Help & FAQ

Common questions, troubleshooting, and keyboard shortcuts.

Installation

Windows shows "Windows protected your PC" warning

This is normal for new apps that haven't been code-signed yet. It doesn't mean the app is unsafe — Windows just doesn't recognize the publisher yet.

To get past this: Click "More info" → then click "Run anyway" at the bottom. You only need to do this once.

We're working on getting the app signed with a certificate so this won't appear in the future.

Where does SnapShotAI install?

SnapShotAI is a portable app — no installation needed. Just run the .exe from wherever you downloaded it (Downloads folder, Desktop, etc). It runs in your system tray near the clock.

How do I uninstall it?

Just delete the .exe file. SnapShotAI also stores a config file at ~/.snapshotai/config.json — delete that folder too for a clean removal.

Keyboard Shortcuts

Shortcut
Action
Ctrl Shift S
Full screen capture (invisible — nothing appears on screen)
Ctrl Shift A
Region capture (drag to select an area)
Ctrl Shift Q
Quit SnapShotAI

Hotkeys aren't working

Try these fixes in order:

Make sure SnapShotAI is running — look for the purple ghost icon in your system tray (near the clock).
Try right-clicking the tray icon and selecting "Full Screen Capture" to verify the app works.
Try running the app as Administrator — right-click the .exe → "Run as administrator".
Check if another app is using the same shortcut (some screenshot tools use Ctrl+Shift+S).

Stealth Mode

How does stealth mode work?

SnapShotAI uses a native Windows API (SetWindowDisplayAffinity) to make the AI response overlay invisible to all screen capture tools — Zoom, Teams, Discord, OBS, and any screen recording software.

You see the answers on your monitor. Anyone watching via screen share sees nothing.

Does stealth work on Mac?

Yes. On macOS, we use NSWindow.sharingType to achieve the same effect.

Can my teacher/proctor see the app running?

The AI overlay is invisible to screen capture. However, the app does appear in your system tray and in Task Manager. If proctoring software checks running processes, it could detect the app is running.

Account & Billing

What do I get with the Free plan?

15 AI-powered captures per day, follow-up questions, stealth mode, and full access to both Windows and Mac apps. Resets at midnight UTC.

What does Pro include?

Unlimited captures, priority AI responses, capture history, and early access to new features. $5.99/month, cancel anytime.

How do I sign out or switch accounts?

Right-click the tray icon and select "Sign Out", or delete ~/.snapshotai/config.json and restart the app.

Is my data private?

Yes. Screenshots are sent to our AI server, analyzed, and immediately discarded. We never store your images. Your account data (email, usage count) is stored securely in Supabase.

Troubleshooting

AI response says "Error" or doesn't appear

Check your internet connection.
Make sure you're signed in — right-click the tray icon to check.
If you're on the Free plan, you may have hit the 15/day limit. Check your dashboard.
Try quitting and reopening the app.

App doesn't start or crashes immediately

Make sure you're running Windows 10 or later (64-bit). If the app won't open, try running it from Command Prompt to see error messages:

Open Command Prompt → drag the .exe into the window → press Enter. Any error messages will appear in the terminal.

Need more help?

Join our Discord or reach out on Twitter @EmberdevAi.