01Getting started

Install QPilot for Windows from the Microsoft Store. macOS, Android and iOS releases are planned.
Connect your keys in the first-run BYOK setup. Without a key, you can rehearse by typing or simulating text; browser speech may also work where supported.
Build an agenda from a preset or from scratch. Give each point a title, optional keywords and a time budget.
Press start and talk. Points check off as you cover them, in whatever order the conversation takes.

02Bring your own keys

Deepgram (speech-to-text)

Create a key in your Deepgram console and paste the secret key — not the key identifier (UUID). QPilot runs a one-click live verification against Nova-2 so you know it works before you present.

Semantic engine (optional)

Add a TypeSafe key to enable intent-based coverage scoring. Without it, QPilot uses the on-device concept matcher.

Keys are stored locally on your device. See the Privacy Policy for exactly where data flows.

03Speech engines & fallback

QPilot always picks the best engine available and steps down gracefully:

Deepgram Nova-2 — streaming WebSocket transcription on your key. It needs a network connection.
Browser Web Speech — built into Chromium browsers, no key required.
Manual rehearsal — type or simulate a line and let the on-device matcher check the agenda without a network connection. This does not transcribe microphone audio offline.

04How points get checked off

Each still-open point is scored on a 1–5 coverage scale. When it crosses your ratchet threshold (default 2.5 / 5) it latches complete and is never re-evaluated — so the list only ever moves forward, no matter what order you speak in.

Choose a verification mode in Settings → Engine:

Comprehensive — semantic intent scoring against the full point.
Title — checks off when you paraphrase the point’s title (adjust from loose paraphrase to exact phrase).
Trigger — checks off after 1–3 of the point’s keywords are spoken.
Hybrid — whichever signal fires first.

You can always tick or untick a point manually.

05The three display modes

Studio — full dashboard with transcript, telemetry, progress bar, timers and agenda manager. Best for rehearsal.
Zoom Dock — a slim vertical strip that snaps beside Zoom, Teams or Meet. On desktop it can pin itself always-on-top.
Focus HUD — the current point, keyword chips and upcoming points in a focused window you can position near your webcam. Choose minimal, balanced or detailed density.

06Always-on-top & stealth

Desktop app: the window morphs to each mode’s size and can stay always-on-top. On Windows, screen-share stealth excludes the QPilot window from screen capture, so it stays invisible to Zoom, Teams and OBS while you share.

Desktop glass effects (Blur, Acrylic, Mica) and five colour themes are available under Settings → Appearance.

07Keyboard

`Esc`	Close the open dialog, drawer or modal
`Tab` / `Shift` + `Tab`	Move between controls — every control is keyboard reachable
`Enter` / `Space`	Activate the focused button, e.g. tick a point manually

Configurable global hotkeys are on the roadmap. Tell us which ones you’d like at support@thefabsgroup.co.uk.

08Presets & session reports

Start from built-in presets such as Keynote / Investor Pitch, Engineering Stand-up and Class Lecture, or save your own. When you finish, the session summary shows coverage telemetry and the transcript, ready to copy into your CRM, notes or an AI assistant.

09Troubleshooting

No transcription? Check your browser or Windows microphone permission, and that the right input device is selected under Settings → Audio.
Deepgram key rejected? Make sure you pasted the secret, not the key ID, and that it has transcription (usage) permission.
Corporate network? QPilot can fall back to HTTP chunk streaming, then browser speech where available. If neither works, type or simulate lines to rehearse locally.
Desktop app won’t start? QPilot requires the Microsoft Edge WebView2 Runtime. It ships with Windows 11; on older Windows 10 builds, install it from Microsoft.
Still stuck? Email support@thefabsgroup.co.uk.