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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.

WeChat is popular social software in China with hundreds of millions of users. If you have products or services for Chinese customers, it is necessary to use WeChat as one of the online communication tools for customer service. Employees usually use WeChat for Windows, because it feels more comfortable transferring files and typing compared to the mobile version of WeChat.
Wish to keep track of your employees’ quality and efficiency of work when they provide customer services through online chat tools like WeChat? OsMonitor is the solution. OsMonitor can perfectly monitor WeChat for Windows by automatically capturing the conversations between employees and customers and saving them on your OsMonitor server. The boss can check these WeChat chat histories at any time, which are helpful for tracking the status of employees and customers. However, OsMonitor only monitors the WeChat for Windows version, which means that anything your employees do with their private WeChat on mobile phones is not under monitoring. So, you don’t need to worry if monitoring WeChat conversions can infringe their privacy.
If you want to monitor WeChat chat history, don’t forget to check the ‘Log WeChat Conversation’ option on OsMonitor server.

Please make sure that the employee computer is being monitored and WeChat is running on the employee's computer. At this time, all chats with the customer will be recorded. Boss can easily see all WeChat chats on OsMonitor server by looking at the ‘History View’.

Run the free 10-day trial version now and discover even more powerful features of OsMonitor.

OsMonitor is a powerful employee monitoring software that works on all Windows system, including Windows 7, Windows 10, and supports both 32 bit and 64 bit OS.

One of the main features of OsMonitor is screen tracking. The boss can keep track of all employee's computer desktops on his or her computer with OsMonitor, which allows the boss to view employee computer screens in real time, or look at the screenshots that are saved to the history database any time later.

The boss can see the latest activities on screens of all employee computers through OsMonitor server:

App usage tracking – you will know how much time each employee spends on each application during work time:

Monitor any employee's screen at any time:

You can click "Real-time screen monitoring" or zoom in on the screenshots:

Track the URLs visited by employees:

OsMonitor has far more powerful features other than the ones shown, get your free trial now and check them out!

Download OsMonitor Free Trial

How to block a USB Flash drive or Smartphone plugged on a computer in Windows 10?
Do you still need a group policy to disable USB drives？
How to find out what your employees are doing with USB Drives?
How can find which files were copied to a USB storage device?
How to show a custom alert message when a Flash drive is plugged in?
How to disable USB storage or Smartphone plugged on a computer?
These can be done in one click with OsMonitor software.

For companies whose employees are scattered around the world, if you want to monitor the computers of these employees, you can use VPS Hosting to run OsMonitor server. The way is: install the OsMonitor server on your VPS Hosting and input the dedicated Internet IP of the VPS Hosting in the OsMonitor client. If you need to check the monitoring, log in to VPS Hosting with the Windows remote desktop. The VPS Hosting must be a Windows operating system.

You can find the dedicated Internet IP in your VPS Hosting console. In the future, when you install the OsMonitor client, you just need to enter the IP address.

At this time, you can use the Windows Remote Desktop to log in to the VPS Hosting. Once you have logged in the VPS Hosting, it is as convenient as operating your own computer. Now you can download and run the OsMonitor server on VPS Hosting easily.

After run OsMonitor server and OsMonitor client, if you can't find any computer be monitored in the monitoring list. The reason is the VPS Hosting intercepts most of the TCP ports except for a few ports such as port 80 by default. You need to set it in the VPS Hosting control panel. Make sure the firewall allow TCP ports 7211, 7212, and 7213 go through.