How does LockedIn AI work? As of October 2026, LockedIn AI is an interview copilot you run in its desktop app (Windows 10 or later, macOS 13.1 or later) or in a browser: you set up a session with a scenario, company, position and your documents, it listens to the call and shows suggested answers, code help and coaching, and it saves a report, summary and transcript to your session history. The free plan runs unlimited 5-minute sessions, up to 60 minutes a day.
LockedIn publishes more setup detail than most tools in this category, so this guide follows its own help docs, LockedIn AI's homepage and LockedIn AI's pricing page, all checked on October 20, 2026. We make CoPilot Interview, a competing app, so we stick to what LockedIn publishes and label our opinions.
How does LockedIn AI work, step by step
- Pick where to run it. The desktop app runs on Windows 10 or 11 and on macOS 13.1 or later (its help docs say Ventura 13.0 or newer, as a universal build for Apple Silicon and Intel). You can also open the web app at app.lockedinai.com in Chrome, Edge, Chromium, Opera or Brave. Its Phone Interview mode runs only in the web version, not the desktop app.
- Sign in and grant permissions. On a Mac, you enable Screen and System Audio Recording (so it can hear the interviewer), Microphone (so it can hear you) and Accessibility (for shortcuts), then reopen the app. On Windows, you allow audio capture and microphone access when asked.
- Choose a mode. The setup screen has Live, Mock and Coding tabs. Session types include Interview, Professional Meeting, Online Assessment and Phone Interview.
- Fill in Interview Setup. Quick Setup asks for a Scenario (a library of 82, starting with General Purpose), the Company and Position (both required) and an Objective. For live sessions you can instead write a Custom Prompt of up to 8,000 characters.
- Pick your documents. LockedIn uses every file you've uploaded by default; you untick a file to leave it out and use a slider to control how much loosely related material it drops.
- Set the optional extras. Advanced settings include Speech Reflection (feedback on how you answer) and Q&A Prep, where you pre-fill expected questions with your preferred answers. Saved presets let you reload a setup for the next round.
- Start the session. Live sessions show a recording consent prompt first, and Macs run an audio check. LockedIn's getting-started guide says to confirm that captions appear when someone speaks.
- Review afterward. Session history keeps each session's report, summary and transcript.
Its session setup guide lists every field if you want the full detail.
LockedIn AI modes at a glance
| Mode | What it does | Session limit on a paid plan |
|---|---|---|
| Interview Copilot (Live) | Listens to the call and shows suggested answers and live coaching | 120 minutes |
| Coding Copilot | Breaks down algorithm problems, handles follow-ups, reviews and debugs code; you must choose a language | 120 minutes |
| Mock interview | An AI interviewer asks questions; you answer out loud and press Submit Answer; each answer gets a similarity badge against a strong reference answer | 60 minutes, no credits charged on paid plans |
| Professional Meeting and Phone Interview | Session types for work meetings and for audio-only phone calls (Phone Interview runs only in the web version) | 120 minutes |
| LockedIn Duo | Lets a second person join your session remotely to send suggestions | Pro, Credit and Lifetime plans, not General |
LockedIn's docs describe the mock-interview similarity badge as "a rough signal of whether you covered the expected ground, not a grade," and its homepage says mock sessions end with a performance report with competency scores. Before you use LockedIn Duo or any other helper feature, check the interview's rules, because many employers don't allow outside help in a live round. If an employer gives you an online assessment, take the assessment yourself and follow the employer's rules — use CoPilot Interview to practice beforehand.
How LockedIn AI credits and session limits work
LockedIn's plans and credits page explains the meter behind every plan:
- Free plan: unlimited 5-minute sessions, up to 60 free minutes a day, with a 1-minute pause between sessions.
- Credits: 1 credit equals 2 minutes of copilot time, deducted while the session runs. Credits never expire, though its professional models need an active subscription.
- Unlimited plans are never charged credits, and paid users aren't charged for mock interviews.
- Session ceilings: free sessions stop at 5 minutes (60 minutes, or 30 for mocks, if you're spending a credit balance); paid sessions run up to 120 minutes, or 60 for mocks.
On price, the pricing page on October 20, 2026 showed Unlimited General at $54.99 a month against a standard monthly price of $109.98, or $39.99 a month billed every 3 months, with up to 2 hours per interview. These discounts change often, so check what you'll pay at renewal. Its refund policy, last updated October 14, 2026, says monthly and quarterly plans aren't refundable once started. Our LockedIn AI pricing guide covers every plan, and the guide to cancelling LockedIn AI covers app-store purchases.
Limits worth knowing
- Five minutes is short. The free plan proves setup and answer speed, but a 45-minute round would take nine separate sessions with a pause between each.
- Setup has many fields. Scenario, company, position, objective, documents and presets give you control, but it's worth saving a preset before interview day.
- Mac audio needs permissions. If captions don't appear, the Screen and System Audio Recording permission is the first thing to check, and the app must be reopened after changing it.
- Prices move. The discounted figures on its pricing page changed between our October 19 and October 20, 2026 checks, so compare the renewal price, not the headline.
- Rules still apply. Whatever tool you use, follow the rules of the employer or assessment you're in — many people use CoPilot Interview only to practice, which works on the free plan.
Who LockedIn AI suits
In our view, LockedIn fits candidates who want detailed control over each session, who interview across languages (its homepage lists 50+ languages), or who need to run it in a browser or on a phone rather than install software. It's a weaker fit if you want long free practice sessions, a simple setup, or a predictable monthly price. For other options, see our LockedIn AI alternatives and the LockedIn AI review.
LockedIn AI vs CoPilot Interview
LockedIn figures were checked on October 20, 2026; CoPilot Interview's are from our pricing page.
| CoPilot Interview | LockedIn AI | |
|---|---|---|
| Where it runs | Windows 10+ and macOS 12+ desktop app; Android companion in beta | Windows 10+ and macOS 13.1+ desktop app, web app, phone browser |
| Free use | 15 minutes every day in sessions up to 15 minutes, all four modes | Up to 60 minutes a day in 5-minute sessions |
| Practice feedback | Best choice: each spoken answer scored out of 10 with what to fix and a model answer, then a report card | Similarity badge against a reference answer, plus a competency report |
| Live answers | Live captions of the question, then a structured answer in about 2 seconds | Suggested answers, code help and coaching |
| Cheapest monthly price | Best choice: Standard $14.99/mo (sale; regular $19.99) | Unlimited General $54.99/mo shown (standard $109.98) |
| Refund | Best choice: 14-day money-back guarantee on the first payment of a new subscription, if under 30 minutes of live session time was used | Monthly and quarterly plans non-refundable once started |
| Remote helper | Not offered | LockedIn Duo |
Disclosure: we make CoPilot Interview.
Where LockedIn is stronger: more devices, more free minutes a day, longer paid sessions and finer session controls. Where CoPilot Interview is stronger: longer free sessions, scored practice with model answers, a lower monthly price and a refund window. Our CoPilot Interview vs LockedIn AI comparison goes feature by feature. To practice without installing anything, try the browser AI mock interview. To see how a different copilot handles the same job, read how Final Round AI works.
Get scored on a full answer, free
CoPilot Interview's free plan gives you 15 minutes every day, enough for a short Mock Interview built from your résumé and the job description, with each spoken answer scored out of 10 and a model answer. Or start in your browser with 113 real questions across 9 tracks.
Try a free AI mock interviewFAQ
Is LockedIn AI free?
It has a free plan with unlimited 5-minute sessions, up to 60 free minutes a day and a 1-minute pause between sessions. Each free session stops at 5 minutes, so it cannot cover a full-length interview.
Does LockedIn AI work in a browser?
Yes. As well as the Windows and macOS desktop apps, you can run it at app.lockedinai.com in Chrome, Edge, Chromium, Opera or Brave. Its Phone Interview mode runs only in the web version.
How do LockedIn AI credits work?
One credit equals 2 minutes of copilot time, deducted while a session runs. Credits never expire, Unlimited plans are never charged credits, and paid users are not charged for mock interviews.
How long can a LockedIn AI session last?
On paid plans, up to 120 minutes for most sessions and 60 minutes for mock interviews. Free sessions stop at 5 minutes, or 60 minutes (30 for mocks) if you are spending a credit balance.
How are LockedIn AI mock interviews scored?
Each answer gets a similarity badge that compares it with a strong reference answer. LockedIn calls it a rough signal rather than a grade, and its homepage says mock sessions end with a performance report with competency scores.
What is LockedIn Duo?
A feature on every paid plan except General that lets a second person join your LockedIn session remotely and send you suggestions. Many employers do not allow outside help in a live round, so check the interview rules before you rely on it.