How to track your browsing time without spyware

To track your browsing time privately, use a tracker that keeps everything on your own device: no account, no uploads, and totals grouped by category rather than a log of every page you visit. Look for one that only counts time when you're actually browsing, and that deletes old data on its own. You get the insight ("I spent two hours on Social today") without creating a detailed record of your life on someone else's server.

Why most trackers feel creepy

To tell you where your time goes, a tracker has to know which site you're on. Many send that to a server so they can show it on a website dashboard. That means a company now holds your browsing history, linked to your account. Even with good intentions, that's a lot of personal data in one place.

You don't need any of that to answer the useful question. "How much time did I spend on feeds today, compared with work?" can be worked out entirely inside your browser.

What to look for

• Stays on your device. No account required, and nothing sent anywhere.
• Categories, not a URL log. Totals per category (Work, Learning, Social) are more useful than a list of every page, and far less sensitive.
• Only real time. Time should count only while the browser window is in front and you're actually at the computer. Otherwise a YouTube tab left open over lunch counts as an hour of watching.
• Forgets old data. Totals should be deleted after a set time, not kept forever.
• Clear, short permissions. Be wary of trackers that want to read every page's content.

How to read your numbers

The first week is for noticing, not judging:

1. Look at the split. What share of your day is Work, Learning and Social?
2. Find the leaks. Which category grew without you deciding it should?
3. Pick one change. For example "Social under 45 minutes on workdays". One change is enough.

Then keep watching. Awareness alone often changes behaviour, because you start noticing the drift as it happens. If you want a firmer nudge, try time budgets.

How TabHue tracks time

TabHue shows a Today bar with how your browsing time splits across categories, and each category shows its own time. It only counts while the Chrome window is in front and you've used the computer in the last minute, so stepping away, switching apps or letting the computer sleep pauses the clock. Each day starts fresh at midnight in your own time zone.

The totals are stored only in your browser, kept for 90 days, then removed. They never leave your device and aren't included in sync. TabHue has no analytics or advertising code. Details in Insights and time tracking.

In TabHue 2.0, arriving in December, an Insights tab adds a day-by-day chart with your focus minutes and finished tasks (7 days free; 30 and 90 days with Pro).

Frequently asked questions

Does Chrome track how long I spend on websites?

Chrome keeps your history, but it doesn't show time spent per site. You need an extension for that, so choose one that keeps the data on your device.

Is it safe to use a browsing time tracker?

It's as safe as the tracker's design. Prefer ones that store data locally, need no account, and explain their permissions plainly. If a tracker uploads your history, read its privacy policy carefully.

How accurate are browser time trackers?

Good ones are accurate to the minute for active time. The main difference between trackers is whether they pause when you're away; ones that don't can overcount badly.