Desktop App
The desktop client is a native Windows and macOS application. It signs in with the same account you use on the web, and it is what makes AceRound safe to run during a shared screen or a proctored assessment.
What It Adds Over the Browser
- Anti screen-capture answer layer — the overlay is visible on your own display only. It does not appear in screen sharing, window recording or screenshots; the interviewer or proctor sees the original screen.
- No share prompt — the client captures system audio directly, so you never pick a tab or window at the start of an interview.
- Never steals focus — your keyboard and mouse stay in the meeting, the exam page or the online IDE. The overlay only hints from the side.
- Coding Test Copilot — online assessments and take-homes run from this app. See Coding Test Copilot.
- Global hotkeys — drive the overlay without ever clicking it.
System Requirements
- Windows 10 version 2004 or later
- macOS 13 or later
- A working microphone and an internet connection
Current version: v0.2.21.
Install
macOS
- Download the DMG from the AceRound site.
- Open it and drag AceRound into Applications.
- Launch it from Applications or Launchpad.
The macOS build is notarized by Apple and installs like any other app.
On first use, macOS asks for Screen Recording permission — that is how the client captures interview audio. Enable it under System Settings → Privacy & Security → Screen Recording, then restart the app. Do this before the interview rather than during it.
Windows
- Download the installer from the AceRound site.
- If your browser flags the file as "not commonly downloaded", choose Keep or Keep anyway in the download list.
- Open the installer and follow the prompts.
Sign In
Launch the app and sign in — it opens your browser, you confirm, and the session returns to the client. Your minutes, passes and knowledge base are the same across web, desktop and phone.
Default Hotkeys
Every hotkey is remappable in the client's settings.
| Action | Windows | macOS |
|---|---|---|
| Scroll the answer up | Ctrl + Shift + ↑ | ⌘ + ⇧ + ↑ |
| Scroll the answer down | Ctrl + Shift + ↓ | ⌘ + ⇧ + ↓ |
| Answer now / follow up | Ctrl + Shift + Enter | ⌘ + ⇧ + Enter |
| Screenshot and solve | Ctrl + Shift + S | ⌘ + ⇧ + S |
| Ask by voice | Ctrl + Shift + M | ⌘ + ⇧ + M |
| Hide the overlay instantly | Ctrl + Shift + H | ⌘ + ⇧ + H |
The hide hotkey is a toggle: press it once to make the overlay disappear, press it again to bring it back.
Desktop, Browser or Phone?
| Desktop client | Browser | Phone as second screen | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Live interview assistance | ✅ | ✅ | Read-only display |
| Hidden from screen sharing | ✅ | — | ✅ (separate device) |
| Coding Test Copilot | ✅ | — | — |
| Phone interviews | — | ✅ | — |
| Install required | Yes | No | No |
Use the browser to try AceRound out and for phone screens; use the desktop client for interviews that matter and for every online assessment. A phone or tablet can be added to either as a second screen — see Dual-Device Mode.
Before Your Interview
- Install and sign in a day early, not an hour early.
- Grant the system permission prompt once, then restart the app.
- Run a Free Trial (5 minutes) session to confirm the client hears the interviewer.
- Check where the overlay sits on your screen and how you will glance at it naturally.