The TimeChimp Desktop Tracker is a small app for your Mac or Windows PC that remembers which applications you worked in during the day. TimeChimp converts this into reminders, allowing you to enter your hours based on what you actually did, rather than from memory.
The tracker is located in your menu bar (Mac) or system tray (Windows). It only runs when you are logged in and click Start Tracking, and you can stop it whenever you want.
The tracker is in beta and is enabled per account. Don't see your tracked hours in TimeChimp yet? Your account might not be activated yet. See Having trouble getting the tracker to work?
Installing TimeChimp Tracker
How to set it up:
Click on your profile picture or initials at the top right.
Choose Download TimeChimp Tracker.
Download the version for Windows or Mac and install the app.
Open the Tracker and log in with your TimeChimp account.
Grant the requested permissions so the Tracker can follow your task.
The Tracker will then run in the background. In TimeChimp, you will see the registered tasks as a reminder for your time tracking. You decide which hours you approve or adjust.
Click 'start tracking'
Set your minimum activity duration in the Timeline settings.
How does it work, and what is tracked?
Every few seconds, the tracker looks at one thing: the window you have open in front of you. It keeps three details from it:
The name of the app: for example, Slack, Excel, Safari.
A few keywords from the window title: a document named 'Acme Corp Q3 proposal' becomes 'acme, corp, proposal', for instance.
The website you visit: (when working in a browser) e.g., timechimp.com, not the full address of the page.
Time details: when you started, when you stopped, and how long it lasted.
It thinks in blocks, not seconds
The tracker groups your tasks into blocks:
If you keep working in the same app, a single block keeps running.
Quickly checking another window will not split your block in two.
If you take a break of 5 minutes or longer, the block ends. That break is not counted.
Locking your screen, your screensaver, and the login screen all count as absence, including the moment you type your password to unlock.
The blocks are clickable, so the time for your selected block is automatically filled in on the form.
Your blocks are sent to TimeChimp approximately every half minute. No internet connection? The blocks will wait safely on your computer and will be sent as soon as you are online again.
What the tracker never does
No screenshots.
No logging of what you type.
No full web addresses -> only the website name, never the specific page, search query, or document opened there.
No access to or reading of your files, email, or chats.
Absolutely nothing while you are logged out or when tracking is stopped.
Nothing about your colleagues—only about the account logged in on that computer.
What the icon color means
Color | Meaning |
🟢 Green | Logged in and tracking |
🟡 Yellow | Logged in, but tracking is stopped |
🔴 Red | Logged out, or the app still needs to be set up |
Note: If the app cannot reach TimeChimp for a while, the color does not change; it will display offline - retrying along with the number of blocks waiting to be sent.
Where are the tracking data stored?
Your tracked hours are stored securely in your TimeChimp account and used only for your own calendar suggestions. Your colleagues (employees) and manager do not have access to this. Before sending, your computer strips the data down to only the app name, keywords from the title, and the website name. The full window title and URL never leave your computer. In case of connectivity issues, blocks remain stored locally and are deleted after transmission. Your login details are stored securely in your operating system. Want to have your tracked data deleted? Stop tracking or log out and contact TimeChimp Support; we will then delete the collected task data for your account.
Where do I see the tracker data in TimeChimp?
In the Timeline view (registration page) under Hours.
Your tracked hours appear there as blocks: tasks in the same app or on the same website become a single block, complete with a start time, end time, and duration. Blocks shorter than 5 minutes are omitted so that a quick glance at a message does not clutter your day.
What if my company does not allow me to install these types of apps?
Do not install the tracker if your company does not permit it; it is optional, and TimeChimp will continue to work normally. If your administrator disables the tracker for the organization, contact your IT department or manager.
If IT wants to know what the app does:
It is a normal app running under your account, active only when you have it open. The app does not require administrator rights on a Mac and installs nothing system-wide.
It only sends data to TimeChimp, nowhere else.
What is collected is limited to app names, a few keywords from window titles, and website names. No screenshots, no keystrokes, no full web addresses.
On a Mac, the app may request permission to read the active tab in Safari or Chrome and window titles. Both can be denied; the tracker will simply record less detail.
On Windows, you might see a warning from Windows itself the first time you open the app. That is expected during the beta.
Having trouble getting the tracker to work?
Follow these steps in order:
Is the app running and are you logged in? Click the TimeChimp icon in your menu bar or system tray. If it says Sign In, log in via your browser.
Did you press Start Tracking? Logging in does not start tracking. The menu must show Stop Tracking, and the icon must be green (yellow = logged in, but not tracking).
Does it say Not Configured? The app is missing a setting from the download. Request an updated version.
Does it say Needs Browser Automation? Your Mac is blocking website detection. Click this message, enable TimeChimp Tracker, and restart tracking.
Is your Mac not opening the app? Drag TimeChimp Tracker to your Applications folder first. Directly from Downloads, the app does not remember permissions.
No data in the Timeline? The icon is green, but you see nothing? Your account might not be activated for the beta yet—please contact us.
Are blocks piling up? Your computer cannot reach TimeChimp. Nothing is lost. Check your VPN or firewall if necessary.
Missing hours? Breaks of 5 minutes or longer are not counted, and blocks shorter than 5 minutes are not shown.
Still having an issue? Select Open Logs in the menu and send us the file along with the timestamp of the problem.
Beta feedback
You are one of the first to use this. If an app displays strangely, or if anything being tracked doesn't feel right, let us know.