Desktop Application
The desktop app is the heart of Staff Dog. It runs silently in the background on employees' computers, automatically recording sessions, active apps, visited URLs and screenshots.
What Does the Desktop App Do?
The app lives in the system tray and quietly collects data while employees go about their work. When a user unlocks their computer and starts working, time tracking begins automatically; when they shut down or remain idle for a set period, the session closes.
The following data is collected: active application name and duration, visited URLs (from the browser), periodic screenshots(controlled by admin settings) and AFK / idle periods. All data is sent over an encrypted connection to Staff Dog's servers; nothing is stored on the local disk.
Download & Installation
Go to the Download Page
Click the Download button in the top-right corner of the web panel or visit staffdog.app/en/download. A .dmg installer is provided for macOS and a .exe installer for Windows. Choose the one that matches your operating system.
Run the Installer
On macOS, open the .dmg file and drag the app into the Applications folder. On Windows, double-click the .exe file and follow the setup wizard. Some corporate computers may require administrator approval.
Open the App for the First Time
When the app opens you'll see a login/activation screen. You can sign in with your email and password, or use an activation code. The activation code is available on your profile page in the web panel.
Check the System Tray
After a successful login the app minimizes to the system tray (next to the clock). On macOS it appears in the menu bar; on Windows it appears in the notification area. A green icon means a session is currently open.
How the AFK Dialog Works
The AFK (Away From Keyboard) system records periods when employees are not actively using their computers. Two separate thresholds control its behaviour:
AFK Threshold
If there is no mouse or keyboard activity for this duration, the employee is marked as AFK. The default is 5 minutes (300 seconds). Configurable between 30 s and 10 min from the Settings page.
Dialog Threshold
Once the AFK duration exceeds this threshold, a dialog box appears asking the employee why they were away: break, meeting, lunch or a client call. This answer is stored and shown on reports as the AFK reason.
For example, with AFK threshold = 5 min and dialog threshold = 30 min: the employee is counted as AFK after 5 minutes of inactivity; if they haven't returned after 30 minutes a pop-up appears asking them to select the reason.
Employee Goes to a Meeting — AFK Dialog Fires
It's 2 PM and Mark is at his desk working. He gets a meeting invitation and walks to the conference room without locking his computer. Staff Dog keeps running silently in the background.
After 5 minutes with no mouse or keyboard activity the app marks Mark as AFK. On the web dashboard his manager can see an orange AFK badge next to his avatar.
The meeting runs for 45 minutes. When Mark returns to his desk a dialog box greets him: "You were AFK for 45 minutes. Select the reason." Mark clicks Meeting.
This is saved in the system. When the manager reviews the daily report they can see the 45 minutes were spent in a meeting and count it as normal working time.
What Does the App Track?
| Data Type | How It's Recorded | Where to View |
|---|---|---|
| Active Application | Batched every 10–120 s (configurable) | Session detail → Applications tab |
| Visited URL | Detected from browser window title | Session detail → URL tab |
| Screenshot | Automatic at set interval (5–120 s) | Dashboard live thumbnail, session detail |
| AFK Duration | Timer starts when no input detected | Session list, daily report |
| Break / Meeting | Employee selects reason in AFK dialog | Reports → AFK reasons, session detail |
⚠️Common Issues
- •Session won't start: The app requires an internet connection. Check your connection and restart the application.
- •Tray icon not visible: On macOS, if "Hide icons" is enabled in system preferences, the icon may be concealed. Check your menu bar settings.
- •AFK dialog never appears: The dialog threshold cannot be smaller than the AFK threshold. The system auto-corrects this, but verify both values in the Settings page.
- •Screenshots not uploading: The screenshot feature requires a Trial, Pro or Enterprise plan. Check your subscription on the Billing page.