InterviewBeaconSetting up InterviewBeacon
This page walks you through everything from downloading InterviewBeacon to your first hint — install, entering your API key, granting permissions, and starting to listen. Worth doing once calmly before a real interview, rather than the moment one starts.
1. Download
Get InterviewBeacon from the download page. It's free to try — no purchase required upfront. You get around 10-15 free hints before you need a license.
One thing worth knowing before you download: InterviewBeacon and SyntaxCue are the same underlying app, built by the same developer, currently sharing one installer — so the file you download and the app you open are named "SyntaxCue," not "InterviewBeacon." Nothing else about it changes: your free trial, your $79 license, and support all stay InterviewBeacon's. Builds are published on GitHub Releases, not a custom update server. Each release includes a SHA-256 checksum so you can verify your download — see the Security page for how.
2. Install
macOS
- Open the downloaded
.dmg. - Drag SyntaxCue into your Applications folder.
- Launch it from Applications or Launchpad.
The macOS build is code-signed and notarized by Apple, so on first launch you'll see the standard "downloaded from the internet — Apple checked it for malware" confirmation, not an "unidentified developer" block. Click to open and you're in. (Launch it from Applications rather than running it from inside the mounted .dmg volume.)
Windows
- Run the downloaded installer (
-setup.exe). - Windows SmartScreen will show "Windows protected your PC" on first run. This is expected: the Windows build isn't code-signed yet, so SmartScreen doesn't recognize it — not a sign anything's wrong with your specific download.
- Click "More info", then "Run anyway" to continue.
If you want to confirm the file wasn't tampered with before running it, every GitHub release posts a SHA-256 checksum you can compare against — the exact commands are on the Security page. You don't need to disable any antivirus or security software to install.
3. First launch — connect your provider
When the app opens, the setup screen asks for a couple of things up front:
- LLM provider — a dropdown with two choices: OpenAI or Anthropic (Claude).
- API key — paste in your key. It's stored locally in your OS's secure keychain (macOS Keychain / Windows Credential Manager) and never sent anywhere except straight to your chosen provider's API. There's a collapsible "How do I get an API key?" section right in the app that walks through creating one from the provider's dashboard.
This is the one real prerequisite: you need an OpenAI or Anthropic API account with billing enabled and some credit on it. InterviewBeacon is bring-your-own-key, so your usage is billed to you directly by the provider. If your first hint fails, an empty or unbilled API account is the most common reason.
4. Permissions
The app has a dedicated Permissions section with "Check / enable" and "Allow" buttons. Walk through it now, before an interview, rather than during one:
- System audio access (required) — this is how InterviewBeacon hears the interview at all. Without it, there's nothing to transcribe.
- Screen Recording access (macOS only, and only if you use the screenshot button) — needed for that feature specifically. If you don't plan to capture screenshots, you don't need this.
5. Start listening
Click "Start listening" and wait for the "Listening" status to appear before you speak. The transcription model and audio capture take a few real seconds to initialize on start. Speaking too early looks exactly like a capture bug from your side, so give it that moment. Once it says Listening, you're live — it works the same whether your interview is happening in Zoom, Google Meet, or Microsoft Teams, since it listens to your computer's system audio rather than integrating with any specific call app.
FAQ
Does it work with Zoom, Microsoft Teams, or Google Meet?
Yes. InterviewBeacon listens to your computer's system audio, not any specific call app, so it works the same regardless of which platform your interview happens to be on.
What if I don't have an API key yet?
You'll need one before your first hint works — InterviewBeacon is bring-your-own-key. The app has a built-in "How do I get an API key?" section that walks through creating one from OpenAI's or Anthropic's dashboard, including enabling billing. Set this up before an interview, not during one.
Why is the file I downloaded named "SyntaxCue"?
InterviewBeacon and SyntaxCue are the same underlying app, built by the same developer — currently distributed as one shared installer under the SyntaxCue name. Everything you'll actually use — the free trial, the $79 one-time license, support at [email protected] — is InterviewBeacon's. Only the installer's product name hasn't been split out yet.
Do I need to grant Screen Recording permission?
On macOS, yes — if you plan to use the app's screenshot button, which uses macOS's own screenshot tool. Pasting a screenshot you took yourself doesn't need it. Windows has no equivalent permission.
Nothing happens when I click Start listening — is it broken?
Give it a few seconds and wait for the "Listening" status before speaking. The transcription model and audio capture take a moment to initialize, and speaking too early is the most common reason it looks like nothing's happening.
For how to verify your download and exactly what leaves your machine, see Security. Once your free hints run out, a one-time $79 license unlocks unlimited use for 6 months — details on Pricing.