Desktop Interview Assistant

How to use the Windows app

Step-by-step walkthrough of Interview Assistant on Windows — from signing in with your Prep Desk account to connecting a live interview session. Screenshots below are from the real app.

Need an account first? Create one on the website, then open the desktop app with the same email and password.

Step 1

Install and open Interview Assistant

Download the Windows desktop app, then launch Interview Assistant. The window stays on top so you can keep it beside your meeting app.

Download for Windows

Use the same Prep Desk email and password you registered on the website.
Plans, credits, and free-trial access sync from your web account — you do not buy a separate desktop license.
The shopping-bag icon in the title bar opens credits and plan details.

Step 2

Sign in

Email: The address you used when registering on Prep Desk.
Password: Your website password. Passwords are not stored in plain text in the app project.
Sign in: Checks your Prep Desk account and loads your plan (trial, monthly, yearly, or credits).

Step 3

Sessions list

Search: Filter the list by role, company, or other session text.
Sort (Newest first): Change how sessions are ordered on this PC.
Refresh: Reload the local session list.
View in dashboard: Opens the Prep Desk web studio in your browser.
Create session: Start a new interview setup wizard.
Transcript / Details: On existing cards: open the saved transcript, or resume setup (Draft / Ready sessions reopen the Connect flow).

Step 4

Create a session

Click Create session. Fill in the job context so answers match the role you are interviewing for.

New session form with session type, company, role, and job description — New session — job details and required fields.

New session form with job fields filled and a resume selected — Example filled form with a resume selected.

Session type: Usually Interview for a live meeting.
Job posting URL: Optional link to the posting for your reference.
Company: Employer or team name shown on the session card.
Target role (required): Title you are interviewing for (for example Backend Engineer).
Job description (required): Paste the posting text so the model has role context.
Resume (required): Pick an uploaded resume, or use Upload resume / Refresh.
Supporting documents: Optional extras via Upload document.
Response language: Language for spoken and typed answers (default English).
Model: AI model used for answers (for example Claude Haiku 4.5).
Answer style: How long answers should be (for example Concise).
Cancel / Next: Leave setup, or continue to session settings after required fields are filled.

Step 5

Session settings

Answer guidance (required): Instructions for live spoken and typed answers. Your role, job description, and resume are included as context. Screenshot help uses a separate built-in guide.
Auto-generate answers: When on, the app can generate answers without waiting for Ctrl+Enter each time.
Save transcript: Keep a transcript of the session for later review (recommended).
Back: Return to the job details step.
Create interview session: Saves a Ready session and moves you to the Connect step.

Step 6

Connect

Summary: Confirms session type, role, company, and model.
Plan line: Shows your Prep Desk access (trial, monthly, yearly, or credits) and expiry when applicable.
Connect: Starts the live session. If you are on the free trial, the 10-minute clock starts here — not when you only open the app.
Retry: Try Connect again if the first attempt did not go through.
Back: Return to session settings without starting the clock.

Step 7

Live interview toolbar

Live session toolbar with Answer, Screenshot, Chat, Look, Guide, timer, and End — Active session — listening status, timer, and main actions.

Answer (Ctrl+Enter): Generate an answer from the live discussion or chat text.
Screenshot (Ctrl+Shift+Enter): Capture the screen and analyze the visible question.
Chat (Ctrl+Shift+Space): Open the chat box to type a question, then Ctrl+Enter to answer.
Look / Guide: Appearance settings, or the in-app keyboard shortcut list.
Status line: Shows listening / speaking state (for example “Listening to you and the interviewer…”).
Timer: Elapsed time for the connected session.
End: Stop the live session.
Clear: Clear the current answer / display content.

The assistant window can stay on top of your meeting app. Shortcuts also work when another window is focused (hold Ctrl as shown on each badge).

Step 8

Answer from the live transcript

When the interviewer asks a system design question, the app picks it up in the live transcript. Press Answer (Ctrl+Enter) — you do not need to type in Chat. The Question and Answer panels open on the white background so you can read and copy the reply.

Live session with a system design question from the transcript and a structured answer panel, chat closed — Example from the transcript: design a URL shortener — Question and Answer on the light UI (no Chat box).

Live transcript: The app listens to you and the interviewer. System design prompts appear as the Question when you generate.
Answer (Ctrl+Enter): Builds a reply from the recent discussion plus your role, job description, and resume.
Question / Answer panel: Shows the detected question and the structured answer on the white background.
Copy: Copy the answer to the clipboard.
Chat (optional): Only if you want to type a follow-up yourself (Ctrl+Shift+Space). Keep it closed for transcript answers.
Answer history: Use Ctrl+← / Ctrl+→ when you have more than one generated answer.

Step 9

Look panel

Check for updates: Look for a newer desktop build.
Open dashboard: Open Prep Desk in the browser.
AI connection: Configure or test the AI provider connection.
Theme: Light, Dark, System, or Custom.
Background / Text: Color swatches or hex values so the overlay fits your meeting UI.
Background opacity: Drag lower to let the meeting show through; text and buttons stay readable.
Transcript lines: How many transcript lines stay visible.
Sign out: Sign out of Prep Desk on this PC.
Esc: Close the Look / Guide panel.

Step 10

Keyboard shortcuts

Ctrl+EnterAnswer — generate from discussion or chat.

Ctrl+Shift+EnterScreenshot — capture and analyze the visible question.

Ctrl+Shift+SpaceChat — open the chat box to type a question.

Ctrl+← / Ctrl+→Answer history — previous or next generated answer.

Ctrl+↑ / Ctrl+↓Scroll answer — scroll the open answer panel.

Ctrl+Shift+ArrowSnap window — move the assistant to a screen edge or corner.

Ctrl+Shift+XHide pointer — hold to keep the pointer on your screen and hide it from shared video (changeable in preferences).

EscClose menu — close Look / Guide.

Open Guide anytime during a live session for the same list inside the app.