How to use ChannelPulse

Getting started

ChannelPulse is a desktop app. Sign in with email one-time codes — no password to remember. After verify, onboarding asks for a personal profile and a starting persona so the assistant already knows how you sound.

1. Download the macOS or Windows installer from the site, then open ChannelPulse.
2. Enter your email and the code from your inbox. Codes expire quickly — request a new one if needed.
3. Finish onboarding with a short profile (role, strengths, how you like to sound) and pick or accept a persona.
4. Open Audio and confirm the correct microphone before your first call.

The live overlay

The floating pill sits on top of Zoom, Meet, Teams, and other call apps. It listens to system audio (and optionally your mic), shows a live transcript, and surfaces a glanceable Suggested reply as a talking point.

1. From the Dashboard, click Start listening — or show the overlay with your shortcut (default often \ / configured under Cursor & Shortcuts).
2. Grant mic / system-audio permissions the first time. Use the waveform to confirm ChannelPulse can hear the call.
3. Keep the pill collapsed to stay minimal; expand when you want the suggested reply or quick actions.
4. Use Chat with data to ask follow-ups about the transcript (“What did they say about timeline?”) with citations when web research is on.
5. Attach a screenshot mid-call when context isn’t in the audio alone.
6. About to share your screen? Click the eye button in the window’s toolbar to turn Privacy Mode on or off without leaving the call — the same switch also lives under Settings in the window’s left sidebar and in the app’s Settings page.

Dashboard

Your home base after sign-in. Glance at activity, jump into recent conversations, or start listening for the next call.

1. Use Start listening when you’re about to join a call.
2. Open a recent conversation to continue in Chats, or Open in Overlay to pull it into the live pill.
3. Jump to Personas if you need a different scenario voice before the meeting.

Interview practice

Mock interviews with a spoken AI interviewer, scored feedback, and model answers. Tabs cover Practice templates, By company, By role, and saved Results.

1. Open Interview Practice from the sidebar.
2. Choose a template, browse By company / By role, or create a session from a job description.
3. Answer by voice or typing. For coding, run your solution then Check. For system design, sketch on the canvas then Check.
4. Use Prev / Next and question numbers to revisit earlier answers before you finish.
5. End the session to see the assessment report — scores, strengths, improvements, and model answers. Results stay saved for review.

Chats

Every saved conversation lives here — search, filter by date, switch list/card views, and open a thread to keep talking with citations and pinned suggestions.

1. Browse or search conversations; use date filters when the list gets long.
2. Open a thread to continue chatting, pin useful suggestions, or download the transcript.
3. Use Open in Overlay when you want that context during a live call.
4. Each chat stays independent of other chats. Upload a résumé under Files (and keep Profile current) when you want answers grounded in your materials.

Profile & billing

Your account email, plan status, and the durable profile text the assistant always knows. Upgrade or manage billing here when the trial ends.

1. Keep your profile current — role, domain, how you like to sound.
2. Use Profile Builder if you want a guided rewrite.
3. Upgrade or open the billing portal when you’re ready; see pricing for Free vs Pro.

Personas

Personas specialize the live coach — interview, support, and custom scenarios — as extra guidance on top of ChannelPulse’s base behavior. Select one before a call to change tone and priorities.

1. Open Personas, pick an active card, or create one from scratch / samples.
2. Edit guidance text so it matches the meeting you’re walking into.
3. Switch personas between calls — the overlay uses whichever is selected.

Audio & screenshot

Audio picks microphone and speaker devices and lets you test the mic waveform. Screenshot configures how captures attach to the assistant mid-call (selection vs full screen) with a test preview.

1. Under Audio, select input/output and run a mic test. If nothing moves, open OS Sound settings.
2. Under Screenshot, choose capture mode, enable it, and run a test capture into the preview lightbox.
3. On a call, use your screenshot shortcut to attach visual context to the assistant.

Responses

Tune how AI replies feel: length (short / medium / long), language, and auto-scroll. Some options may be Pro-gated depending on your plan.

1. Open Responses from Capture & output.
2. Pick a default length that matches how you talk on calls — short for live interviews, longer for written follow-ups.
3. Set language and auto-scroll preferences, then return to the overlay to feel the change.

Cursor & shortcuts

Choose cursor visibility (including an invisible cursor for a cleaner look on calls) and manage global hotkeys: toggle dashboard, show/hide overlay, focus input, move the window, system audio, voice input, and screenshot.

1. Open Cursor & Shortcuts.
2. Set cursor type for the overlay window.
3. Click a shortcut row to rebind; reset if something conflicts with another app.

Files

Upload resumes, PDFs, notes, or code so answers stay grounded in your materials. Files are indexed; toggle a file on for global use across conversations.

1. Go to Files (sidebar) and upload your resume plus any role-specific notes.
2. Wait for indexing, then leave critical files On for global grounding.
3. Turn files off when you don’t want them influencing a different scenario.

App settings

Theme, launch at login, dock/taskbar icon, always-on-top, Privacy Mode, and cloud Sync status. Each chat and session stays independent; keep your Profile current so answers stay personal.

1. Check Sync after you change devices — use Sync now if a restore looks stale.
2. Each chat stays independent of other chats; turn on Files (resume/docs) when you want grounding across sessions.
3. Enable autostart if you want ChannelPulse ready every morning.
4. Privacy Mode keeps the floating window out of screen shares and recordings and hides its dock/taskbar icon while it’s tucked away. It’s off by default (you’re asked during setup), and the same switch is in the floating window itself — the eye button in its toolbar, or under Settings in its left sidebar.

Tips & troubleshooting

• No transcript / silent waveform: Recheck Audio devices, OS permissions for mic & system audio, and that the call app isn’t muted.
• Overlay not appearing: Use the show/hide shortcut, confirm Always on top in Settings, and make sure onboarding finished (the overlay stays hidden until then).
• Answers feel generic: Enrich your Profile and select the right Persona for the meeting.
• Practice grades look cut off: Prefer Medium/Long under Responses when grading coding or system-design work.
• Report a bug: Sidebar → Report a bug opens Discord. For guides, use the Help icon in the sidebar (opens this page).

Common questions

Mac says “Channel Pulse can’t be opened” or is from an unidentified developer — is that safe?

Yes — this is macOS Gatekeeper, and it shows up on any app downloaded outside the App Store that Apple hasn’t notarized yet (we’re working on that). It’s a one-time step per install, not a sign anything’s wrong.

macOS · Gatekeeper

“Channel Pulse” can’t be opened

Apple cannot check it for malicious software because it isn’t signed with a known identity.

Done

System Settings → Privacy & Security

Security

“Channel Pulse” was blocked to protect your Mac. Open Anyway

1. Double-click Channel Pulse once — you’ll see the “can’t be opened” alert above. Click Done.
2. Open System Settings → Privacy & Security, scroll to the bottom of the Security section, and click Open Anyway next to the Channel Pulse message.
3. Enter your Mac password or use Touch ID when prompted.
4. Open Channel Pulse again from Applications or Launchpad — this time you’ll get a normal confirmation with an Open button. Click it, and you won’t see this again for this version.

Prefer one step? Right-click (Control-click) the app in Finder → Open → Open again on the confirmation — this skips System Settings entirely. Comfortable with Terminal? xattr -cr "/Applications/Channel Pulse.app" removes the quarantine flag directly, then open normally.

Does the notes window show up in screen shares?

By default, yes — it behaves like any other app window on macOS and Windows. If you'd like it excluded from screen shares and recordings for your own privacy, turn on Privacy Mode. The app asks which you prefer when you first set it up, and you can flip it any time from the eye button in the window's own toolbar (also under Settings in the window's left sidebar) or from Settings → Privacy Mode.

How do I practice for a specific company?

Open Interview Practice → By company, or browse the web question bank, then start a scored session in the app.

Suggested reply vs Chat with data?

Suggested reply is the glanceable live answer. Chat with data is a separate analyst chat about the transcript, with optional web research and citations.

Is there a free plan?

Yes — start with a 7-day Pro trial (no card). After that, Free keeps live transcript and the overlay; Pro unlocks unlimited AI assists, practice, personas, web research, and more. See pricing.

How do I get help or report a bug?

Join our Discord community — the fastest way to get help, report bugs, ask interview questions, and share wins with other candidates. In the app you can also use Report a bug in the sidebar.

Join our Discord