Documentation

Everything you need to know to use Blind.Codes effectively during your coding interviews.

Quick start

01 —

Download and open the app. Sign in with GitHub.

02 —

Grant Screen Recording permission when prompted (macOS only).

03 —

Position the overlay window on your screen. It stays on top of everything.

04 —

When a coding problem appears on screen, press ⌘ ⇧ S. The solution appears in seconds.

Installation — macOS

Download the DMG for your Mac architecture (Apple Silicon or Intel), open it, and drag Blind.Codes to your Applications folder.

Note — macOS may show a security warning on first launch. Go to System Settings → Privacy & Security → scroll down → click Open Anyway. Or run xattr -cr /Applications/Blind\ Codes.app in Terminal.

On first launch, macOS will ask for Screen Recording permission. Go to System Settings → Privacy & Security → Screen Recording and enable Blind.Codes.

Installation — Windows

Download the .exe installer, run it, and follow the setup wizard. Blind.Codes will install and launch automatically.

Note — Windows SmartScreen may warn you on first launch. Click More infoRun anyway. The app is safe — it's just not yet code-signed.

No additional permissions are required on Windows. The app captures your screen directly without a system prompt.

First use

After signing in, you get 5 free credits — no credit card required. Each credit = one AI analysis.

The app window is invisible to screen recordings and screenshots by default. Your interviewer cannot see it.

App shortcuts — macOS

These shortcuts work globally — even when the app is not focused.

Capture screen & analyze S
Stealth mode (mouse passes through) L
Hide / show the window H
Reset opacity to default O
Reset to home position X
Tip — Press ⌘ ⇧ H to instantly hide the window before sharing your screen, and show it again after.

App shortcuts — Windows

Same shortcuts as macOS but using Ctrl instead of .

Capture screen & analyzeCtrl Shift S
Stealth mode (mouse passes through)Ctrl Shift L
Hide / show the windowCtrl Shift H
Reset opacity to defaultCtrl Shift O
Reset to home positionCtrl Shift X
Tip — Press Ctrl Shift H to instantly hide the window before sharing your screen, and show it again after.

System shortcuts

These standard shortcuts also work inside the app window.

Zoom in (increase text size)⌘ + / Ctrl +
Zoom out (decrease text size)⌘ - / Ctrl -
Quit the app⌘ Q / Alt F4

Language selector

Use the dropdown in the top bar to force a specific language. By default it's set to Auto — the AI detects the language from the problem context.

Supported languages: Python, JavaScript, TypeScript, Java, C++, C, C#, Go, Rust, Swift, Kotlin, Ruby, PHP, SQL.

Tip — If the interviewer specifies a language, select it manually for more accurate solutions.

Opacity & visibility

Open Settings (⚙️) to adjust:

Press ⌘ ⇧ O at any time to reset opacity to default.

Free credits

Every new account gets 5 free credits on first login. Credits never expire.

Buying credits

Open Settings (⚙️) → Buy credits. Choose a pack and you'll be redirected to a secure Stripe checkout.

Starter20 credits$5
Standard40 credits$10
Pro110 credits$25

Credits are added to your account instantly after payment. No subscription — pay once, use anytime.

Promo codes

Open Settings (⚙️) → enter your promo code in the field at the bottom → click Apply. Credits are added immediately.

⚡ Simulation mode

🧪

Practice without spending credits

Simulation mode makes the app behave exactly like in a real interview — shortcuts, overlay, response — but returns a sample solution instead of calling the AI. Zero credits consumed.

Use it before your interview to get comfortable with the workflow: positioning the window, adjusting opacity, and triggering the shortcut without hesitation.

How to enable it

01 —

Open Settings by clicking ⚙️ in the top bar.

02 —

Toggle Simulation mode on. A SIM badge appears in the top bar to confirm it's active.

03 —

Press ⌘ ⇧ S as usual. A sample solution appears instantly — no credit used.

04 —

Toggle it off before your real interview. The SIM badge disappears.

What to practice — Hide/show the window with ⌘ ⇧ H, adjust opacity in Settings, reposition the overlay, and get the ⌘ ⇧ S reflex down — all for free.
Don't forget — The SIM badge is always visible when simulation mode is on. Check it before your interview starts.

Tips & tricks

Multi-monitor — The app captures the screen where your cursor is at the moment you press ⌘ ⇧ S.
Simulation mode — Enable it in Settings to test the app without using credits. See Simulation mode.
Stay stealth — See the Stay stealth section for best practices on opacity, positioning, and avoiding detection.

Stay stealth

Blind.Codes is built to be undetectable. Here's how to make the most of it.

Screen recording detection

The overlay is content-protected at the OS level — excluded from all screen capture APIs on both macOS and Windows. Your interviewer's recording will never show the window, even if it's fully visible on your screen.

Process enumeration detection

Some interview platforms (CoderPad, HackerRank, Codility, etc.) scan the list of running processes to detect suspicious apps. Blind.Codes runs as a background accessory process with no Dock icon and no taskbar entry — it has a minimal system footprint and does not appear as a typical user-facing application in the process list.

Focus detection

The overlay never steals focus from your browser or editor. Clicking the window, triggering a capture, or showing the window after hiding it — none of these will cause your interview tab to lose focus.

Stealth mode

Enable Stealth mode with ⌘ ⇧ L (or Ctrl Shift L on Windows). When active:

This is the most important feature. Without Stealth mode, clicking the window or triggering a capture could steal focus from your interview browser — the interviewer might notice you switching windows.

Best practices

Enable Stealth mode first — Before your interview starts, press ⌘ ⇧ L to activate it. The Stealth indicator confirms it's on.
Set a low opacity — 20–30% makes the window nearly invisible at a glance. Use the hover effect to bring it to full opacity only when you need to read it.
Position it off-center — Place the overlay on a secondary monitor or in a corner far from your code editor. Avoid placing it directly over the problem statement.
Use ⌘ ⇧ H during camera checks — If the interviewer asks you to share your full screen or show your desktop, hide the window instantly before doing so.
Trigger with the keyboard only — Use ⌘ ⇧ S to capture — no need to click anything in the app. Your hands stay on the keyboard and your focus stays in the editor.
Practice with simulation mode — Run a full dry-run before your interview so the workflow is muscle memory. See Simulation mode.

✓ Dry run checklist

🧪

Do this before every interview

Run through these steps in your interview browser to make sure everything works and nothing gets flagged. Takes under 2 minutes.

Step 1 — Enable Simulation mode

Open Settings ⚙️ and toggle Simulation mode on. The SIM badge appears in the top bar. This lets you test the full workflow without spending any credits.

Why — You want the ⌘ ⇧ S reflex to be muscle memory before the real thing. Simulation mode gives you unlimited practice runs.

Step 2 — Enable Stealth mode

Press ⌘ ⇧ L (or Ctrl Shift L on Windows) to activate Stealth mode. The Stealth indicator appears in the top bar.

With Stealth mode on, your mouse passes through the overlay and your interview browser never loses focus — even when you trigger a capture.

Check — Click inside your browser while the overlay is visible. The browser should stay focused. If it doesn't, Stealth mode is not active.

Step 3 — Test your shortcuts

With both modes active, practice the full sequence:

01 —

Press ⌘ ⇧ S — a sample solution should appear in the overlay instantly.

02 —

Press ⌘ ⇧ H — the overlay hides. Press again — it reappears.

03 —

Press ⌘ ⇧ O — opacity resets to default.

Step 4 — Run the Stealth Benchmark

Open blindcodes.github.io/stealth-benchmark in your interview browser and click Run all checks. It simulates the detection techniques used by platforms like CoderPad, HackerRank, and Codility.

While the benchmark is running, press ⌘ ⇧ S to trigger a capture — the shortcut should appear in the event log. Aim for a score of 100%.

Before your interview — Disable Simulation mode once you're done testing. The SIM badge must be gone before you start.

FAQ

Is the app visible to the interviewer?

No. The window is content-protected and hidden from screen recordings and screenshots on both macOS and Windows.

Do credits expire?

No. Credits never expire and are tied to your account, not your device.

Can I use the app on multiple computers?

Yes. Sign in with the same GitHub account on any Mac or Windows PC and your credits will be there.

What happens if the AI doesn't recognize the problem?

The app will display "No coding problem identified on the screen". A credit is still used since the AI processed the screenshot.

The app says "Screen Recording permission required" (macOS)

Go to System Settings → Privacy & Security → Screen Recording → enable Blind.Codes. Then restart the app.

Windows SmartScreen blocks the app

Click More infoRun anyway. The warning appears because the app is not yet code-signed, not because it's malicious.

I paid but my credits didn't update

Credits are added automatically after payment. If they don't appear within a minute, close and reopen the app. Contact support@blind.codes if the issue persists.