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Control recording and privacy

App Exclusions

Control which applications Retrace records. Permanently exclude sensitive apps or set temporary exclusions for specific time windows.

Updated August 2026

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What Are App Exclusions?

App Exclusions keep selected applications out of your recorded history. Retrace pauses recording while an excluded app is in the foreground, and excluded app windows stay hidden when you're using another app.

Note
When an excluded app is active, Retrace pauses recording but stays ready in the background. The moment you switch to a non-excluded app, recording resumes automatically.

How Exclusions Work

Retrace uses native macOS APIs to completely hide excluded apps from the capture stream. This happens at the system level. Excluded content is never even seen by Retrace, let alone stored.

When you switch focus to an excluded app, Retrace:

  1. Detects the app change
  2. Immediately pauses the capture stream
  3. Dims the menu bar icon while capture is paused
  4. Resumes recording and brightens the icon when you leave the excluded app
Note
Exclusions apply to future captures. They don't remove screenshots that are already in your timeline.

Adding App Exclusions

Opening the Exclusion Panel

To manage app exclusions:

  1. Open the Retrace timeline
  2. Find Exclude Apps in the recording controls below the filmstrip, beside the Record button
  3. Click the button or press ⌘ + E

A popover will appear showing all your installed applications.

Excluding an App

  1. In the Exclude Apps popover, search or scroll to find the app
  2. Click on the app to toggle its exclusion status
  3. Excluded apps show a red "eye slash" icon

Time-Based Exclusions

Need to temporarily exclude an app? Time-based exclusions let you pause recording for specific apps for a set duration.

  1. Open the Exclude Apps popover
  2. Right-click on any app in the list
  3. Select Exclude for...
  4. Choose a duration: 15 minutes, 30 minutes, 1 hour, 2 hours, or custom
  5. After the time expires, the app will be recorded normally again

Apps with active timers show an orange clock badge with the remaining time.

Important
Exclusions apply to whole apps, not individual websites or browser tabs. To keep a sensitive website out of Retrace, exclude that browser or use a Timed Pause.
Tip
Time-based exclusions persist even if you quit Retrace. The timer continues in the background and will honor the original end time when you reopen the app.

Consider excluding apps that display sensitive information:

  • Password managers: 1Password, Bitwarden, LastPass
  • Banking apps: Your bank's desktop app
  • Web browsers: If you use them for banking, medical portals, or other sensitive sites
  • Private messaging: Signal, WhatsApp (if desired)
  • Work-sensitive tools: HR portals, payroll systems

Visual Indicators

When an excluded app is active, you'll notice:

  • Menu bar icon: Dims while capture is paused and brightens when recording resumes
  • Exclude Apps button: Turns red when any exclusions are active
  • Timeline: New captures never show excluded app windows

Managing Your Exclusion List

To remove a permanent exclusion:

  1. Open the Exclude Apps popover (⌘ + E)
  2. Find the app in your list (excluded apps appear at the top)
  3. Right-click it and select Remove Exclusion

For a timed exclusion, right-click the app and select Stop Timer Now. You can also use Clear All to remove every exclusion at once.

Next Steps