How to detect Cluely and hidden AI tools in interviews
Updated October 27, 2026
You usually cannot detect Cluely or Interview Coder by watching a video call. These tools draw windows that screen sharing does not capture, so your view of the candidate's screen looks clean. The dependable way is a check that runs on the candidate's own computer, with their consent, and reports what it finds.
This guide explains how hidden AI interview tools work, which signs people look for and why those signs mislead, and what a proper check looks like.
What hidden AI interview tools are
Hidden AI interview tools are desktop apps that listen to the interview and suggest answers in real time. Some read the question from the call audio. Some take a picture of the screen to solve a coding task. The answer appears in a small window on top of everything else, often see through, placed near the camera.
The part that matters for interviewers is how that window is drawn. Mac and Windows both let an app mark a window as hidden from capture. The person at the computer sees it. Screen sharing, screen recording and screenshots do not. When the candidate shares their screen in Google Meet, the window is simply missing from the picture you receive.
That is why the search "AI tools invisible to screen share" exists. Asking a candidate to share their whole screen is not proof of a clean desktop. It only shows you what the computer chooses to send.
Signs people notice, and why they are unreliable
Interviewers often watch for patterns like these:
| Sign people look for | Why it is weak on its own |
|---|---|
| Eyes moving to one spot while answering | Many people read notes, look at their own video, or look away to think. |
| A short pause, then a fluent, complete answer | Careful speakers and people working in a second language pause too. |
| Answers that sound written rather than spoken | Some candidates prepare well and rehearse common questions. |
| Typing sounds or clicks during questions | People take notes during interviews. |
| Strong answers, weaker follow up | Nerves and the question itself affect this a lot. |
Each of these can point to a hidden helper. Each one also happens with honest, nervous or neurodivergent candidates. Treating a sign as proof leads to unfair decisions, and a careful user of a hidden tool can avoid most of them. Follow up questions and asking someone to explain their reasoning are good interviewing, but they are a judgment, not a finding.
How to check properly
Because the hidden window lives on the candidate's computer, the check has to run there too. A useful check does a few things:
- It asks the candidate for consent first and shows what it will look at.
- It finds windows that are hidden from screen sharing and names the app that owns them.
- It knows the common AI interview helpers by name, so a result says which app, not only that something is there.
- It keeps checking during the call, not just once before it starts.
- It separates "open in the background" from "used during this call", so an app left open is not treated the same as one in use.
- It shows the interviewer neutral results with the reason, so you can ask a calm question instead of guessing.
A check that only runs before the call can be passed by opening the tool afterwards. A check that only watches the video cannot see the hidden window at all.
How Verified Call does it
Verified Call has two parts. The interviewer uses a Chrome extension with Google Meet. The candidate runs the Verified app on their Mac (Apple silicon) or Windows PC. The candidate agrees on a consent screen first. The app never joins the call; there is no bot in the meeting.
During the call, the app finds windows hidden from screen sharing and names the app they belong to. It keeps a list of known AI interview helpers it can name, which includes Cluely, Free Cluely, OpenCluely, Interview Coder, Final Round AI, LockedIn AI, Parakeet AI, Sensei AI, Verve AI, Beyz, Cheating Daddy, Ghostbar, Glass, Interview Solver, Leetcode Wizard, Natively, Pluely, ShadeCoder and ZNinja. Every few seconds it checks whether an AI tool on the list is in front, shows a window, or uses the microphone, call audio or screen capture.
The result shows as a badge in Google Meet. The host sees "used during this call" only with proof. A tool that is only open shows as "open in the background". Anything that needs attention is marked as Needs a look, with the reason in plain words, and you decide what it means.
In our own testing on October 4, 2026, each of 4 hidden AI tools was found in 30 of 30 tries, with 0 of 30 false alarms with no AI tool open. The method and limits are on our research page. Being on the list of named helpers is not the same as a tested result for that tool.
Verified Call works with Google Meet in Chrome today. Zoom and Microsoft Teams are coming soon.
Frequently asked questions
Can you detect Cluely in an interview?
Not reliably by watching the call, because Cluely draws a window that screen sharing does not capture. A check on the candidate's own computer can find windows hidden from screen sharing and name the app they belong to.
Does Cluely show up on screen share?
Usually not. Tools like Cluely mark their windows as hidden from capture, so the candidate sees them but a screen share or recording does not.
How do you detect Interview Coder?
The same way as other hidden helpers. A check that runs on the candidate's computer looks for windows hidden from screen sharing and for known AI interview helpers that are open, in front, or using the microphone or screen capture.
Can a recruiter tell if a candidate is using AI during a video interview?
Sometimes there are signs, such as pauses or eyes moving to one spot, but nervous or careful people show them too. Signs alone are not proof. A check on the candidate's computer gives you facts instead of guesses.
Does Verified Call join the meeting as a bot?
No. Verified Call never joins the call. The candidate runs the Verified app on their own Mac or Windows PC after agreeing on a consent screen, and the result shows as a badge in Google Meet.
See it on a real call
Book a short demo and we will show the check on a Google Meet call, including how hidden windows and named AI helpers appear to the host.