How to Use an AI Interview Copilot on Windows: 6 Steps, 4 Hotkeys

Last updated: October 2026

Quick Answer

To use an AI interview copilot on Windows, confirm your PC runs 64-bit Windows 10 (version 2004 or later) or Windows 11, install the OphyAI desktop app from ophyai.com/download, click More info and then Run anyway if SmartScreen shows “Windows protected your PC”, turn on microphone access for desktop apps, learn the four hotkeys, choose a layout and run a test call. The live answer window is excluded from screen sharing and recording by Windows, and it hears the interviewer through system audio with no virtual audio cable. No install allowed? The web app runs Interview Copilot in Whisper Mode, the browser overlay.

Step	What you do	Time
1	Check your Windows version and that it is 64-bit	2 minutes
2	Download the installer from ophyai.com/download	2 minutes
3	Get past the SmartScreen prompt (More info, Run anyway)	1 minute
4	Turn on microphone access for desktop apps	2 minutes
5	Learn the four hotkeys and pick a layout	7 minutes
6	Run a test call on Teams, Zoom or Google Meet	10 minutes

What Changes in This Situation

Three things are specific to Windows.

The version matters. The OphyAI desktop app needs 64-bit Windows 10, version 2004 or later, or 64-bit Windows 11. Older builds and 32-bit Windows are not supported. Also note that Microsoft ended support for Windows 10 on October 14, 2025, so a Windows 10 PC no longer gets free security updates unless it is enrolled in Extended Security Updates. If your interview PC is still on Windows 10, it works with the app, but Microsoft recommends moving to Windows 11.

SmartScreen may stop the installer. The OphyAI Windows installer is not code-signed yet. Microsoft Defender SmartScreen uses publisher and file reputation to decide whether to warn you, so an unsigned or new installer can trigger the blue “Windows protected your PC” screen. That screen is a reputation warning, not a malware detection. The fix is two clicks, covered in step 3 below. Only do this for a file you downloaded yourself from ophyai.com/download.

Desktop apps share one microphone switch. On Windows, store apps get per-app microphone toggles, but traditional desktop apps are controlled by a single switch, “Let desktop apps access your microphone.” If it is off, no desktop app can use the microphone, including OphyAI.

How Interview Copilot Helps (Step by Step)

Step 1: Check your Windows version

Open Settings, then System, then About. Under Device specifications, “System type” should say 64-bit operating system. Under Windows specifications, check the edition and version. For a quicker read of the version number, press Windows key + R, type winver and press Enter. Windows 11 of any version is fine; Windows 10 must show version 2004 or later.

Step 2: Download and install

Go to ophyai.com/download and choose the Windows build. The desktop app page lists its features. Run the installer from your Downloads folder and sign in with your OphyAI account. Eligible new users get their first Interview Copilot session free, up to 15 minutes, with no card.

Step 3: Handle “Windows protected your PC”

If the blue SmartScreen screen appears, click More info. Windows then shows the file name and a Run anyway button. Click it to continue the install. If there is no More info link, your PC may be managed by an employer or school that blocks unrecognized apps; do not try to work around a company policy. Use the web app at app.ophyai.com instead, and never interview on a work laptop whose IT rules forbid extra software.

Step 4: Allow the microphone

On Windows 11, open Settings, Privacy & security, Microphone. Make sure Microphone access is on, “Let apps access your microphone” is on, and “Let desktop apps access your microphone” is on. On Windows 10 the path is Settings, Privacy, Microphone, with the desktop-app switch further down the page. Restart the app after changing any of these. The app hears the interviewer through system audio, so you do not need a virtual audio cable or a stereo-mix device.

Step 5: Learn the hotkeys and pick a layout

On Windows the shortcuts use Ctrl:

Hotkey	What it does
Ctrl+Shift+Space	Show or hide the answer window
Ctrl+Shift+A	Ask AI now
Ctrl+Shift+P	Click-through, so clicks reach the window underneath
Ctrl+Shift+H	Panic hide

If another app already uses one of these combinations, it may swallow the key press. Then try the four layouts: Teleprompter, Panel, Split Desk and Q&A Feed. On a laptop, Teleprompter under the webcam keeps your eyes near the lens; on a second monitor, Panel or Split Desk sits beside the call; Q&A Feed suits long technical rounds.

Step 6: Run a test call

Start a Microsoft Teams, Zoom or Google Meet call with a friend, or play a recorded question through your speakers. Check that the live transcript catches the other voice, that a suggestion appears, and that a full-screen share from the meeting app does not show the answer window. Then answer out loud in your own words; suggestions are prompts, not a script. To rehearse with feedback first, run a mock round in OphyAI Interview Practice, which returns a transcript and per-answer feedback.

What It Cannot Do

• It does not hide from cameras, people or proctoring software. Windows excludes the answer window from screen sharing and recording, but that does not hide it from a camera pointed at your screen, a person in the room, or proctoring software that inspects running apps. Locked-down assessment apps may refuse to run alongside it. Can Zoom, Teams or Meet see overlay apps during screen share explains how capture exclusion works.
• It does not override the employer’s rules. Some employers ban AI help in live interviews and some allow it in certain rounds. Read the invitation, ask the recruiter, and check the tracker of companies that allow AI in interviews. Can interviewers detect an AI copilot covers the behavioral tells interviewers notice.
• It does not supply your experience. It suggests structure and points. The stories, numbers and judgment must be yours.
• Phones are for practice. The iPhone app (iOS 15.1 or later) and the Android app cover practice interviews, resumes, cover letters, job search and tracking, not live interview help. Live help runs on the Windows or Mac desktop app or the web app. Setting up on a Mac instead? See how to use an AI interview copilot on Mac.

Set-Up Checklist

The day before the interview:

• 64-bit Windows 10 version 2004 or later, or Windows 11, confirmed in Settings or winver.
• App installed from ophyai.com/download and signed in; SmartScreen cleared with More info, Run anyway.
• “Let desktop apps access your microphone” switched on.
• Windows Update finished, so a restart does not land mid-interview.
• Meeting app updated (Teams, Zoom, or the browser you use for Google Meet).
• Headphones tested with the transcript still catching the interviewer.
• Hotkeys practiced, especially show or hide and panic hide.
• Layout chosen and placed near the webcam.
• A 10-minute test call done, including a full-screen share.
• The employer’s AI rules confirmed with the recruiter.
• Credits checked: a Standard or Technical Copilot session uses 15 credits, Advanced uses 25.

On pricing: Pro is $29 a month with 300 credits (about 20 Standard Copilot sessions) and Premium is $59 a month with 500 credits; annual billing is 20% off ($278 and $566 a year). There is no $9 OphyAI plan: the Basic plan was retired in July 2026, so old articles listing a $9 Basic plan, Pro at $19 or Premium at $39 are out of date. Where offered, a $9.99 Interview Pass covers one Standard session up to 2 hours. Compare tools in the AI interview copilot pricing comparison, on the comparisons hub at ophyai.com/alternatives, or in the best desktop AI interview assistants roundup.

Set up, rehearse once in Interview Practice, then run your test call. Start practicing →

Frequently Asked Questions

Which versions of Windows does the OphyAI desktop app support?

The OphyAI desktop app runs on 64-bit Windows 10, version 2004 or later, and 64-bit Windows 11. It does not support 32-bit Windows or Windows 10 builds older than 2004. Check yours under Settings, System, About, or by running winver from the Windows key + R box before you download the installer.

Why does Windows say “Windows protected your PC” when I install it?

The OphyAI Windows installer is not code-signed yet, and Microsoft Defender SmartScreen warns about installers it does not have reputation data for. The warning is about reputation, not a malware finding. If you downloaded the file yourself from ophyai.com/download, click More info and then Run anyway. If your PC is managed by your employer, use the web app instead.

Why can’t the copilot hear the interviewer on Windows?

Usually the desktop-app microphone switch is off. Open Settings, Privacy & security, Microphone, and turn on microphone access, “Let apps access your microphone” and “Let desktop apps access your microphone”, then restart the app. The desktop app listens through system audio, so you do not need a virtual audio cable, but Windows still has to allow microphone access.

Will Microsoft Teams or Zoom show the answer window when I share my screen?

No. On the desktop app, the live answer window is excluded from screen sharing and screen recording by the operating system, so Teams, Zoom and Google Meet do not show it, even on a full-screen share. That does not hide it from a camera pointed at the screen, a person in the room, or proctoring software that inspects running apps.

Is Windows 10 still safe to use for interviews?

The app supports Windows 10 version 2004 or later, so it will run. But Microsoft ended Windows 10 support on October 14, 2025, which means no more free security updates unless the PC is enrolled in Extended Security Updates. If the PC can move to Windows 11, Microsoft recommends doing so; if not, keep it updated and use the web app as a fallback.

Can I use Interview Copilot on Windows without installing anything?

Yes. The web app at app.ophyai.com runs in your browser with no install, and live suggestions appear in Whisper Mode, the browser overlay. The desktop app adds a separate answer window, system-audio listening, the four hotkeys and the four layouts. The web app is the right choice on a managed work PC where installing software is not allowed.

Is it allowed to use an AI copilot in a job interview?

It depends on the employer and the round. Some employers ban AI help in live interviews, while others allow it in specific stages. Read the interview invitation, ask the recruiter if it is not clear, and check the tracker of companies that allow AI in interviews before relying on any live tool.

Sources and verification notes

Checked October 2026. OphyAI facts (Windows requirements, installer signing status, screen-share exclusion and its limits, hotkeys, layouts, pricing) come from OphyAI’s product pages and the publisher’s product fact sheet dated 2026-10-13. Windows behavior comes from Microsoft’s own documentation; Microsoft pages were reviewed through search summaries because direct page fetches failed in this run.

• OphyAI download page: Windows and Mac desktop app downloads. Checked October 2026.
• OphyAI desktop app page: desktop app features. Checked October 2026.
• Microsoft Support, Turn on app permissions for your microphone in Windows: the “Let desktop apps access your microphone” switch, the Windows 10 path, and the note that Windows 10 support ended on October 14, 2025. Checked October 2026.
• Microsoft Learn, SmartScreen reputation for Windows app developers: SmartScreen uses publisher and file reputation, and new installers can show an “unrecognized app” warning. Checked October 2026.
• Microsoft Support, App and browser control in Windows Security: reputation-based protection settings for Microsoft Defender SmartScreen. Checked October 2026.