Automatic Time Tracking

Time Tracking with Screenshots

Q: How often are screenshots taken?

The capture interval is configurable — you choose how frequently screenshots are taken. You can set a high frequency for detailed records or a lower one to reduce storage usage.

Q: Can I choose which applications trigger a screenshot?

Yes. You can configure which applications are included or excluded from screenshot capture, so sensitive or personal apps are never recorded.

Q: Where are screenshots stored?

Screenshots are stored locally on your device by default. If you use ManicTime Server or cloud, they can be sent there, depending on your configuration. No data goes to third parties.

Q: Can I share screenshots with clients as billing proof?

Yes. Screenshots tied to your timeline can be used to substantiate invoices and show clients exactly what was worked on during billed hours.

Q: Can employees see what is being captured?

Yes. ManicTime is designed for transparency — employees can see their own screenshots and understand what the tracking system records.

ManicTime takes screenshots at configurable intervals and anchors each one to your activity timeline — giving you visual proof of every hour worked and a clear record to share with clients.

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Why teams use screenshot time tracking

Visual proof for every billed hour

Screenshots give you concrete evidence of work done. When a client questions an invoice, you can show exactly what was on screen, which files were open, and when.

Each screenshot is anchored to your timeline

Screenshots in ManicTime are not a separate gallery — they are tied to the exact moment in your activity timeline, alongside the app and website data for that instant.

Full control over what gets captured

Choose which applications trigger screenshots, set capture frequency, or disable screenshots entirely. Administrators can configure policies per user or per team.

Reduce billing disputes before they start

Clients who can see visual evidence of work are far more likely to pay promptly and trust future invoices, reducing the back-and-forth that delays payments.

How this feature works

in 3 simple steps

Install and connect

Install ManicTime and connect your workspace in minutes, without complicated setup.

Automatic activity capture

ManicTime records apps, websites, documents, and activity timelines automatically in the background.

Review, assign, and report

Review captured work, assign time to projects, and generate reports or invoices with confidence.

Screenshots captured automatically

ManicTime takes screenshots at configurable intervals - you set how often, and it handles the rest. There's nothing to click, no recording to start. Screenshots accumulate silently as you work, building a visual record of your entire day.

This works especially well for tasks that are hard to describe in a timesheet entry. Instead of writing "worked on design", you have visual proof of exactly which screens, files, and tools were in use.

Every screenshot tied to your activity timeline

Screenshots in ManicTime aren't just a gallery of images - they're anchored to your activity timeline. Each screenshot appears at the exact moment it was taken, alongside the application and website data for that same moment.

This makes it trivial to reconstruct your workday. Scroll through your timeline, see what was on your screen, and assign that time to the right project - all from a single view.

You control what gets captured

Privacy matters. ManicTime gives you full control over screenshot tracking: choose which applications trigger a screenshot, set the capture frequency, or disable screenshots entirely at any time.

For team deployments, administrators can configure screenshot policies per user or team, and employees can see exactly what is being recorded. ManicTime supports both full transparency and highly restricted tracking - you decide what fits your team's culture.

Prove your hours to clients

For freelancers and contractors, screenshots are the clearest evidence of work done. When a client questions an invoice, you can show them a visual record of every hour billed - what was open, what was being worked on, and when.

This removes billing disputes before they start. Clients who can see the evidence of your work are far more likely to pay promptly and trust your future invoices.

Related features

Automatic Time Tracking

Automatically records apps, websites, and documents without manual timers.

Learn more ->

Privacy Control

Control what ManicTime records, when it records, and what data is shared with your server.

Learn more ->

Assign Time to Project or Task

Assign automatically tracked work to clients, projects, and tasks with high accuracy.

Learn more ->

Who benefits from this feature?

The biggest impact usually appears across these user groups.

Freelancers

Track every billable minute automatically and produce accurate client invoices without manual timers.

View solution ->

Remote Teams

Give distributed teams shared visibility into work patterns without constant check-ins or status meetings.

View solution ->

Designers

Track time across design tools and client projects to bill accurately and review workload balance.

View solution ->

FAQ

Our customer

opinions

Katie

This software automatically tracks the time you spend on your computer. When you step away from your computer for a certain length of time (set by user), it will prompt you to tag that time. For example, if I'm getting coffee and have a 20 minute chat about the weekend, I tag it as personal. But if I have a chat about an upcoming or existing project, I tag it about that project. For the tasks you do on the computer, it can save screenshots every X seconds (again, set by user), so that you can have a reminder when you go to do your billing what each task was for.

Richard

There is a lot to love about Manic Time. It was easy to use and did way more than I was expecting from it. The reporting was informative. The editing was awesome. Tagging and managing the time tracked is robust, yet simple. It is great at taking the tracking out of time tracking. It just does 90% for you. The last 10% is tagging and validating. It really does an amazing job at showing how much time is wasted on mundane tasks or mindless browsing. I handed in my time to a project manager. He asked how I knew I worked 3.28 hours on a specific task. "Manic Time" was my answer.

Dr Steve Day (podcast)

Time tracking and its importance in business operations are discussed in this episode. Dr. Steve Day shares update on their time tracking policies, including the use of new apps and tools such as ManicTime, particularly focusing on the implementation of screenshot tracking.

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Brenda

I do contract work and manage multiple projects where I bounce between projects on an almost by the minute basis. Once tagging is setup I can easily tag all my activities as I do them and my time accumulates in each project bucket. At the end of the day my timesheet is a breeze. This is the best tool I have found so far for a work style that involves heavy duty multi-tasking. I don't know what I would do without ManicTime. Well designed and thought out product.

Mary

I like this application because with manic time we can verify who does their right job. And we also have better control because we can choose the best workers to increase production works very well and without errors.

Gary

Just renewed my licence for another year Just thought I'd let you know that this is one of the best pieces of software I've ever installed on my computer, free or paid for. I run my own business which principally relies on writing technical reports. ManicTime has made it so much easier to track my time over the various projects and therefore manage my fees and costs. (And your support has been excellent when I have had the odd problem).

Oliver

Just wanted to let you know that I think your software has helped me capture $1000's of dollars in revenue that I just wasn't billing before, as I wasn't doing a very good job of tracking my time. With ManicTime I get it all, and if I were ever to be audited by a client, I could give them every detail. Thanks so much!

Judy

The interface is very intuitive and easy to use. The ability to tag and color-code my work allows me to see at a glance how my day has been going. I can organize and structure things as much or as little as I like. What a great product!

Joshua

ManicTime’s ease of use is unmatched, thanks to its intuitive interface and flexible granularity in time-tracking. The power to dive as deep as you need into data with comprehensive tagging and reporting systems is a significant upside. Its vast number of features like document, application, and activity trackers streamline the process of managing and analyzing time efficiently. Moreover, ManicTime’s advanced search capabilities, coupled with the functionality to annotate tagged time, make it a vital tool for enhancing productivity and recalling information during discussions.

Adam

I like that it tracks inactive time on the computer so that you can remember when you started working and when you stopped, and when you took breaks. Very easy to use, I don't have to remember to log in and the app does everything for me without me even doing anything except installing the program. It shows exactly what page and project you were working on and for how long and when.

Amanda

It provides with useful reports which track and monitor the computer usage of employees, as well as the time spent on each computer program or application. Also the presence of an automatic screenshot feature resulted in an increase in my employees’ productivity. It runs automatically on my computer, great.