Hey everyone,
We are tightening up our compliance protocols for our remote team. I’ve been asked if we can configure a policy to take random screenshots of the device screen throughout the day to ensure users are on task.
Also, is there a report available that lists every specific website URL visited on the device? I see app usage reports, but I need the actual browsing history.
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Hi @annemie!
Regarding the random screenshots: That specific functionality (often called “productivity monitoring” or “spyware”) generally isn’t supported by most UEMs primarily due to privacy regulations and OS-level restrictions. Apple and Android are strict about apps taking pictures of the screen in the background without the user knowing.
However, you can still audit what a user is doing in real-time. If you have concerns about a specific device, you can initiate a Remote View session from the portal. Once you are viewing the screen live, you can manually capture screenshots if you see something non-compliant.
Okay, that makes sense. I figured privacy might be a blocker there. What about web browsing history? Surely, can we see a log of the sites they visit?
That is also a bit tricky with modern browsers. Because of how HTTPS encryption and browser sandboxing work, the UEM doesn’t “see” inside the browser traffic to log every specific URL visited (unless you are using a specialized proxy or deploying a third-party app to monitor via an UEM).
In the general reports section, you won’t see a “Browser History” log for Chrome or Safari.
However, you can see User Session Reports and App Usage Reports. This tells you how long they were active and how much time they spent in the browser app versus other work apps. Usually, that duration data is enough to gauge productivity without needing the intrusive URL-level tracking.
Got it. So, it’s more about managing access and time rather than granular tracking. Thanks for the clarification, I’ll adjust our compliance plan accordingly!
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