Your first session with an interview copilot takes about fifteen minutes: install the desktop app on Windows or macOS, grant the microphone and, on a Mac, the screen-recording permission it needs to hear the call, run a test call with a friend, learn the four hotkeys that matter, set the answer length, and finish with a mock interview so you know what the scoring looks like. This tutorial walks through each step with CoPilot Interview specifically, then lists what to check before any real interview.
Step 1: install and sign in
- On Windows 10 or 11, download the installer or install from the Microsoft Store. On macOS 12 or later, download the app and move it to Applications.
- Open the app. Sign-in is an email link; the free plan does not need a card, and an account is only required for paid plans.
- On macOS, grant the microphone permission and the screen-and-audio recording permission when prompted; the second is how the app hears the other side of a call. On Windows, system audio is captured directly.
- Choose your language from the ten supported and the default model; on the free plan that is Mercury 2.5.
Why a desktop app rather than a browser extension is explained in interview copilot software explained.
Step 2: a five-minute test call
Start a call with a friend on the platform your interview will use, with the app open as a separate window. Have them ask you three questions. You should see each question appear as a caption and a structured answer follow within about two seconds. Ask them to share their screen and to let you share a single window, and have them confirm whether they can see the app; if you plan to share your whole screen, turn Ghost Mode on first and test again. Ask one two-part question and check that both parts are captured. The pipeline behind what you are seeing is described in how real-time interview assistants work.
Step 3: the hotkeys that matter
| Hotkey (Cmd on macOS) | What it does | When you use it |
|---|---|---|
| Ctrl+Shift+A | Ask for an answer now | When auto-answer is waiting and you want it immediately |
| Ctrl+Shift+Q | Add a part the interviewer tacked on | Two-part questions |
| Ctrl+Shift+F | Keep the window from taking focus | So your cursor stays in the call |
| Ctrl+Shift+L | Start or resume listening | After the ten-minute idle pause |
| Ctrl+Shift+C | Turn Coding mode on | Technical rounds |
| Ctrl+Shift+S | Read a problem from the screen | A coding or case prompt on screen |
| Ctrl+Shift+E | Answer in words while Coding mode stays on | When the interviewer asks you to explain |
There are eleven global hotkeys in total; these seven cover most sessions. Auto-answer is on by default and detects a new question after a twenty-second pause.
Step 4: set the answer length and try the controls
- Use shorter as your default for behavioural questions; it returns key points rather than paragraphs, which is what you can glance at and say in your own words.
- Use longer for knowledge questions where you want the full definition.
- Use redo when the first suggestion missed the question.
- Position the window narrow and directly below your camera. The delivery craft is covered in how to use an AI interview copilot without sounding scripted.
Step 5: run a mock interview
Paste the job description, attach your résumé, and start the AI mock interview. It reads questions aloud, waits for your spoken answer, scores it out of ten with reasons and shows a model answer, then follows up on what you said. Do five questions. Read the transcript afterwards: it shows you how you actually sound, which is the most useful fifteen minutes in this tutorial. Watch the short clips on the demo page if you want to see each feature before trying it.
Before any real interview
- Repeat the test call on the exact platform, after any update to the app, the meeting software or your operating system.
- Decide whether live help is appropriate for this interview and this employer. Many candidates use only the mock interview.
- Charge the laptop, close other audio apps, mute notifications.
- Open the app before joining the call; share a single window if asked to share.
Where CoPilot Interview fits
CoPilot Interview is an AI interview assistant for Windows 10 and 11 and macOS 12 or later; everything in this tutorial, including the mock interview, is available on the free plan. The free plan gives 15 minutes a day of live help in sessions of up to 15 minutes, with AI mock interviews included. Run the tutorial once, test before every real interview, and follow your employer's rules when deciding whether the live mode belongs in a given round.
Disclosure: CoPilot Interview is our product, so weigh what we say about it accordingly.
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to set up an interview copilot?
About fifteen minutes: install, permissions, a five-minute test call with a friend, the main hotkeys, the answer-length controls and a short mock interview.
What permissions does CoPilot Interview need?
Microphone on both platforms; on macOS also the screen-and-audio recording permission, which is how it hears the other side of a call.
Which hotkeys should I learn first?
Ctrl+Shift+A to ask for an answer, Ctrl+Shift+Q to add a tacked-on part, Ctrl+Shift+F to keep the window from taking focus, and Ctrl+Shift+L to resume listening. Use Cmd on macOS.
Do I need an account to try it?
Sign-in is an email link and the free plan needs no card; an account is only required for paid plans.
Practice this interview before the real one
The AI mock interview builds questions from your resume and the job description, reads them aloud and scores each spoken answer out of 10. Included on the free plan.
Start a mock interview