Optional screenshots and recording sessions — off until you turn them on

VisibleHours can take screenshots and store recording sessions. Both stay off until an admin turns them on. A new organization captures zero shots and zero sessions. The tray icon stays visible either way.

Send the employee notice before the first capture. VisibleHours does not record keystrokes, clipboard, webcam, or microphone.

Screenshots: interval, blur, retention

The public page is /features/screenshots. Settings live behind sign-in. The screenshots tutorial is the click-through. After you sign in, Ask VisibleHours “screenshots”, “screen captures”, “open screenshots”, “view screenshots”, “screenshot settings”, “blur screenshots”, or “screenshot retention” opens Settings. Ask “how to enable screenshots” or “screenshots tutorial” opens the signed-in help. Ask “hidden screenshots”, “capture without tray”, or “always-on secret screenshots” is refused.

1. Leave screenshots off, or turn them on in Settings.
2. Set the interval (1–60 minutes). Agents pick it up on the next heartbeat.
3. Keep blur on so text on the screen is hard to read.
4. Set retention (1–365 days, or 0 to keep). Saving deletes older shots in your organization only.

Shots are optional and Operations-enabled — an interval still, not a hidden camera and not always-on secret capture. Retention and files stay inside one organization. The tray stays visible. Public Search stays on /features/screenshots.

Recording sessions: three tiers

Beyond stills, VisibleHours can store recording sessions: off, on-demand start/stop, or a weekday window. Signed-in managers play real MP4s on Screen recording. The Windows tray shows a note whenever a session is open and can grab a short screen clip or upload a file. The sample MP4 remains for demo — not a hidden camera and not a Mac agent.

1. Leave recording off, or turn on-demand or scheduled on.
2. Send the notice before the first session.
3. Start and stop a person, or set a weekday window. Agents pick it up on heartbeat.
4. Set retention. Saving deletes older stopped sessions in your organization only.

The recording tip on the manager screen is a VisibleHours reading of your settings, not a live language model. VisibleHours does not email employees from that screen. After you sign in, Ask VisibleHours “recordings”, “screen recording”, “open recordings”, “view recordings”, “start recording session”, “recording settings”, “upload screen recording”, or “tray capture” opens Recordings. Ask “how to enable recordings”, “recordings tutorial”, or “screen recording tutorial” opens the recordings tutorial. Ask “hidden screen recording”, “record without tray”, “always-on secret DVR”, or “please record my team’s screens all day” is refused. Public Search stays on /features/recordings.

Decide in writing, then flip the switch

Treat screenshots and recording as a second rollout, not a default. Choosing stills versus a session is interval stills or a recording session. The install guide covers the tray with both features off — see how to install the Windows agent. The disclosure guide covers the words you send first — see the employee notice guide.