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Today, we are going to talk about application whitelisting. First of all, what exactly is an application whitelist? Simply put, it is a list of authorized or approved softwares that are permitted to run on a computer. In OsMonitor, when you enable the application whitelisting feature on the server, only the specified programs approved by the administrator can run on the employee PCs. Any applications or executable files that were not whitelisted would not be able to run.

Why do we need application whitelisting softwares at the workplace? By blocking unauthorized applications and executable files, they significantly increase the safety of our computer systems. Another benefit provided by application whitelisting software is improved work efficiency. It has been shown that application whitelisting helps employees focus on their work. By prohibiting unwanted programs from running on the employee's computer, we can create a work environment with work-related softwares only to minimize any distractions.

How do we use the application whitelisting feature of OsMonitor then? First of all, create a whitelist by recording a limited set of tasks, that is, to run all the allowed softwares once, taking a “snapshot" to record them. Anything included in that snapshot is added to the application whitelist. OsMonitor identifies the applications in the whitelist based on their MD5 code but not file name or path. When a whitelisted software is upgraded or changed, resulting in a modified MD5, it needs to be recorded again to add to the application whitelist.

But we found that, sometimes, after setting up an application whitelist, the recorded applications still get blocked. Therefore, we have added a serial number display feature in a previous update. With this feature, the serial numbers will be displayed after each item in the application whitelist.

For example, if a.exe(2342988) is added to the application whitelist on OsMonitor server, the application will only be allowed to run on the employee PC if its MD5 code is 2342988. If a.exe was blocked, we need to check in the Block Report log and see whether the (xxxx) number beside a.exe as an unwhitelisted task is 2342988. We cannot simply identify the application based on its file name (a.exe), but rather its MD5 code which was recorded by the application whitelisting feature. You can find the MD5 codes displayed on the application whitelist on the server. You may wonder why the MD5 code changes? Either because of software updates or viruses. Some applications are updated automatically, causing their MD5 to change. We can identify them by comparing the MD5 codes recorded in the OsMonitor server’s application whitelist and the ones reported in the Block Report log.

OsMonitor is equipped with the features of an application whitelisting software to help businesses improve their work efficiency. Not only that, we have much more to offer besides application whitelisting. As a monitoring software, OsMonitor meets various computer monitoring needs in business settings and effectively regulates employees’ usage of computers. OsMonitor monitoring software has two core features: (1) Knowing what employees are doing by monitoring every move including the screen and Internet activities; (2) Restricting nonwork-related activities such as online shopping, games, and USB drives, etc. Try out our free trial version now!

Business data backup is important at the workplace. We have to constantly back up various files to prevent accidental loss or deletion of critical documents. Although there are numerous business data backup solutions out there, businesses sometimes still find it difficult to keep the data from all employee computers backed up, due to the large number of PCs they have. Business data is often saved across many employee computers and it is normal that sometimes people forget to backup data regularly. Therefore, it would be helpful if we use automatic backup software to automatically capture and backup documents on employee computers. How do we achieve our goal? In the following paragraphs, we will explain how to automatically backup business data on employee PCs to your company’s own server with OsMonitor. Before we dive into more details, keep in mind that while OsMonitor’s main features focus on monitoring and restricting, we offer automatic business data backup as a bonus feature, which is great added value to the software.
First, we need to deploy OsMonitor by installing the server on the manager’s PC and the clients on employee PCs.

Then, we can go to the “Backup File” tab in the System Settings of OsMonitor server. Select the types of files to be backed up and when to start the backup. After saving the settings, business data backup will be carried out automatically by OsMonitor according to your strategies. Backup history can be found under the “History Data View” - “Backup Report” tab.

Thanks to the server-client model, OsMonitor makes it possible to centrally manage all employee PCs on one server. With OsMonitor, managers can set up strategies to automatically backup business data, which means increased efficiency and file security - it not only saves everyone's time but also effectively backs up important files.

Different backup strategies can be formulated for employees in different departments, such as different backup cycles and file types. With these automatically backed up files collected from employee computers being automatically saved on your company’s server (which is, one of your PCs), you no longer need to worry about the potential risks of data scattered on employee computers. There is also no need to worry about taking up storage space with repeated backups, since OsMonitor will only backup modified documents or newly created documents, and files that have been backed up will not be backed up repeatedly.

At the end of this article, there is something we have to mention. Some customers have tried to backup system files(such as *.exe and *.dll) with the automatic business data backup feature of OsMonitor due to its convenience. Is this feasible? Of course. But do we recommend doing so? Of course not. After all, OsMonitor is not a professional backup software, don't forget that our "main business" is still monitoring. The automatic business data backup feature provided by OsMonitor is still within the scope of employee supervision in essence. If used to back up system files, it will have a great impact on cpu and network bandwidth, affecting normal monitoring functions and regular backups. The backup of system files belongs to the category of computer maintenance, which has little to do with employee monitoring. A “universal” software that excels across all fields does not exist yet and we all have specializations.

Why do companies need to monitor their employees’ computer screens? How do they prevent the employees from slacking off? And how to avoid the potential leakage of confidential data and information, which would bring huge losses to the company?

For many business managers, it is crucial to improve their employees’ work quality and efficiency and ensure the security of the company's confidential data. One of the best options for managers is using a screen monitoring software for PC to monitor and archive employees’ computer screens. Through real-time screen monitoring, managers can find out what the employees are doing during work hours and make sure everyone is on the right track. Moreover, screen monitoring software can help prevent possible leaks of confidential data and ensure the safety of the company. Even in the worst scenario where an accident took place, it can be tracked with the archives of the screen monitoring software, therefore preventing further damage. All of these reasons account for why more and more companies choose to deploy OsMonitor employee monitoring software. How do we choose from various screen monitoring software for PC on the market?

1. What does remote screen monitoring refer to?

When you’re monitoring any computer screen other than your own, it is considered remote screen monitoring. Typically, one of the application scenarios is where a screen monitoring software for PC is installed on a single computer which acts as a “server” to monitor other PCs in the company. The employees’ computers can be located right on the next desk in your office, in the same building, city, or even other states and countries. The speed of the network signal can go at 300000 kilometers per second, so the distance here doesn’t matter much.

2. The Features of OsMonitor as a Screen Monitoring Software for PC

With OsMonitor, company managers can monitor the screens of multiple employee PCs in real-time from one computer. The managers can view the real-time images in a video wall manner or click on one of them to watch individually. Screen monitoring is also supported if an employee computer has multiple displays.

OsMonitor is fully software-based, there’s no need to change the company network environment or add additional hardware to realize screen monitoring. OsMonitor automatically archives the images of employee computer screens to the server PC in your company, and these can be replayed at any time. As long as there’s enough space on the hard disk, the data can be saved permanently.

One of the great things of OsMonitor as a Screen Monitoring Software for PC is that it’s quite easy to locate the screen you want to look at from thousands of images from screens being monitored. This can be done by querying the name of a specific employee or a time point. In addition, there is no limit to how many screens you can view at the same time since the number and size of the screens can be customized.

3. Which screen monitoring software for PC should I choose?

Thanks to its advanced and convenient features discussed above, the screen monitoring function of OsMonitor is widely recognized by the market. As a screen monitoring software for PC, OsMonitor adopts the server/client working mode where the server-side is installed on the manager’s computer and the clients are deployed on the employees’ PCs. OsMonitor’s small file size and negligible CPU occupancy ensures that it never slows down the computer.
The installation process of OsMonitor is simple and easy to follow, while the interface of the software is also clear and easy to understand. We’ve designed our software to make sure that anyone who comes across OsMonitor for the first time can get a grip on it within 3 minutes, without zero professional knowledge required.

4. Does OsMonitor have features other than screen monitoring?

The answer is yes. To be more accurate, screen monitoring is just the tip of the iceberg of OsMonitor’s numerous functions. Sure, you can use OsMonitor as a screen monitoring software for PC, but there are many more powerful functions to be explored, and this software with a file size of less than 5MB will not disappoint you.
Functionally, OsMonitor can “monitor” and “restrict” employee PCs, with different options customized for different departments. The monitoring functions include Website logs, chat logs, screen monitoring, etc. The restriction functions will prevent employees from doing specific things on their computers. For example, only allow the usage of specified USB flash disk / removable hard disk. Videos and games can be prohibited during work hours.
All of the above features can be customized on your server, making OsMonitor much more powerful than a simple screen monitoring software for PC. Through WebID, not only PCs in the LAN but also employee computers around the world can be monitored and restricted by the server PC.

5. What’s the price of OsMonitor Screen Monitoring Software?

The pricing is listed on our official website. The purchase is one-time only with no annual fees or any hidden price. We believe that our customers' time is valuable, and clearly marking the price is respect for customers.

If you’re interested in OsMonitor, feel free to download the free trial version now and give it a try!

On October 5, 2021, Microsoft released Windows 11 and users can choose to upgrade to the new version for free. To ensure that our customers have a smooth experience with OsMonitor after the Windows 11 upgrade, our team launched a new version of OsMonitor almost simultaneously upon the release of Win 11.

The latest OsMonitor upgrade has been optimized for Windows 11 to provide the best experience for our users. The software interfaces were simplified, and new icon designs were implemented, such as rounded corners of the interface, new typography, and new color palettes. Major updates were made for log retrieval on the server and the warning message prompt windows. In addition, we also tested OsMonitor client compatibility in Windows 11 and made several optimizations to bring our customers a client program with less CPU usage and even better stability.

It has been over a decade since OsMonitor was first released. We’ve come a long way from back then when Windows 98 was the main system, and we will keep developing OsMonitor, the monitoring software for companies and businesses with the need for monitoring employees to ensure work efficiency. Currently, OsMonitor is compatible with Windows 11, Windows XP, Windows 7, Windows 10, and all computers with a Windows system.

It is not hard to tell what OsMonitor does from its name -- a software that monitors operating systems. In short, we provide a convenient solution for companies whose employees extensively use computers for work. The basic features of OsMonitor can be concluded as monitoring and/or restricting what the employees do during working hours. Designed solely as software, there is no need to install or modify any hardware for OsMonitor to work. It can accurately log the time that each employee spends on different software or website each month, together with the exact website addresses logged. Restrictions such as no gaming or video streaming during work hours can be easily set to ensure everyone focuses on their work. You can also set it up in a way that only allows the employees to access work-related websites. USB devices such as USB flash drives can be prohibited, and so do large data downloads that occupy bandwidth. Moreover, different monitoring and restriction strategies can be set for different departments, giving you the most flexibility.

OsMonitor employee monitoring software does not involve deployment mode, since its implementation principle is C/S mode, and various functions are realized through the client-side deployed on the computer. In this mode, the server installation and deployment have no special requirements for the network environment, therefore making the software suitable for small and medium-sized companies that do not have professional IT technicians. Having been optimized for Windows 11, OsMonitor continues to serve thousands of users worldwide and strives to provide the best experience for our valued customers.

On OsMonitor server, there are settings to prohibit clients from editing the registration, tampering with the control panel, and prohibit employees from installing without authorization. Said operations are relatively dangerous and can damage the system or waste time. Therefore, the boss or network administrator generally do not want employees to operate these things on their own. We can achieve this goal by adding the forbidden window title on the OsMonitor server. For example: block window titles including keywords such as “installation” on OsMonitor server.

In this way, all the windows whose title contains “XXXX installer” cannot be opened, therefore the installation cannot continue. 90% of the installer’s window programs contain keywords such as “install”, so we actually disabled most of the installation programs with this simple move. You can also block any other window titles you don't like. Moreover, we can take a step further and set the name of the EXEs you wish to block. Generally, the file names of most installation programs are called install.exe or setup.exe. Said settings on the server-side are shown in the picture below:

So far, we have disabled most of the installation programs through the simple settings above, and employees can no longer install software without permission. In the rare cases where someone does find a way to install something, you can find out what they are doing by viewing the installed program remotely. What's more, any programs that the employees run are archived in the server computer, plus the recording of screenshots. This is where the deterrence lies, and most employees will not take the risk to try illegal installation anymore.

Technical or paranoid people must despise the above practices, and always feel that they cannot completely prohibit employees from installing software without permission. We fully understand you and offer you the ultimate option: OsMonitor's application whitelist. So what is the application whitelist? We know that the Windows system defaults to an unlimited task set. All kinds of software can be run as they want. However, once the application whitelist is enabled, the employee’s computer can only run a few work-related software specified by you. Other irrelevant software including various installation packages and installation programs cannot run anymore, no matter what the file name or window title is, they will be intercepted (identified according to the MD5 signature). How to set up an application whitelist? It’s easy. The first step is to “take a picture”. During the photographing stage, please run all the software that employees will be allowed to run in the future. Any software that is not in this “photo” (Any non-specified tasks) will be blocked in the future. This is how easy it is. As shown in the picture, you can select an application whitelist of recorded tasks and enable it:

Please note that in Windows 7 or Windows 10, our new version of the OsMonitor client software can block windows or processes run as administrators even if the client itself does not have administrator rights. Therefore, you can log in to the Windows system as an ordinary user on the employee computer and run OsMonitor client program automatically.

WhatsApp is a free messaging app that has millions of users all around the world. While plenty of companies use WhatsApp as one of the tools for employees to provide customer service, it has become important to be able to monitor WhatsApp chat as a way to assess the quality of customer service provided through WhatsApp. In order to do that, the company managers need a WhatsApp tracker that can monitor WhatsApp chat.
OsMonitor is a software that can help monitor WhatsApp messages. Designed for Windows, OsMonitor can perfectly monitor WhatsApp chat on the PC version of the app by obtaining screenshots and chat history from the employees’ computers. These are saved on the server computer for company managers to check at any time. Other apps like Skype, Line, and WeChat can also be monitored by OsMonitor without a problem. Besides the function as a WhatsApp spy, OsMonitor also has plenty of other powerful monitoring features.
Chat history from each message App are logged on OsMonitor server:

OsMonitor fully supports Windows XP, Windows 7, Windows 10 and Windows server, both 32 and 64 bits included. Learn more about its powerful functions now.

LINE is a free messaging app that made it easy and fast for us to contact our friends. Many companies require employees to use LINE as one of the tools to communicate with customers considering a large number of LINE users. These communications are often through the PC version of LINE. As a result, it is essential to assess the efficiency and quality of the customer service provided via LINE if managers want to learn how well their employees are performing. Company managers are in urgent need of a “LINE spy”, or in other words, a LINE Tracker software, in order to monitor LINE messages.

Fortunately, a popular monitoring software called OsMonitor has made it possible to monitor LINE chat messages. OsMonitor can act as a LINE spy and monitor the employees’ computers comprehensively by obtaining screenshots and chat history from message apps on PC including LINE, Skype, WeChat and WhatsApp. The records are saved on the server computer for examination at any time. All you need to do is checking the “Monitor LINE Messages” option on OsMonitor server. Not only that, OsMonitor is much more than a simple LINE tracker, more of its powerful functions, such as blocking apps and websites, real-time monitoring, is for you to find out.

You can check the chat history from each message software on OsMonitor server:

OsMonitor is designed for Windows. It works perfectly without having to install any extra soft or hardware. OsMonitor fully supports Windows XP, Windows 7, Windows 10 and Windows server, both 32 and 64 bits included.

Since the world has already entered the internet age, most companies now rely on computers for everyday work. Many employers wish to know what their seemingly busy employees do with their computers during work hours; therefore, they feel the urgency to find an easy-to-use employee time tracking software.

OsMonitor Employee Monitoring Software is one of these simple yet powerful employee time tracking software. It features the following functions:

1. OsMonitor counts and records the use time of all kinds of software opened on employee computers every day. It accurately analyzes their work efficiency by only counting the usage time of the active window at the front end, if multiple applications are opened at the same time. When no operations are detected on the computer for a while, it will be counted as idle.
   
2. OsMonitor can count the time that employees spend on each website, accurate to the very minute.
   
3. OsMonitor can block the applications and websites that are not related to work, preventing them from wasting employees’ time. When the employees attempt to open those applications or website, OsMonitor closes them automatically and at the same time, a warning message which can be customized by the boss is delivered right to their screen. Furthermore, the employer can always check the details of each block and the number of cumulative violations.
   
4. OsMonitor can count the employees’ keyboard strokes, which could be another indicator of how hard they work.
   
5. OsMonitor can generate valuable reports which use statistical charts and various report formats to show the length of working time, the time spent on each website, the idle time of the computer, and the number of violations from each employee or department.
   
6. OsMonitor can regulate the usage of employee computers, for example, setting an auto-shutdown time, or a period when employees are not allowed to use the computer.
   
7. OsMonitor has employee work reminder function. The boss can send various customized messages such as meeting notifications to employees to remind them of their work and make work arrangements.
   
8. With OsMonitor, employees’ screens could be recorded, and the boss can keep track of every application window opened, insert and removal of USB disk, and the record when files are copied.
   
9. OsMonitor can be deployed on cloud servers, making it possible to monitor employees all around the world.

These 9 points above are some of the important functions of OsMonitor. If you are looking for an easy-to-use and powerful employee time tracking software, you cannot miss to try out OsMonitor for Windows. A 10-day free trial version is available.

YouTube is the world's largest and most popular video site. It might take a lot of time for your employees to visit YouTube during business hours every day.

To improve work efficiency, the boss must ban employees from accessing YouTube during business hours, or at least knowing how much time employees spend on YouTube.

A lot of articles on how to block the YouTube website mentioned the method of editing the hosts file in the C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc folder. This method may look good, but it is not suitable for the company management staff computers.

You can block YouTube on Windows by following the steps below:

1. Download and install OsMonitor employee monitoring software

2. Check the "Block Video Websites" option in the system settings of OsMonitor Server. You can allow access to YouTube for some employees while blocking the website for the others. All these settings are done on the OsMonitor Server, without the need for operating the employee's computer.

3. You can click the small button near each option to view or edit the URLs that you want to block. By adding the URLs of the websites you wish to block, you not only can block YouTube but also all kinds of other video websites.

4. When the YouTube website is visited, the browser will close automatically on the employee's computer. The OsMonitor server logs the event and the boss can view the record of blocking YouTube under the recent event column of OsMonitor Server.

5. If you don't block access to YouTube, you can see how much time each employee spends each day visiting YouTube.

As a powerful monitoring software, OsMonitor can block access to any website, YouTube apps and other apps that are not related to work on all Windows OS computers, including Windows 7 and Windows 10.