# Browser URL Tracking

Browser URL Tracking lets Chronoid go beyond "Google Chrome — 2 hours." For supported browsers, Chronoid extracts the actual website URL and page title of the active tab, so your reports can break time down by domain and page.

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## What Gets Tracked

For each supported browser, Chronoid records three things in addition to the app name:

- **Browser app name** (e.g., Google Chrome)
- **Website URL** — domain and path of the active tab (e.g., `github.com/chronoid/chronoid`)
- **Page title** — the title shown in the browser tab

This is what makes the Websites/Domains report possible, with activity grouped under the actual site you were on instead of the browser shell.

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## Supported Browsers

**Chromium family**

- Google Chrome (including Beta, Dev, Canary)
- Microsoft Edge (including Beta, Dev, Canary)
- Brave (including Beta, Nightly)
- Opera (including Next, Developer, GX)
- Vivaldi
- Arc
- Dia
- Mighty
- Wavebox
- Sidekick
- Perplexity Comet
- Helium

**Firefox family**

- Firefox (including Developer Edition, Nightly)
- Zen Browser
- Waterfox

**Safari family**

- Safari
- Safari Technology Preview

**Other**

- Yandex Browser
- SigmaOS

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## How URL Extraction Works

Chronoid extracts the URL and page title using two mechanisms, in order:

1. **AppleScript** — the primary, fastest method. Chronoid asks the browser for the URL and title of its frontmost tab.
2. **Accessibility API fallback** — if AppleScript is unavailable or returns nothing, Chronoid reads the window title through the macOS Accessibility (AX) API.

The first time Chronoid tracks a given browser, macOS may prompt for **Automation** and/or **Accessibility** permission. Grant these so URL extraction works reliably across all your browsers.

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## Permissions

Reliable URL tracking depends on two macOS permissions:

- **Accessibility** — needed to read window titles and to power the AX fallback.
- **Automation** — needed for the AppleScript queries that read URLs and tab titles.

If URLs stop appearing, check **System Settings → Privacy & Security → Accessibility** and **Automation**, and make sure Chronoid is allowed in both. You can also re-grant a permission from **Settings → Tracking** if Chronoid shows a permission warning.

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## Private Browsing

Chronoid detects private and incognito windows across Safari, Chrome-family browsers, and Firefox.

- By default, Chronoid still tracks the time spent in a private window but does not store the URL or page title.
- Enable **Prevent tracking from private browsing** in **Settings → Tracking** to go further: private window titles are replaced with **Private Browsing**, so even the fact that tracking occurred is masked in your timeline.

This keeps your private research out of reports without losing the rest of your browsing activity.

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## Seeing URLs In Reports

Once URLs are tracked, your browser activity shows up in the **Websites/Domains** report:

- Time is grouped by domain (e.g., `github.com`, `figma.com`).
- Expand a domain to see the individual page titles and how long you spent on each.
- Use this to spot where your browsing time actually goes, beyond the raw "Chrome — 6 hours" number.

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## Troubleshooting

If URLs are missing for a browser:

1. Confirm **Accessibility** and **Automation** permissions are granted in **System Settings → Privacy & Security**.
2. Restart the browser — some browsers reset their AppleScript state after an update.
3. Make sure the browser is not running in a mode that hides tab info (for example, certain locked-down profiles).
4. Re-grant the permission from **Settings → Tracking** if Chronoid reports that a browser is not scriptable.

If only a specific browser fails while others work, it usually means that browser's Automation permission was denied or revoked.

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## Related Guides

- [Automatic Tracking](/docs/trackings/automatic-tracking)
- [Tracking Settings](/docs/settings/tracking-settings)
- [Activity Report](/docs/activity/activity-report)

For help, email [support@chronoid.app](mailto:support@chronoid.app)

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Source: https://www.chronoid.app/docs/trackings/browser-tracking