CuePilot

Setup guide

From download to your first answer in about 10 minutes: install CuePilot, activate it, connect your own OpenRouter key, and learn the shortcuts.

Step 1

Before you start

  • A Windows 10 (version 2004 or later) or Windows 11 PC, 64-bit. macOS is not supported yet.
  • Your interview or meeting app (Zoom, Google Meet, Teams…) on the same PC, with sound coming through it.
  • A microphone if you want it to hear your side too (optional).
  • An OpenRouter account with a few dollars of credit. Step 4 shows how.

Step 2

Install the app

  1. 1Go to the Download page and click Download for Windows. You’ll get CuePilot-Setup.exe.
  2. 2Open the file. If Windows shows “Windows protected your PC”, click More info → Run anyway. This appears for new apps that aren’t code-signed yet.
  3. 3Click through the installer. No admin rights are needed; it installs just for you. Tick Create a desktop shortcut if you want one.
  4. 4Leave Launch CuePilot ticked and click Finish.
The Download page: click Download for Windows.
The Download page: click Download for Windows.

You can find it later in the Start menu as “CuePilot”.

Step 3

Activate your license

  1. 1On first launch the app shows License required with your Hardware ID. Click Copy HWID; the button turns to “Copied!”.
  2. 2On this website, create an account (or sign in), open Pricing and click Buy now on a plan.
  3. 3Paste your Hardware ID, enter your mobile number, apply a coupon if you have one, and pay with UPI, card or net banking.
  4. 4After payment you’ll see Payment received. Click Download license.lic (it’s also in your dashboard any time).
  5. 5In the app, click Select license.lic file… or simply drag the file onto the CuePilot window. It’s remembered from then on.
Pricing: try the 1-day trial or pick a plan.
Pricing: try the 1-day trial or pick a plan.
Checkout: paste your Hardware ID and mobile number. (Example values shown.)
Checkout: paste your Hardware ID and mobile number. (Example values shown.)
Your dashboard: after you pay, your license appears here with a Download license.lic button.
Your dashboard: after you pay, your license appears here with a Download license.lic button.

A license is locked to one computer. Bought it for the wrong PC? Email support@example.com with the new Hardware ID.

Step 4

Create your OpenRouter API key

CuePilot uses your own OpenRouter key: you pay OpenRouter directly for the AI you use, with no markup from us, and choose any model they offer.

  1. 1Go to openrouter.ai and click Sign in (Google, GitHub or email).
  2. 2Open Credits and click Add Credits. OpenRouter is prepaid: a few dollars is enough to start, and you can never be charged more than you load. Already have credit? Skip this.
OpenRouter → Credits → Add Credits. (Balance and email blurred.)
OpenRouter → Credits → Add Credits. (Balance and email blurred.)
  1. 3Open API Keys (under Workspace in the left menu) and click + New Key.
Workspace → API Keys → + New Key. (Existing keys blurred.)
Workspace → API Keys → + New Key. (Existing keys blurred.)
  1. 4Enter a Name such as CuePilot, choose an Expiration and a Credit limit (the most this key may ever spend), then click Create.
  2. 5Copy the key that appears: it starts with sk-or-v1- and is shown only once. Keep it private, like a password.
The Create API Key form: name it CuePilot and set a credit limit.
The Create API Key form: name it CuePilot and set a credit limit.

Screenshots taken in October 2026. If OpenRouter has moved things around, look for “Credits” and “API Keys” in the menu.

Step 5

Connect the key to CuePilot

  1. 1In CuePilot, open the Settings tab. Under OpenRouter, paste your key into API key. It saves automatically on this PC.
  2. 2Still in Settings, under Live answers, pick the Answer model. A fast model such as openai/gpt-4o-mini starts answering in about 2 seconds.
  3. 3In Settings → Screen capture, choose the Screenshot model for coding problems (a strong vision model works best).
  4. 4Transcription works with the same key by default (Settings → Speech-to-text → Engine). Deepgram is optional and needs its own key.

Step 6

Add your resume and the job description

  1. 1Open the Knowledge Base tab.
  2. 2Fill in Resume, Job Description and Project README / Notes: paste text or click Load file… (.txt or .md; save PDFs as text first).
  3. 3That’s it. Everything is saved on your PC and used in every answer, so answers sound like your real experience.

Step 7

Use it in an interview

Two ways to answer

  • Hands-free: in Settings, tick Answer detected questions automatically while listening. CuePilot answers each question as soon as the interviewer stops speaking.
  • Answer on click: in Settings, untick Answer detected questions automatically. It keeps listening, and answers everything heard so far when you click Answer or press CtrlShiftA. Great for long, multi-part questions.
  • Coding problems: click Capture Screen at the top (as many times as needed), then Send on the Screen & Type tab. You can also type a question there.

Shortcuts

Start / stop listening
CtrlShiftL
Answer now
CtrlShiftA
Click-through on / off
CtrlShiftSpace
Show / hide the overlay
CtrlAltH
Clear the answer
CtrlShiftBackspace

Keep Settings → Privacy → Hide the HUD from screen capture, recording and sharing ticked. Do a quick test screen share with a friend before your real interview.

Step 8

Troubleshooting

It says “Listening” but no text appears

Check that call audio plays through your default speakers or headset, then click Settings → Diagnostics → Reconnect audio.

“No OpenRouter API key”

Paste your key in Settings → OpenRouter → API key (step 5) and make sure your OpenRouter account has credit.

“HWID mismatch”

The license was bought for a different computer. Email support with this PC’s Hardware ID.

“License expired”

Buy a new period on the Pricing page, then load the new license.lic.

“The system clock was set back”

Set Windows to the correct date and time automatically (Settings → Time & language).

The overlay shows in my screen share

You need Windows 10 version 2004 or later, and the Privacy option in Settings must be ticked.

Step 9

Uninstall

Windows Settings → Apps → Installed apps → CuePilot → Uninstall. You’ll be asked whether to also delete your saved settings and API key.

Stuck somewhere?

Check the FAQ or email support@example.com.

Download CuePilot