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How to fix activity detection issues on Mac?

Why does WebWork show me as idle while I’m working?

If WebWork shows you as idle, displays idle warnings, or keeps stopping and starting while you are using your mouse and keyboard, macOS is not letting WebWork see your activity. On macOS 27 and later, WebWork needs the Input Monitoring permission for this. On macOS 26 and earlier it needs the Accessibility permission.

What happens without the permission:

  • Your activity level stays at 0%, even while you work.
  • The tracker treats you as idle and shows idle warnings.
  • Tracking may stop after the inactivity limit and start again when you move the mouse, so your timeline shows many short sessions.

This is normal macOS security. Any app that counts keyboard and mouse activity needs this permission. WebWork counts only activity levels, never what you type or where you click.

How to fix it

Step 1: Update WebWork

  1. Install the latest version from the download page or from the update prompt in the app. Older versions do not ask for Input Monitoring and cannot record activity on macOS 27.
  2. Restart WebWork after updating.

Step 2: Grant the permission

When a permission is missing, WebWork opens a window titled Give WebWork permissions to work correctly. Click the button next to the row marked Denied, and System Settings opens on the right page. You can also open it yourself:

On macOS 27 or later:

  1. Open System Settings and go to Privacy & Security > Input Monitoring.
  2. Turn on the toggle next to WebWork Tracker. If it is not in the list, click + and add it from the Applications folder.
macOS 27 Input Monitoring settings with the WebWork Tracker toggle turned on

On macOS 26 or earlier:

  1. Open System Settings (or System Preferences on older versions) and go to Privacy & Security > Accessibility.
  2. Turn on the toggle next to WebWork Tracker. If it is not in the list, click + and add it from the Applications folder.

Step 3: Restart WebWork

  1. Quit WebWork completely.
  2. Open it again and start tracking. Permission changes apply only after the app restarts.

How to check that it works

  1. Work normally for a few minutes.
  2. Check that no idle warning appears and that the activity level in the app rises above 0%.
  3. If WebWork opened its permissions window earlier, the row now says Granted.

Still having issues?

WebWork Tracker is not in the list: make sure WebWork is installed in the Applications folder and has been opened at least once, then add it with the + button.

Two WebWork entries in the list, or the toggle is on but nothing changes: an old entry can stay behind after an update. Select each WebWork entry, remove it with the − button, add the app again with +, turn it on, and restart WebWork.

The toggle is greyed out or switches back off: your Mac is managed by your company. Apple does not let management profiles pre-approve Input Monitoring, so ask your IT team to remove any profile that denies it for WebWork, then turn it on yourself.

macOS asks for your password: changing privacy settings needs an administrator password or Touch ID on this Mac.

Still idle after all of this: restart your Mac, check that the toggle is still on, and if the problem persists, send an error log to support.

What WebWork monitors

  • Mouse clicks, scrolls and keyboard activity as counts only. Not what you type, not where you click.
  • Your overall activity level, used for your timeline and for idle detection.

Related

Need more help? Contact support with your macOS version, your WebWork version, and a screenshot of your Input Monitoring or Accessibility settings.

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