TRACE WINDOWS BETA · USER GUIDE
Trace heatmaps, local history and privacy
Trace builds heatmaps from activity counts in screen regions. It saves recorded history locally at %LOCALAPPDATA%\Trace\trace.db under your Windows account. Trace does not upload this activity or require a cloud account.
What does a mouse heatmap show?
A heatmap groups recorded interactions into a grid over a monitor's screen area. In Trace's Heatmap view, choose the activity type, date range and monitor to explore where activity is concentrated. A frequently used screen region can stand out because of cursor activity or clicks; it does not identify what was on the screen.
Trace does not take a screenshot behind the heatmap. The chart describes positions and interaction counts, rather than the text, documents or websites displayed there.
Where is my Trace history stored?
Trace stores history in a local SQLite database at %LOCALAPPDATA%\Trace\trace.db. You can paste %LOCALAPPDATA%\Trace into File Explorer's address bar to find the folder. A running database may also have companion -wal and -shm files.
Trace does not encrypt this database itself. Protect your Windows account and device, and treat exports as private files. No central Trace account, activity upload or cross-device synchronization is required or provided by the current beta.
What does Trace record?
Recorded activity includes cursor-distance totals, click and scroll counts, activity and idle summaries, heatmap cells and focus-session summaries. Raw movement events are not stored. Trace does not capture typed text, screenshots, clipboard contents or browsing URLs.
How long is history kept?
| Record | Default retention |
|---|---|
| Raw clicks and drags | 24 hours; configurable from 1 to 24 hours |
| Detailed minute data | 30 days; configurable from 7 to 30 days |
| Hourly, daily and heatmap aggregates; focus history | Until you delete collected data |
Adjust the detailed-data retention periods in Settings → Display & retention. Shortening raw retention does not automatically erase the longer-lived aggregate summaries.
How can I stop recording or remove history?
Pause tracking or enable incognito when you want activity to be excluded. These controls do not delete earlier history. To remove recorded activity, export anything you want to keep and use Settings → Delete all collected data. Exported copies are separate files; manage or delete those yourself.
Updates and uninstalling preserve the database so a reinstall can recover it. Use the deletion control before uninstalling if you want collected history removed. See the installation guide for the current beta's setup and security limitations.
Ready to try Trace?
All current features are free. The download page explains supported PCs and the unsigned beta's limitations.
Get the Windows betaMore help: all Trace guides.