Keylogger Features Explained: What You Can Monitor
Modern keylogger software does far more than record typed characters. A full-featured tool such as Anywhere Monitor gives you a complete picture of what happens on a computer, from keystrokes to live desktop viewing. Here is what each keylogger feature does and why it matters, so you can make the most of the monitoring data you collect.
Keystroke logging
Keystroke logging captures every key typed on the keyboard. This is the core keylogger feature and the reason the category exists. It is useful for seeing exactly what was typed — including messages, searches and documents — when you need a precise record of activity. Keystrokes are recorded in real time and appear in the console almost immediately.
Because keystrokes capture what was typed rather than what was displayed, they give you the most direct evidence of activity. This is especially valuable for parents who want to know exactly what their child typed into a search engine or chat window.
Screenshots
Screenshot capture takes a picture of the desktop at scheduled intervals. Screenshots show what was actually on screen, which is valuable when keystrokes alone do not tell the full story. For example, a screenshot can show an image, a video, or a website layout that typing would not reveal. You can set how often screenshots are taken to balance detail and storage.
Website history
Website monitoring records every page visited in popular browsers such as Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Opera and Safari. It shows which sites were visited and when, which is especially useful for parents and for anyone tracking how time online is spent. Website history is one of the most commonly checked categories in a monitoring console, because it answers the question "what are they actually looking at online?"
Chat and instant messages
Chat monitoring records conversations from popular messaging applications. Knowing who a child or employee talks to online can be as important as knowing what is said, particularly when it comes to online safety. Chat logs help parents identify risky contacts and help businesses ensure that company communication stays professional.
Email monitoring
Email monitoring logs incoming and outgoing messages, including webmail and attachments. For small businesses, this helps ensure that company communication stays professional and that sensitive data is not being shared inappropriately. For parents, it provides another window into who a child communicates with.
Application usage
Application tracking shows which programs are run and how much time is spent in each one. This is one of the most useful features for understanding productivity, whether on a family computer or in a small office. The console typically ranks applications by usage time, so you can see at a glance whether time is going to work tools or to games and social media.
Clipboard, files and USB
Clipboard monitoring captures copied and pasted text. File activity logs record copy, move, delete and rename operations. USB monitoring records when a storage device is connected and what is transferred. Together these features protect against data being copied out or moved unexpectedly, which makes them especially relevant for business use.
Live desktop viewing
Live desktop viewing lets you see the remote screen in real time from the web console. It is the closest thing to sitting at the monitored computer, and it is invaluable when you need to see what is happening right now. You can watch a child's screen during homework time or verify what an employee is working on, without being in the room.
Reports and alerts
Reporting turns raw logs into understandable summaries: graphical charts, daily and weekly reports, and high-priority alerts for sensitive activities. Alerts can flag events such as file transfers or attempts to access restricted content, so you do not have to read every log line yourself. Reports make monitoring data actionable rather than overwhelming.
Stealth mode and low resource use
Two practical features make monitoring actually usable. Stealth mode keeps the agent invisible so it does not change how the monitored computer feels, and it prevents the monitored user from stopping or removing the software. Low resource use means the agent does not slow the computer down, even on older hardware, so monitoring can run continuously without interfering with normal use.
Which features do you need?
Most users rely on a handful of features day to day: website history, application usage, screenshots and chat. The other features are there when you need them. A good product gives you all of them in one console, so you are never limited by what the software can capture.
Start with the basics, add features as needed
You do not have to use every feature from day one. Most people start with website history and application usage, then add screenshots and chat monitoring as they get comfortable with the console. The advantage of a full-featured product is that the capability is there when you need it — you never have to switch tools because a new situation calls for a different kind of record.
Anywhere Monitor includes all of these features for Windows, Mac OS X 10.8+ and Ubuntu, at a price starting from $24.95 per computer per month. See the features page for the full list, or browse screenshots of the web console.
Related: See the full Anywhere Monitor feature list, compare pricing and plans, or read the keylogger legality guide.