Why teams choose automatic time tracking
Automatically records apps, websites, and documents without manual timers.
No timers to start or stop
Manual timers fail when you forget to start them or switch tasks mid-session. Automatic tracking eliminates the problem — your entire workday is logged without any input from you.
Complete picture of every day
Apps, websites, and documents are recorded across parallel timelines, so you can reconstruct exactly what you worked on and for how long — even days later.
Accurate when you switch tasks
Fast-moving work across many tools is exactly where manual tracking breaks down. Automatic capture handles frequent switches without any extra effort.
Works offline, syncs automatically
Tracking runs entirely on-device. No internet connection is needed to record work, and data syncs to cloud (or ManicTime Server) whenever a connection is available.
How this feature works in 3 simple steps
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Step 1
Install and connect
Install ManicTime and connect your workspace in minutes, without complicated setup.
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Step 2
Automatic activity capture
ManicTime records apps, websites, documents, and activity timelines automatically in the background.
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Step 3
Review, assign, and report
Review captured work, assign time to projects, and generate reports or invoices with confidence.
Works silently in the background
Manual timers fail because you forget to start them, forget to stop them, or simply don't bother when switching between tasks. Automatic time tracking eliminates the problem entirely.
ManicTime runs as a background process on Windows, Mac, and Linux. From the moment you start your computer, it records what you work on - with no input from you. Your entire workday is logged, even the parts you'd normally forget to track.
Apps, websites, and documents
ManicTime creates parallel timelines: one for applications, one for websites and documents. Each timeline shows exactly what was open and for how long.
This level of detail makes it easy to reconstruct your workday accurately. Instead of trying to remember whether you spent 45 minutes or 2 hours on a task, you can see the precise answer right in ManicTime's timeline view.
Idle time detection
When you step away from your computer, ManicTime detects the inactivity and marks that time as idle. When you return, it can prompt you to specify what you were doing - a meeting, lunch, a phone call, or a break.
This means your timesheet reflects actual work time, not just time with a computer screen unlocked. Idle detection makes automatic tracking significantly more accurate than any manual method.
Works offline, syncs automatically
ManicTime stores all tracking data locally on your device. You don't need an internet connection to record time - tracking works just as well offline as it does online.
If you use ManicTime Server, your tracked data syncs automatically whenever a connection is available. This makes it ideal for remote workers, travellers, and anyone working in environments with unreliable connectivity.
Related features
Time Tracking with Screenshots
Capture screenshots linked to your timeline for billing proof and accountability.
Learn more
Assign Time to Project or Task
Assign automatically tracked work to clients, projects, and tasks with high accuracy.
Learn more
Idle and Away Time Tracking
Automatically detect inactivity, classify away periods, and include away-time context in reporting.
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.
Learn more
Software Developers
Track coding sessions alongside Git branches, IDEs, and the tools your engineering team already uses.
Learn more
Remote Teams
Give distributed teams shared visibility into work patterns without constant check-ins or status meetings.
Learn more
FAQ
Does ManicTime work without an internet connection?
What exactly does ManicTime track automatically?
Does it work on Mac and Linux, or only Windows?
Can I control what gets tracked?
How is idle time handled?
Our customer opinions
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.
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.
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!
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.
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.
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).
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.
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.
Listen now
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.
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!
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.
Start tracking time automatically — no timers required
ManicTime captures your full workday in the background so you can focus on work, not on logging it.