How to use GhostCue

A simple setup & usage guide

GhostCue is a small bar that floats invisibly over your interview. It listens to the interviewer, and gives you an answer the moment you need one — for questions they say and for questions on your screen. Set it up once (sections 1–2), then jump to During the interview.

Install & open GhostCue

On macOS

  1. Download GhostCue from the download page (macOS 13 / Ventura or later). Open the .dmg and drag GhostCue into your Applications folder.
  2. Open GhostCue from Applications. The first time, macOS asks whether you're sure you want to open an app you downloaded — click Open.

On Windows

  1. Download GhostCue from the download page (Windows 10/11) and run GhostCue-Setup.exe.
  2. If a blue "Windows protected your PC" box appears, click More infoRun anyway. GhostCue is safe to install.
  3. Follow the installer, then open GhostCue.

Sign in

The first time, you'll see a small sign-in card — click Login, sign in with the same account you use here, and return to the app. The card becomes the floating bar. You never paste API keys — your plan handles the AI.

Set up once

Grant permission (one time)

macOS: the first time you start listening, GhostCue asks for Screen & System Audio Recording — this is how it hears the interviewer (their voice from your speakers). It never records your own microphone. Enable it under System Settings → Privacy & Security → Screen & System Audio Recording, then quit and reopen the app if prompted.

Windows: the interviewer's audio is captured automatically from your default playback device — nothing to approve.

Add your prep (Modes)

This makes the answers about you, not generic. Open Settings (the gear icon) → Modes:

  • Reference cards — your résumé highlights, key wins, and STAR stories ("tell me about a time…").
  • Files — upload your résumé and the job description (PDF, DOCX, TXT, or MD).
  • Pick a Mode for the round — General, Behavioral, Coding, or Wingman (stays quiet until you ask). Each can have its own materials and decide how often it speaks up.

Right before you start

  • Position the bar near your camera so a glance is all it takes. Drag the bar to move it.
  • Check it says Undetectable. The shield button should read Undetectable — hidden from screen-share and recording. If it shows Detectable in red, others can see it. Toggle with ⌥ ⇧ S.
  • Adjust opacity (Settings → General) if the overlay is too solid or too faint.

During the interview

Two things to remember:

  • Read screen — answers a question on your screen (a coding prompt, a quiz, a chat message).
  • Listen + Cue — answers a question the interviewer says out loud. Listen turns the microphone on for the call; Cue gives you the answer to what they just asked.

Spoken questions (Listen & Cue)

  1. Click Listen (or press ⌥ ⇧ L) when the call starts. A live ticker appears showing the interviewer's words as they speak.
  2. It answers on its own. When the interviewer finishes a real question, GhostCue writes the answer into the Live panel automatically — no button needed.
  3. It won't interrupt you. If you're reading a screen answer when they speak, the view doesn't jump — a dot appears on Cue to tell you a spoken answer is waiting. Tap Cue (or ⌥ ⇧ C) to see it. Press Cue again any time you want the answer to their latest question.
  4. Click Listen again to end the call. It's saved to History, and the next start is fresh.

Spoken answers are kept short — a sentence or two you can say right away.

On-screen questions (Read screen)

Press ⌥ ⇧ R (or ⌥ S), or click Read screen. GhostCue finds the question on your screen and answers it — with a short answer, a More detail section, and a code block (with copy) for technical questions.

  • Check your own answer. Typed your answer on screen? Press Read screen again on the same question and GhostCue reviews your answer — confirming it or guiding you to the fix instead of just repeating itself.

Ask your own question

Click the bar (or press ⌥ A), type a question, and press . Your screen is read along with the question, so you can ask about the slide, chart, or document you have up.

Reading & resizing the panel

  • Page through answers with ⌘ ← / ⌘ → (Ctrl + ←/→ on Windows) — one question per page.
  • Resize the panel by dragging its bottom edge (height) or a bottom corner (width + height). Double-click a grip to reset to the default size.
  • Open/collapse the panel with Tab; Esc collapses it.

Shortcuts & help

Keyboard shortcuts

On Windows, use Alt where you see (and Shift for ).

  • ⌥ ⇧ R (or ⌥ S) — Read the screen
  • ⌥ ⇧ L — Start / stop listening
  • ⌥ ⇧ C — Cue: answer / reveal the spoken question
  • ⌥ A — Jump to the ask bar
  • — Ask / read the screen from the bar
  • Tab / Esc — Open / collapse the panel
  • ⌘ ← / ⌘ → — Previous / next answer (Ctrl on Windows)
  • ⌥ ⇧ S — Toggle Undetectable
  • ⌥ ⇧ P — Show / hide the overlay
  • ⌥ ` — Ghost mode (clicks pass through the overlay)

Quick tips

  • Test it first. Before a real call, press Listen and play any video — its audio counts as the interviewer, so you'll see the ticker and an answer appear. That confirms audio and permissions work.
  • Stay Undetectable whenever you might share your screen.
  • Coding round? While you're working a screen question, spoken answers stay quiet so they don't pull you away — press Cue if you do want one. Set a Mode to Manual if you'd rather pull every answer yourself.
  • History keeps each live call and your Read-screen answers — everything stays local on your device.

Troubleshooting

  • No ticker / transcript. macOS: the Screen & System Audio Recording permission is likely off — re-check it, then start listening again. Windows: confirm the call's audio is playing through your default playback device.
  • Transcript shows but no answers. Make sure you're signed in, and that the active Mode isn't set to Manual (Manual answers only when you press Cue or Read screen). Use When needed or Always in Settings → Modes.
  • An answer is slow. A spoken answer lands a second or two after the interviewer pauses — that pause is how GhostCue knows the question is finished.
  • Screen scan finds nothing (Windows). Add your language's OCR component under Settings → Time & language → Language & region, then scan again.

Need help?

Stuck? Email [email protected] — we reply personally.