How to track time spent on websites
Understand the difference between browser history and real screen time, how Safari and Chrome extensions measure active use, and what to check before trusting a tracker with browsing data.
Why browser history is not enough
Browser history can show when a page was opened, but not how long it remained visible. Time calculations become misleading when a tab stays open in the background, the browser loses focus, or the computer sleeps.
A useful tracker needs to account for active tabs, window visibility, session boundaries, and inactivity.
What accurate website time tracking requires
Only the foreground page should accumulate active time.
Tab changes, focus loss, and closing events should finalize sessions.
Pages from one website should form a meaningful total.
Sensitive history should stay on the device whenever possible.
Website screen time in Chrome
With permission, a Chrome extension can read the active tab and measure visible sessions locally. A useful dashboard adds context through hourly activity, categories, weekly changes, and time by site.
Browsing-time tracking in Safari
Safari Web Extensions bring a similar model to Apple platforms. New-tab experiences and local notifications can be available on macOS, while extension behavior on iPhone and iPad remains subject to operating-system limits.
Privacy checklist for browser activity trackers
- Clear disclosure of where records are stored.
- No mandatory account or cloud sync.
- Controls to delete one website or all records.
- An option to disable titles and search-query collection.
- A verifiable permissions list and technical scope.
Review SELFLEX permissions and verification steps in the Transparency Center.
Common questions
Can Chrome show how much time I spend on each website?
Chrome history lists visited pages, but it does not provide a complete visible-time report. SELFLEX measures active, visible tab sessions locally and groups them by website.
How can I track browsing time in Safari?
A Safari Web Extension can measure active-page sessions and visualize them in a local dashboard, within the limits of each Apple operating system.
Is browser history the same as screen time?
No. History records page visits. Screen-time analysis estimates how long a page was actually visible and can summarize hourly patterns and categories.
Does SELFLEX upload browsing history?
SELFLEX has no remote user database or analytics server. Browsing records are stored in extension-local browser storage.
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