Screenshots is an optional DeskTime feature that captures a snapshot of the user’s screen at your specified intervals. It is intended for proof-of-work, compliance, or performance review purposes.
However, we urge owners and administrators to use screenshot capture responsibly. Unlike other DeskTime features, which are designed with data minimization in mind (for example, by tracking only the website and application titles, not their content), screenshots capture the entire screen.
We recommend enabling it only if it’s absolutely necessary for your goals and only for the teams or employees that require it. Carefully consider its possible impact on the organization’s internal culture and the anxiety or stress that could be caused by the feeling of being observed.
In addition, there is the possibility that the screenshots may accidentally capture the user’s screen while they are working with sensitive data or attending to personal matters. It is your responsibility as an employer to maintain employee privacy and use DeskTime in compliance with your local data protection and labor laws. Even in cases where the screenshots document misuse of company devices, users’ right to privacy still applies.
Who can view DeskTime screenshots?
The screenshots are encrypted in transit and at rest, and can only be accessed and viewed by users with the appropriate permissions (read more about DeskTime roles).
- Employees: If the Show screenshots on the My DeskTime page option is enabled, they can see their own screenshots. Otherwise, none at all.
- User managers: They can view screenshots of all users who belong to the team to which they are assigned as manager. They cannot access other teams.
- User administrators: They can view screenshots of all users who belong to the teams that are assigned to the specific administrator. They cannot access other teams.
- Company administrators: They can view screenshots of all users within the company.
- Owner: They can view screenshots of all users within the company.
Anyone else (such as peer team members or managers of other teams) will not have access to user screenshots.
Privacy-focused settings for DeskTime Screenshots
If you need to enable Screenshots, we recommend configuring the following settings to mitigate their possible impact on employee privacy.
Screenshot blurring
When this setting is enabled, a Gaussian blur filter will be applied to all captured and stored screenshots. This way, you can still gain insight into device usage patterns while avoiding the risk of capturing sensitive data, because any content displayed on the screen will be unreadable.
If your goal is to identify distracted or underperforming employees, blurred screenshots are usually enough. It is still possible to distinguish between work applications and distractions such as social media and games, or to identify periods of inactivity when there is no difference across multiple screenshots.
Show screenshots on the My DeskTime page
When setting up Screenshots, you can choose whether users can see the screenshots captured from their devices. We recommend leaving this option enabled if your goal is transparency with your employees.
This way, users will be aware that screenshot capture is enabled, and they will know what the employer can see about their device usage and how their work activity may be perceived by the people analyzing their DeskTime data.
Private Time
Private Time is a DeskTime feature that users can temporarily enable from the DeskTime system tray (Windows) or menu bar (macOS/Linux) icon menu. When it is active, DeskTime pauses all tracking on the device, including screenshots. This time will not contribute to the user’s timeline or productivity statistics, and the employer will only see that Private Time was active during that period.
We recommend that you enable the use of this feature and inform your employees about its availability—even if your policy maintains that company devices should not be used for non-work purposes. Employees having access to a privacy safeguard like Private Time will shield both you and them from cases where screenshots unintentionally capture sensitive data. It will also contribute to a more transparent working environment where employees know when their activity is being tracked and when it is not.
Company-wide, team, and employee settings
In DeskTime, you can configure settings on three different levels. This includes screenshots: enable/disable them, change intervals, apply blurring, change resolution, and show captured screenshots to the user.
- Account settings: Configure default settings for all DeskTime users in your organization.
- Team-level settings: Customize settings for a specific team (e.g., IT, Marketing, Sales, etc.). Any changes here will take priority over the company-wide defaults.
- Team member settings: Apply employee-specific settings on top of their team-level configuration.
Having this level of granularity allows you to use screenshots only for teams or users that require them, without impacting the rest of the organization. Some example scenarios:
- You are implementing screen capture as part of an employee’s PIP (performance improvement plan). In this scenario, you can enable screenshots just for this employee.
- A certain team requires screen capture to document policy compliance or gather proof-of-work, but the rest of the organization does not need them. You can enable screenshots just for this team, not the entire organization.
- You implement a company-wide screenshot policy, but certain teams work with sensitive data that must not be seen by anyone outside their team, not even administrators or the owner. For these teams, you can enable screenshot blurring or disable them entirely.
Other considerations regarding screenshots
We believe that DeskTime should be used as a tool that enables a transparent, productive, and trust-based company culture. While it is possible to set up the Screenshots feature in a way that does not notify the user about it being active, we strongly encourage you to disclose the use of screen capture to all users and enable access to their own screenshots. A clear and transparent screenshot policy will mitigate potential adverse effects on the work environment and employee privacy.
In addition, the Screenshots feature is not intended as a way to constantly survey your employees, “catch out” unsuspecting “slackers”, or intentionally create pressure to increase performance. Instead, it is a tool that should be used only when and for whom needed to achieve specific goals for your organization.