Help center

How Time Tracker works

Start tracking in a few minutes, see what your workspace's rules do, and learn the shortcuts that keep your hands on the keyboard.

Getting startedThe desktop appTracking rulesActivityKeyboard shortcuts

Getting started

Four steps from nothing to a timesheet.

  1. 1

    Make a workspace

    Sign in with Google or your email, then name your workspace. Invite your team from People; each person sees their own time, admins see everyone's.

  2. 2

    Get the desktop app

    Download it for your Mac (or Windows), open it and press Sign in. Your browser asks which workspace to connect, and you're in.

  3. 3

    Start a task

    Press play on a task in Track, pick one from the island in the notch, or tell Plum: “work on homepage”. The timer runs until you stop or switch.

  4. 4

    See where time went

    Timesheets, Activity and Reports on the web show every entry. Add time by hand when your workspace allows it, and export CSV any time.

No desktop app yet? The web app has its own timer, timesheets and reports. Sign in to start.

The desktop app

A timer in your notch, with Plum, sounds and music.

  • Install itOn a Mac, open the download and drag Time Tracker to Applications; pick Apple silicon or Intel on the download page (it suggests the right one). On Windows 10 or 11, run the installer. Updates download in the background and install when you restart.
  • The islandIt sits in the notch, or at the top of the screen without one. Hover it to see the timer, switch tasks, play ambient sound or music, and ask Plum. Turn it off in Settings if you prefer the menu bar.
  • PermissionsIf your workspace takes screenshots, macOS asks for Screen Recording in System Settings → Privacy & Security. Nothing is recorded while the timer is stopped.
  • OfflineEverything is saved on your computer first and syncs when you're back online. Nothing is lost on a plane or a bad connection.

Tracking rules

Admins set them on the web, in Tracking rules. They apply to everyone in the workspace.

Screenshots

On or off; one to three per ten minutes of tracked time; blurred or not; and whether people can delete their own (the time stays, only the image goes).

Machine time

Whether time counts while an agent, a render, a build or a call runs with nobody typing. It's always shown apart from hands-on time.

Idle time

After how many minutes with no keyboard, mouse or busy apps the app asks whether to keep the time when the person comes back.

Time by hand

Whether people can add and edit their own time. Typed-in time shows as Manual on timesheets. When it's off, only admins change time.

In the desktop app, settings the workspace decides show a lock: they follow the rules, and only admins can change them.

Activity, explained

Low input isn't idle when the machine is working.

Tracked time is split into ten-minute blocks. Each block records how it was spent:

  • Hands-on

    Seconds with keyboard or mouse input. Counts only, never what you typed or clicked.

  • Machine working

    An agent (Claude Code, Codex…), processing (renders, exports, encodes), a build or a call, while your hands are off.

  • Quiet

    Reading, thinking, a whiteboard. Still tracked; it only becomes idle after the workspace's idle time.

The activity percentage is the hands-on share of the time tracked. When nothing happens for the workspace's idle time (no input and no busy apps), the app asks whether to keep that stretch when you're back. While an agent, render or build runs during tracking, the app can keep the computer awake for it.

Keyboard shortcuts

Global ones work from any app; change them in the desktop app's Settings.

Desktop app

Timer
  • Start or pause the timerAnywhereMacWindows
  • Stop the timerAnywhereMacWindows
  • Switch taskAnywhereMacWindows
  • Start or stop a pomodoroAnywhereMacWindows
  • Find a taskIn the appMacorWindowsor
  • Add time by handIn the appMacWindows
Navigate
  • Open Time TrackerAnywhereMacWindows
  • TrackIn the appMacWindows
  • ReportsIn the appMacWindows
  • TimesheetIn the appMacWindows
  • ScreenshotsIn the appMacWindows
  • Focus & soundsIn the appMacWindows
  • SettingsIn the appMacorWindowsor
Plum, sounds & music
  • Ask PlumAnywhereMacWindows
  • Play or pause ambient soundAnywhereMacWindows
  • Play or pause musicAnywhereMacWindows
  • Next songAnywhereMacWindows
  • Previous songAnywhereMacWindows
Island
  • Show or hide the islandAnywhereMacWindows
  • Timer tabIn the islandMacWindows
  • Sounds tabIn the islandMacWindows
  • Music tabIn the islandMacWindows
  • Find a taskIn the islandMacWindows
  • Close the islandIn the islandMacWindows
Help
  • Keyboard shortcutsIn the appMacorWindowsor
  • Close a menu or sheetIn the appMacWindows

Web app

Press anywhere in the web app to see these. Letters don't fire while you type in a field.

Go to
  • OverviewMacthenWindowsthen
  • TimesheetsMacthenWindowsthen
  • ActivityMacthenWindowsthen
  • ReportsMacthenWindowsthen
  • ProjectsMacthenWindowsthen
  • PeopleMacthenWindowsthen
  • Tracking rulesMacthenWindowsthen
Actions
  • Search, or jump anywhereMacorWindowsor
  • Add timeMacWindows
Help
  • Keyboard shortcutsMacWindows
  • Close a dialog or menuMacWindows

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