Top 10 Things QA Testers Check That Developers Often Miss

In the fast-paced world of software development today, it is understandable to think that as soon as code executes properly, it can be deployed. But as quality assurance professionals are aware, what might be "functional" to the developer is not necessarily a smooth user experience. That is where quality assurance enters the picture—not only to identify defects, but to close the gap between technical success and usability in the real world.

These are the top 10 things QA testers find that developers typically miss:

1. Edge Cases & Unexpected Inputs – Developers test ideal scenarios. QA tests what users might do: blank fields, symbols, overlength entries, and mismatched formats.
2. Cross-Browser and Device Rendering – While your app might function flawlessly in Chrome, quality assurance makes it appear and function identically in Firefox, Safari, and mobile devices too.
3. Validation & Error Handling – QA not only makes sure that errors are visible, but that they are comprehensible, accurate, and helpful to the user.
4. User Permissions & Access Control – QA guarantees the correct roles view the correct data and actions—no unwanted admin rights or shadowed data leaks.
5. Broken Links and Button Clicks – Every button click, hover, and redirect to a page is comprehensively tested, especially in builds where user interface problems can unintentionally emerge.
6. Data Retention and State Behavior – QA tests whether data persists properly after navigation, refreshes, or timeout events.
7. UI Consistency – Developers may overlook design nuances; QA ensures font sizes, spacing, button styles, and alignment match the design spec.
8. Spelling, grammar, and copy problems—a lone typographical error or poorly phrased instruction can destroy user confidence.
9. Regression Bugs – QA re-tests existing working functionality to confirm updates did not break anything critical.
10. Usability Flaws – Even if technically correct, QA flags confusing flows or unintuitive interactions that could frustrate users.

At Certiva QA, we excel at catching everything that falls through the cracks. We work with your devs, not to place blame, but to work together on a common objective: quality software that customers can trust. Our testers are trained to think like users and test like analysts. That translates into improved coverage, fewer surprise post-release moments, and more successful launches.

By proactively addressing QA at the right stages of your SDLC, we keep you from facing typical bugs in production and avoid the inconvenience of eleventh-hour fixes. If you're a startup looking to prepare for your MVP or scale your platform, Certiva QA ensures quality is your launchpad.