Monitoring App Usage: Is There An App For That?

There are several apps that can monitor and display your app usage. These apps can show you the last time you used an app, how frequently you use each app, and the amount of time spent using each app. Some apps can even notify you to close certain apps and focus on your work. These apps are available on the Google Play Store, Amazon Appstore, and GitHub.

App usage monitor by Russell

One of its key features is a graph that illustrates the application usage time ratio and the usage time ratio in the time zone, providing a visual representation of your app usage patterns. The app is designed to help you understand your habits and keep track of how frequently you use each app.

It is worth noting that there is a free version of the app available, and it is recommended to try that before purchasing the paid version, as the paid version may not work on all devices. This app could be a great tool for those looking to monitor their app usage and gain insights into their daily habits.

App usage monitor on Devpost

The App usage monitor is a project inspired by how often people stray off-task during the day. The tool helps keep users on task and boosts their mental wellbeing. It works by checking the processes running on a user's device. If a game is detected, the app will notify the user to close it and focus on the task at hand. A time counter keeps track of how long a user has been working, and it pauses if a game is running. Once the task is done, the user can take a break.

The creators of the app experimented with multiple languages before deciding to build it using JavaScript, as it is a language they are most familiar with and has a library that can easily create an application. They also had to research how to detect background processes and incorporate an algorithm to determine if a window is a game or not.

The biggest challenge the creators faced was detecting the open windows and processes. They had to consider the different levels of complexity for the detection system in each language. They ultimately chose Node.js but had to use more basic systems as many of the libraries were not compatible with their computers.

The main goal for the future of the app is to improve the application detection system. The current method is very primitive and may not work well with lower-end devices. The creators also plan to create a macOS application, which will require a new system for detecting applications.

App Usage Monitor on Google Play

App Usage Monitor is an app available on Google Play that helps you monitor your app usage. It provides a range of features to help you understand your app usage habits and manage your device more efficiently. Here are some key features offered by App Usage Monitor:

• App Usage History: This feature allows you to track the time spent on each app, helping you identify which apps you use the most.
• Check Phone History: It shows you how many times a day you check your phone, providing insights into your phone usage patterns.
• Activity History: You can see when you open specific apps, such as messaging or email apps, and understand your daily engagement with these apps.
• Location History: The app displays the apps you used at a particular location, giving you information about your app usage in different places.
• Notification History: This feature shows you when apps posted notifications, helping you understand which apps send the most notifications.
• Battery History: App Usage Monitor provides a battery usage graph, enabling you to see which apps consume the most battery power.
• Over-use Reminder: The app reminds you when you spend too much time on your phone or specific apps, promoting healthier device usage habits.
• Lock Mode: You can lock app settings and over-use reminder options with a PIN to ensure privacy and prevent accidental changes.
• Most Used Apps: App Usage Monitor identifies your most frequently used apps and displays them on widgets or notifications, providing quick access.
• Track All Installs: This feature keeps a record of all installed and uninstalled apps, helping you track updates and manage your apps effectively.
• App Install Reminder: You will receive notifications when new apps are installed, and you can also view a summary of daily app installations.
• Manage Apps: App Usage Monitor allows you to easily uninstall apps, sort them by various options, and keep track of uninstalled apps for future reference.

App Usage Monitor provides a comprehensive set of tools to help you monitor your app usage, battery usage, phone usage, and notifications. By using this app, you can gain valuable insights into your device habits and make informed decisions about app usage and management.

Appusage module for MunkiReport

The AppUsage module for MunkiReport is a tool that allows users to monitor and record application usage. It records various data points, including the serial number, bundle ID, app version, app path, UNIX time of app events, and the number of times an app was launched or quit. This information is stored in a table for easy reference.

Starting with version 2.9.0 of Munki, the AppUsage module will utilise Munki's app_usage_monitor database. This change means that when running Munki 2.9.0 or later versions, crankd or ApplicationUsage.py are no longer required. However, if the Munki application_usage database is not found, the module will still fall back to using crankd's application_usage database.

The App Usage module also offers a customisable setting through the .env file or server environment variables. This setting, APPUSAGE_IGNORELIST, allows users to specify a list of applications to be ignored by the monitoring tool.

The AppUsage module for MunkiReport provides a comprehensive solution for users seeking to track and analyse their application usage patterns.

Monitor apps on Mac

There are several options for monitoring apps on a Mac. One built-in option is Activity Monitor, which can be used to locate and force close unresponsive apps and processes, as well as to monitor your system's overall energy use. Activity Monitor also allows you to view real-time CPU, network, or disk status in the Dock.

In addition to Activity Monitor, there are several third-party apps available that can be used to monitor app usage on a Mac. One such app is System Monitor, which is an application for the menu bar of your Mac that provides up-to-date technical data such as process load, main memory consumption, storage space, and disk activity. Another option is Stats, which is available for free on GitHub and the Mac App Store and provides a GUI for monitoring system activity. Finally, there is Smotrite, another free app that is well-suited for monitoring system activity with a GUI.

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