Treat the answer as yes. On a computer the company owns, it can see files, the sites you visit, the apps you install and, if monitoring software is on it, the screen itself. Encrypted content inside websites is harder to see unless the software captures the screen. The simplest rule: keep anything personal off the work computer.
What they usually see
- Files saved on the device and in company cloud accounts.
- Websites visited, through the browser, the network or both.
- Software installed and when it runs.
- Email and chat on company accounts, which the company owns.
- With monitoring software: screenshots, active time, sometimes keystrokes.
What they usually do not
- What happens inside an encrypted site, unless the screen is captured.
- Your personal phone on your own data.
- Your personal accounts, unless you open them on the work device.
Why "usually"
Rules differ by country and by US state. Some require notice before monitoring. Some restrict keystroke logging. Almost everywhere, a company device belongs to the company, and that is the starting point.
How to behave
Use the work computer for work. Use your own phone and your own data for everything else. Read the acceptable use policy once. That covers nearly every situation.
Where M-Tracker fits
Employers reach for screen monitoring because they cannot otherwise tell whether work is being done well. M-Tracker gives them that answer directly. Each task has a brief, the finished work is checked against it, and the person sees the review first. Managers see output and quality, not screens. No screenshots, no keystroke logging, no activity monitoring. It is the version of visibility that does not need to see everything.
Try M-Tracker free14-day trial. No credit card. No employee surveillance.
Questions people ask
Can they see my browsing in incognito mode?
Incognito hides history from the browser, not from the network or monitoring software. Assume yes.
Can they read my personal email if I log in on the work laptop?
If the screen is captured or the browser is monitored, yes. Do not log in there.
Can they see deleted files?
Often. Deleted does not mean gone on a managed device, and backups exist.
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