Get Backstage
running in 3 minutes.
Everything you need to install the app on Windows, get through your first call, and fix the issues people hit most often. Stuck anyway? hello@backstagecopilot.com — we answer within a day.
System requirements
Install on Windows
Download the installer
Go to the download page and click Download for Windows. The file BackstageAI_Setup_0.5.5-beta.exe saves to your Downloads folder.
Get past SmartScreen
During private beta the build is not yet code-signed, so Windows may show “Windows protected your PC”. This is expected. Click More info → Run anyway.
BackstageAI_Setup_0.5.5-beta.exe — unsigned beta installers are a common false positive. Code signing is on the post-beta roadmap.Run the setup wizard
Double-click the file and follow the wizard. The default install location is %LocalAppData%\BackstageAI. No admin prompt, no system-wide changes.
Sign in with your beta email
On first launch, sign in with the exact email address that received your beta invite. A different address won't be recognized yet.
Let the models download
After sign-in, Backstage pulls its on-device speech models in the background — about 30 seconds on a normal connection. When that finishes, you're ready for a call.
Run your first call
Pick the call type
Choose what you're walking into — interview, sales discovery, customer support, investor pitch, and more. This tunes how answers are drafted; it isn't just a label.
Add your notes
Drop in the documents Backstage should answer from — your CV, a deck, a product spec, last quarter's notes. Answers cite the source file so you know where a line came from.
Join the call as usual
Start your Zoom, Meet, or Teams call the way you always do. Backstage listens to the call's audio and shows a quiet reference window on your own screen — the other side never sees it.
Use the keyboard
Keep your hands where they are. The core shortcuts on Windows:
Confirm the file is intact
Open PowerShell in your Downloads folder and run the command below. The result should match the SHA-256 shown on the download page for 0.5.5-beta.
Get-FileHash BackstageAI_Setup_0.5.5-beta.exe -Algorithm SHA256Troubleshooting
Windows says “Windows protected your PC” and won't run it
Expected during private beta — the build isn't code-signed yet. Click More info, then Run anyway. If your antivirus removed the file, restore it from quarantine and allow BackstageAI_Setup_0.5.5-beta.exe.
The transcript is garbled or keeps repeating the same phrase
This is almost always the wrong audio source. Make sure the call's system audio is actually playing on your machine (not routed to a headset Backstage can't see) and that your mic isn't muted at the OS level. Leave and rejoin the call so capture re-initializes. If it persists, check Settings → Audio and pick the device the call is actually using.
Answers feel slow to appear
Speech is transcribed on your machine, so transcription speed depends on your hardware. A dedicated GPU makes a large difference; on a CPU-only laptop, close other heavy apps and check Settings → Speech for the performance options. Drafting the answer itself is fast — if only the transcript lags, it's the speech step, not the network.
My camera won't open, or the call says the camera is in use
Only one app can hold the camera at a time. Close any other app using it (or Backstage's calibration step) and let it finish — it grabs the camera briefly, then releases it back to your call. The camera is optional: if you don't need the reading nudge, you can turn presence off in Settings and ignore this entirely.
The reference window is in the wrong place or hidden behind the call
Drag it where you want it — it remembers the position. Backstage tries to sit it near the call window automatically; if your call is full-screen on a second monitor, move the window to that screen once and it will stay there.
It won't accept my sign-in
Private beta is invite-only. Sign in with the exact email that received the invite (check spam for it). Wrong address, expired invite, or no invite at all — email hello@backstagecopilot.com.
Where does Backstage store my data?
Everything lives under %LocalAppData%\BackstageAI on your machine — models, your indexed notes, and call history. Nothing is uploaded for storage. Your audio is transcribed locally and isn't kept after the call by default.
How do I update or uninstall?
Backstage ships a new build weekly — grab the latest from the download page and run it over the existing install; your settings carry over. To remove it, use Settings → Apps → Installed apps in Windows, or run the uninstaller in %LocalAppData%\BackstageAI.
What actually leaves my machine?
Audio is captured and transcribed locally — it isn't sent anywhere for transcription. Drafting an answer makes an API call with the relevant text, and you can point that at your own API key in Settings. No usage telemetry is collected by default.
Still stuck?
Send the exact error message (a screenshot helps) and we'll get back to you within a day.