video-call layout**: the Equip AI Interviewer, your own self-view, and a **real-time transcript** of the conversation. Speak naturally; the AI responds and asks follow-ups just like a human interviewer.
The interview is conducted in the language your recruiter chose, such as English, Hindi, Spanish, French, German, Portuguese, Italian, or several Indian languages.
Some questions may open a **Workspace** panel beside the call. Use it to write code in a syntax-highlighted editor (languages include Python, JavaScript, TypeScript, Java, Go, C++, C#, Ruby, Rust, and SQL) or to type a plain-text answer.
AI interviews use the same proctoring options as Equip assessments, and the session is recorded on Equip's servers with the transcript retained. You see exactly which measures are active before you start. See [AI Proctoring](/ai-proctoring) for what gets tracked.
## Reconnection and Grace Windows
Brief network drops do not end your interview. Equip **reconnects automatically** and shows clear status banners while it restores the connection.
A **grace window** covers short disconnects, so a momentary Wi-Fi blip will not cost you the attempt. If the banner appears, stay on the page and let the connection recover.
If you leave before submitting, what happens next depends on a recruiter setting. When the recruiter allows **resuming unfinished attempts**, you can restart the interview as many times as needed until you submit, and only the submitted attempt is graded.
A conversational interview **cannot be resumed after it is submitted**. If restarting is not enabled and you cannot get back in, contact your recruiter rather than trying repeatedly.
## Submitting
Finish every question, then submit the interview from within the session.
In a one-way interview, check that each answer shows as uploaded. In a conversational interview, the AI wraps up the conversation when the topics are covered.
Complete the submission when prompted. Submission is final for conversational interviews, so only submit when you are done.
A completion screen confirms your interview was received. You can safely close the tab, or you may be redirected automatically if your recruiter configured a redirect page.
Results are shared by the recruiter, not by Equip. You will not see a score or report on screen; contact your recruiter for the outcome.
## Related Resources
* [Candidate Login Methods](/candidate-login-methods) - Sign in with a 6-digit email code
* [Device Compatibility](/device-compatibility) - Supported browsers and devices for interviews and tests
* [One-Way vs Conversational Interviews](/one-way-vs-conversational) - How the two interview formats compare
* [AI Proctoring](/ai-proctoring) - What Equip monitors during a proctored session