What does RescueTime do when I am away from my computer?

How does RescueTime track active time?

RescueTime tracks active computer use based on mouse and keyboard activity. When no activity is detected, a 5-minute countdown begins. After five minutes of inactivity, RescueTime ends the current record and subtracts 5 minutes from it.

If you return within five minutes, your time is still counted. RescueTime assumes you were simply thinking or pausing. But if you're inactive for longer, that time is not logged. Short gaps right around the 5-minute mark also won’t be counted, so your reports reflect focused, active time rather than idle moments.

Because of this, the hours logged in your reports may be less than your total computer time. This is intentional, as RescueTime aims to show real productive time, not just hours spent near your screen. (On average, users log 4-5 active hours during an 8-hour workday.)

Premium users can also log offline time—activities away from the computer—so their records stay complete. You can add offline time manually from your Dashboard or use automatic prompts. If enabled, you'll get a pop-up when you return, asking if you'd like to log your away time (unless it was more than 4 hours). Learn more about recording Offline Time.