Recording & Capture
How does multi-monitor support work?
Retrace captures one monitor at a time, whichever one has your active focus. When you click on a window on another monitor, Retrace automatically switches to capture that display.
Key points:
- Retrace follows your focus, not just the "primary" display
- Switching monitors happens instantly with no gap in recording
- Each frame stores which display it was captured from
- You don't need to configure anything. It works automatically
What happens when I connect or disconnect a monitor?
Retrace automatically handles display changes:
- New monitor connected: If you move focus to the new display, Retrace starts capturing it
- Monitor disconnected: Retrace switches to capture whatever display your focus moves to
- Resolution changes: Retrace adapts automatically, no restart needed
There may be a brief moment during hardware changes where recording restarts. This is normal and ensures stable capture.
Why isn't Retrace recording my second/third monitor?
Retrace captures only the monitor where your focused window is. If you're always working on Monitor 1 but want to capture Monitor 2, you need to click on a window on Monitor 2.
This is intentional. It ensures Retrace captures what you're actually looking at, not background content you might not care about.
How often does Retrace take screenshots?
Retrace uses intelligent change detection rather than fixed intervals. It checks your screen about 3 times per second, but only saves a screenshot when something meaningful changes.
You can adjust the capture frequency in Settings → Storage:
- Active: More frequent captures (every 5 to 60 seconds)
- Passive: Balanced (every 10 to 30 seconds). Recommended
- Slow: Less frequent (every 30 to 60 seconds)
- Ultra: Captures every few seconds, even when your screen has not changed. Uses the most storage
Popovers & Notifications
When do menu bar popovers appear?
Retrace shows popovers from the menu bar icon in these situations:
- 5-minute warning: Before a timed pause expires (only for pauses over 30 minutes)
- Recording resumed: When a timed pause ends and recording starts again
- App exclusion warning: When you've set a timed exclusion that's about to expire
Why don't I see notification banners?
Starting with macOS Sequoia (15.0), the system suppresses notification banners when screen recording is active. This is an OS-level behavior that affects all screen recording apps.
Retrace works around this by using popovers from the menu bar instead of system notifications for important alerts. These popovers appear regardless of notification settings.
Popovers disappear too quickly. What can I do?
Retrace's informational popovers (like "Recording Resumed") auto-dismiss after a few seconds. Warning popovers (like the 5-minute warning) stay on screen longer so you have time to act.
If you missed a notification, you can:
- Check the menu bar icon state (bright = recording, dim = paused)
- Open the timeline to see recent activity
Privacy & Security
Is my data stored in the cloud?
No. Everything stays on your Mac. Your screenshots and search index are stored in an encrypted timeline database, and new voice recordings are encrypted separately. Nothing about your recordings is uploaded.
What encryption does Retrace use?
Retrace stores your timeline in a SQLCipher-encrypted database. Its random 32-byte encryption key is stored in your macOS Keychain. New voice-note recordings use AES-GCM encryption.
Can other apps access my Retrace recordings?
No. Your captured history is encrypted. By default, Retrace stores it in ~/RetraceData/. You can choose another local folder in Settings, and the encryption keys remain in your macOS Keychain.
Can I exclude a website or browser tab?
Retrace exclusions work by app, not by website or tab. You can exclude Safari or Chrome, but not only your bank's website.
When an excluded app is in the foreground, Retrace pauses recording. If the excluded app is visible behind another app, its windows stay out of your captures.
For a sensitive website, you can:
- Exclude the entire browser app
- Use a Timed Pause while you use the site
Timeline & Navigation
Why do some frames look different sizes?
Each frame is captured at the resolution of the active display at that moment. If you switch between a 4K monitor and a laptop screen, the frames will have different native resolutions.
Retrace scales frames to fit the viewer, so they'll look consistent even if the underlying resolution varies.
Can I view multiple monitors at once in the timeline?
No. The timeline shows a single stream of your active focus. You'll see frames from different monitors in chronological order, but not simultaneously.
This keeps the interface simple and ensures you're always seeing what you were actually working on at any given moment.
Why can't I find something I know I saw?
Try these troubleshooting steps:
- Check your time filter: Make sure you're not filtering to "Today" when the content was from yesterday
- Check for exclusions: Was the app excluded from recording?
- Try different search terms: OCR isn't perfect. Try alternative spellings or related words
- Check retention settings: Has the recording been automatically deleted?
- Use time filtering: Narrow down to when you think you saw it, then scroll manually
Can I delete specific segments?
Yes. Right-click any thumbnail in the filmstrip and select Delete Frame. A confirmation dialog shows what will be removed.
Deleting a frame permanently removes:
- The screenshot
- Any text or voice notes used only by that frame
- The frame's label associations
Notes shared with another frame stay attached to that frame, including any shared voice-note audio.
Performance & Battery
Does Retrace slow down my Mac?
Retrace is designed to be lightweight. It uses native macOS APIs with hardware acceleration. You should see minimal impact, typically less than 2% CPU during normal use.
Does Retrace affect battery life?
On battery power, Retrace has a small but measurable impact. In testing, it uses approximately 2–5% additional battery over a typical workday.
To reduce battery impact:
- Use the "Slow" capture frequency setting
- Use timed pauses when you don't need recording
- Exclude apps that change frequently (like video players)
Why is my timeline slow to load?
If you have a very large timeline (months of recordings), initial loading might take a moment while Retrace builds its search index.
Tips for better performance:
- Set a reasonable retention period (30–90 days is usually plenty)
- Use time filters to limit what's displayed
- Avoid "Forever" retention unless you really need years of history
Still Have Questions?
If your question isn't answered here, you can:
- Email support at support@retracesteps.com
- Check the main website for the latest updates