Understand the day.
Keep it yours.

TimeLens records which desktop app is in the foreground, aggregates input counts, detects idle and audio activity, and—when the extension is installed—records browser domains and audible tabs.

1. 1
   Download TimeLens Setup

   The installer includes the complete self-contained desktop app; no separate runtime is required.

2. 2
   Choose your preferences

   Select the installation folder, startup behavior, and optional desktop shortcut before installing.

3. 3
   Launch TimeLens

   Finish setup with Launch TimeLens selected. Its icon appears in the notification area.

4. 4
   Open the dashboard

   Right-click the tray icon and choose Open Dashboard, or visit http://127.0.0.1:47821/.

The desktop app works without an extension, but browser activity will appear only as the browser executable. Install the companion to see domains, visits, audible media, and enforce website blocks.

The Today tab is a live summary of the current date. Active time excludes idle periods, Focus score estimates how concentrated the day was, and input totals show counts—not typed content.

Active time

Foreground activity after idle time is removed.

Focus score

A compact signal based on switching patterns and category balance; use it as context, not a grade.

Top apps

Applications ranked by tracked active duration.

Categories

Time grouped using built-in and custom Rules.

History answers what happened on a specific day and how activity changes over time. Select a heatmap square, use the date field, or move through days with the arrow controls.

• The activity heatmap covers the range selected in Settings.
• Daily cards compare active time, focus, input, and idle time.
• At a glance highlights the leading app, category, browser visits, and session balance.
• Lower cards contain the selected day’s apps, categories, browser data, and expandable timeline.

Apps provides an application-first view: time, keyboard counts, and mouse counts for each executable. Use the Uncategorized section to assign an app without leaving the page; TimeLens creates a categorization rule for future events.

Browser is distinct from Apps: it uses extension events to rank domains, show visit counts, track audible media, and reveal when browsing happened during the day. A browser executable can have active time even when no domain event is available.

Timeline follows activity chronologically. Grouped mode combines the day by category, then app, while preserving expandable detail. Flat mode shows individual normalized segments.

Category chips

Filter the timeline without changing stored data.

Grouped rows

Select a category to expand its apps, then expand an app for individual segments.

Quick-switch filter

Settings can hide segments shorter than 30 seconds, 1, 2, or 5 minutes.

Window titles

Optional detail for expanded rows; disabled by default for a cleaner, more private view.

Add an exact executable name such as discord.exe or a domain such as youtube.com, choose how long it should remain blocked, and enable Focus Mode to enforce the list.

1. 1
   Choose the enforcement action

   Start with Notify or Hide until you know the target matches correctly.

2. 2
   Add an app or domain

   The Scan control helps find currently running executables.

3. 3
   Set the duration

   Use a timed block or keep it active until manually removed.

4. 4
   Enable Focus Mode

   Blocks are listed even when Focus Mode is off, but enforcement requires it.

Password protection is optional. When enabled, TimeLens requires authorization before Focus Mode is disabled, enforcement is weakened, or protected targets are removed.

• Open Settings → Block password and create a password of at least six characters.
• The password is converted to a salted PBKDF2 hash and stored locally; the original password is not retained.
• Unlock attempts are throttled to slow casual guessing.
• Protection prevents casual dashboard changes, but it cannot stop a Windows administrator from deleting the application or its local data.

Rules determine how apps and domains are labeled. Built-in rules provide sensible defaults; custom rules override or extend them.

Target

Choose executable for desktop apps or domain for websites.

Match type

Use the narrowest available match—exact before broader substring or pattern matching.

Category

Select an existing category or create a meaningful custom label.

Priority

When multiple custom rules match, their order determines which classification wins.

TimeLens has no account system, remote profile, analytics SDK, advertising identifier, or cloud synchronization. The dashboard listens on the loopback address rather than the public network.

• Use Settings → Data & storage to control automatic retention.
• CSV export creates a portable copy; treat it as personal data.
• Window-title tracking can expose document or page titles, so enable it only when useful.
• Back up the TimeLens folder before reinstalling Windows if you want to retain history.