> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://strella-7d79fa26-mintlify-8c581790.mintlify.site/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Desktop vs. Mobile App Interviews in Strella: Setup Guide

> Compare desktop and mobile interview formats, then follow step-by-step setup instructions to configure your Strella project for the right device type.

Strella supports both desktop and mobile interviews, giving you the flexibility to meet participants wherever they are. The format you choose shapes everything from how participants join the session to what tasks you can run and how long the interview should be. Read through the format comparison below, then follow the setup steps for the format that fits your study.

## Choose the Right Format

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Desktop" icon="laptop">
    **Best for:**

    * Website or prototype testing
    * Concept feedback or ad testing with multiple visuals
    * Longer interviews (15–30 minutes)
    * Professional audiences or participants using a laptop for work
  </Card>

  <Card title="Mobile" icon="mobile-screen">
    **Best for:**

    * Usability testing on mobile apps or mobile websites
    * In-the-moment feedback (e.g., shopping, travel, product use)
    * On-the-go research where participants record reactions in real settings
    * Short, conversational interviews (5–15 minutes)
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

***

## Set Up Your Interview Format

<Tabs>
  <Tab title="💻 Desktop">
    Desktop interviews run in a participant's browser, making them easy to join and ideal for screen-sharing tasks. Follow the steps below to configure your project for desktop participants.

    <Steps>
      <Step title="Open your project settings">
        Inside your project, click the **⚙ gear icon** in the top-right corner to open the Settings panel.
      </Step>

      <Step title="Navigate to Interview Setup">
        In the left-hand settings menu, select **Interview Setup**.
      </Step>

      <Step title="Set Permitted Devices to Desktop only">
        Scroll down to the **Permitted devices** dropdown and select **Desktop only**. This prevents mobile participants from joining a study that requires a larger screen or keyboard input.
      </Step>

      <Step title="Enable screen recording (optional)">
        If your study involves website walkthroughs, prototype testing, or any task where you need to observe what participants see on their screen, toggle on **Screen recording**. Participants will be prompted to share their screen when they join.
      </Step>

      <Step title="Test your study materials">
        Open any PDFs, prototype links, or videos you plan to use and verify they render correctly on a desktop screen. Broken or misformatted assets will disrupt the participant experience.
      </Step>

      <Step title="Publish and share the desktop link">
        When your guide is ready, publish your study. Participants access the interview through the Strella desktop link — share it via your recruitment channel, screener, or email invitation.
      </Step>
    </Steps>

    **Desktop best practices**

    <Accordion title="Keep the session length appropriate">
      Desktop participants are typically in a focused, seated context. Sessions up to 30 minutes work well — beyond that, plan for a short break or trim your guide.
    </Accordion>

    <Accordion title="Use screen recording for task-based research">
      Whenever participants navigate a live site, prototype, or app, enable screen recording so you can observe exactly where they click, hesitate, or get confused.
    </Accordion>

    <Accordion title="Leverage webcam recording for emotional cues">
      Enable **Webcam recording** under Interview Setup to capture facial expressions and reactions alongside audio — especially valuable for concept testing and ad feedback.
    </Accordion>

    <Accordion title="Test all media at actual screen size">
      Images, PDFs, and videos that look fine in a thumbnail can appear differently at full browser width. Always preview assets as a participant would see them before going live.
    </Accordion>
  </Tab>

  <Tab title="📱 Mobile">
    Mobile interviews run through the **Strella iOS app**, letting participants join from their phone in any real-world setting. This format is currently available in the **United States only**. Follow the steps below to configure your project for mobile participants.

    <Steps>
      <Step title="Open your project settings">
        Inside your project, click the **⚙ gear icon** in the top-right corner to open the Settings panel.
      </Step>

      <Step title="Navigate to Interview Setup">
        In the left-hand settings menu, select **Interview Setup**.
      </Step>

      <Step title="Set Permitted Devices to Mobile app">
        Scroll down to the **Permitted devices** dropdown and select **Mobile app**. This routes participants to the Strella iOS app when they join, rather than a desktop browser.
      </Step>

      <Step title="Keep your guide mobile-friendly">
        Mobile participants are often on the go. Aim for 5–15 minutes and favor open, behavior-based prompts over long multi-part questions. Screen recording is not available for mobile studies — focus on verbal walkthroughs and participant narration instead.
      </Step>

      <Step title="Add a screener question about app download">
        Before recruiting, add a screener question that confirms participants are willing and able to download the Strella iOS app — for example: *"Are you able and willing to download a free app on your iPhone to complete this interview?"* This filters out participants who can't access the mobile format.
      </Step>

      <Step title="Publish and share the mobile join link">
        When your guide is ready, publish your study. Share the join link through your recruitment channel — participants will be directed to open or download the Strella iOS app to begin.
      </Step>
    </Steps>

    <Warning>
      The Strella mobile app is currently available **in the United States only**. Do not recruit international participants for mobile studies until broader availability is announced.
    </Warning>

    **Mobile best practices**

    <Accordion title="Write prompts that fit mobile behavior">
      Frame tasks around natural, in-context actions participants can actually do on their phone:

      * *"Show us how you normally use this app."*
      * *"Walk us through what you'd do if you wanted to \[complete a specific task]."*
      * *"Record your experience while trying \[product] for the first time."*
    </Accordion>

    <Accordion title="Keep sessions under 15 minutes">
      Attention spans are shorter on mobile. A tightly scoped guide with 3–5 focused questions will outperform a sprawling one that overstays its welcome.
    </Accordion>

    <Accordion title="Be explicit in your screener about setup requirements">
      Tell participants upfront that they'll need an iPhone and will be asked to download a free app. Surprises at the start of a session lead to drop-offs.
    </Accordion>

    <Accordion title="Use mobile for in-the-moment research">
      Mobile is uniquely powerful for capturing behavior as it happens — shopping decisions, app onboarding, daily routines. Design your guide to lean into that real-world context rather than replicating a desktop-style interview.
    </Accordion>
  </Tab>
</Tabs>

***

## Quick Format Comparison

|                             | Desktop                          | Mobile                           |
| --------------------------- | -------------------------------- | -------------------------------- |
| **Participant access**      | Browser link                     | Strella iOS app                  |
| **Geographic availability** | Global                           | United States only               |
| **Ideal session length**    | 15–30 minutes                    | 5–15 minutes                     |
| **Screen recording**        | ✅ Supported                      | ❌ Not supported                  |
| **Webcam recording**        | ✅ Supported                      | ✅ Supported                      |
| **Best use cases**          | Prototypes, websites, ad testing | Mobile apps, in-context behavior |

<Info>
  You can only select one permitted device type per project. If you want to run both desktop and mobile research on the same topic, create separate projects for each format so you can analyze results independently.
</Info>