This Is the Best Hidden Screen Sharing Software for Windows

According to McKinsey, 87% of employees are happy to take remote working positions as of 2022. Their employers may worry about their productivity when there’s no way to monitor them physically. That’s where screen-sharing software comes in.

Wolfeye Remote Screen is the best screen-sharing software to monitor your employees’ activity at set intervals. This software allows you to monitor what websites have been visited, take screenshots of online activity, and screen recordings for later review.

Other options include Interguard Monitoring Software, Teramind, and Desktime. In this article, I’ve gathered the best hidden screen-sharing software to help you monitor your employees on Windows. I also talk a bit about the ethics of screen-sharing and how to make the most of your screen-sharing software should you choose to install it.

Wolfeye Remote Screen

Wolfeye is a powerful employee surveillance software that ensures that a company’s computers, internet, and labor are put into boosting productivity. Specifically, it disincentivizes your employees from accessing time-wasting websites using company property.

More importantly, Wolfeye helps curb security threats by allowing you to track potentially harmful online activities such as phishing sites.

How Does It Work?

Unlike basic remote desktop monitoring software that only takes screenshots of user activity, Wolfeye Remote Screen offers much more advanced features such as:

Remote live PC screen monitoring.
Screenshots of user activity.
Tracking unauthorized PC access.
Parental monitoring and control.
Remote collaboration, sharing, and support.

Before downloading the application, you must add the target folder to the antivirus exception folder. That’s because Wolfeye acts like a surveillance/spying software that may be mistaken for a hacking tool by a computer’s antivirus, which then responds by blocking its activity.

After downloading and setting up the application, you can start recording the screen. The URL to the computer’s live screen can be shared via email, where you can watch all that’s happening on the other user’s computer screen.

Pros

Monitors your Windows PCs secretly, without interfering with the employee’s activities
Super fast response time for live streams, with minimal delays lasting three to five seconds
Can be set up once on one machine to monitor multiple computers

Cons

Requires you to list the application manually in your antivirus program’s exception folder
Setup can take a little longer than anticipated since you need to be checked by a lawyer before using the application. This ensures that every user follows the applicable data privacy laws and doesn’t engage in illegal activity while using the application.

Is Wolfeye Remote Screen Worth It?

Wolfeye isn’t just a surveillance program. It also allows you to collaborate remotely with your team and assist users with any computer issues. I’d say the overall cost is worth the features.

Also, even after the trial period ends, you can use the application for an additional three days, renew your subscription, and try out your favorite employee monitoring features for a little longer. So yes, I’d say it’s worth it.

InterGuard Employee Monitoring Software

If you’re looking for remote screen monitoring software that works across most devices (including Windows, Mac, Android, and VMWare Citrix), InterGuard is your best option.

Here are some of the features InterGuard has:

Remote computer monitoring with screenshots and video
Detailed reports on employee idle time, website, and application usage
Remote access to lost files and remote device shutdown
Access from the cloud
Allowing users to create whitelists and blacklists for web activity

However, InterGuard is much more than an employee monitoring software. This cloud-based solution allows employers to gather evidence of a suspected violation at the workplace (e.g., sexual harassment and discrimination) and present it in a visual format to the relevant authorities.

How Does it Work?

One of InterGuard’s primary features is its user interface, which shows detailed information about an employee’s log-in time, active time, idle time, and score based on the employee’s overall productivity.

InterGuard also takes screenshots triggered by keywords the user types on their screen. You can set as many keywords as you want, especially when you have sensitive files that need protection (e.g., invoice files in your finance department database).

Additionally, you can select the websites your program will take screenshots of, as well as determine the intervals at which the application will take screenshots.

What you’ll love the most about InterGuard is its stringent security features, which is great considering that security threats are a problem for 58% of small businesses. InterGuard helps businesses shield themselves against data loss by restricting access to potentially harmful websites. Administrators can also lock their devices remotely when a high risk of a breach is detected.

Pros

Suitable for small businesses that operate in fields with high data protection standards backed by HIPAA, CIPA, and PCI compliance
Detailed, easy-to-use dashboard
Excellent 24/7 support

Cons

May not be compatible with some antivirus programs, requiring the user to turn off their antivirus and putting company data at risk
Fairly steep learning curve for first-time users
Occasional glitches may occur during installation, though this shouldn’t be a problem if the internet connection is stable

Is InterGuard Worth It?

I like how extensive InterGuard’s features are relative to the number of devices you can use it on. If you trust it enough to turn off potentially incompatible antivirus software while it’s running, and you don’t mind the additional training you need to give employees, this one may be worth a shot.

DeskTime

DeskTime is an advanced productivity-based time tracker and employee management software designed for small businesses and freelancers alike. Its features include the following:

Screenshots taken at random intervals
Absence calendar and shift scheduling
URL, mobile, and web app tracking
Offline tracking
Custom reports and third-party integrations

How Does It Work?

Like other time trackers, DeskTime activates when the user turns on and shuts down their computer. As such, no manual input is required to monitor your team’s progress on vital projects. Everything is automated.

DeskTime takes random screenshots of the user’s screen, allowing project managers to take note of the most frequently used programs. DeskTime also fosters teamwork in that employees can set their own hours while the management checks up during these hours.

DeskTime allows you to set up a Private Time feature that turns off the tracker when you have to do other non-work-related tasks. It tracks the time spent on a project as well as time spent on additional meetings and other activities that support the project.

Last but not least, the application offers a Pomodoro timer that reminds employees to take occasional breaks for enhanced mental health.

Pros

Great time tracker for hours spent online and offline
Easy to integrate with other frequently used tools, such as Google Calendar, Asana, and Trello
Works across multiple devices (phones and desktops)
Employees have some control over how much privacy they should give up

Cons

May be difficult for first-time users to navigate
Employees can disable the software, which could lead to more wasted hours and company resources

Is DeskTime Worth It?

DeskTime offers basic screen monitoring, time tracking, custom reports, shift scheduling, URL, and app tracking features for remote project managers. The web activity tracker requires no additional download or installation.

However, if you want more advanced features, such as live screen monitoring and mouse and keyboard stroke monitoring, our next pick could be a much better alternative.

Teramind

You can never be too careful when it comes to online security, which is what Teramind offers on top of:

Live and recorded screen activity
Online activity tracking
Email activity tracking
App usage tracking
File transfer
Mouse and keyboard activity
Social media activity

Teramind is a secure employee surveillance application designed to record and monitor employee activity in real time. One of its most impressive features is the added layer of security as an endpoint monitoring software. Additionally, Teramind enables employers to control their devices remotely, enabling them to curb security breaches and unauthorized access to confidential data before it happens.

In cases of serious threats to company security, you can block user activity and gather more information in audio and video formats. You can then use that information as evidence for the relevant authorities (if need be).

How Does It Work?

Teramind provides services under the following main categories:

Employee monitoring
Data theft protection
Productivity optimization
Insider threat protection

As mentioned, Teramind offers endpoint monitoring, which allows you to capture vital information about how your employees use their desktops. Small business owners can take advantage of behavior and data analytics to watch how employees spend their days on the office computer. This way, they can see the causes of reduced performance and fix them.

Pros

Scrutinizes employee activity to detect and neutralize potentially malicious employee actions on company computers
More endpoints can be added as your business grows, making it scalable
User-friendly dashboard with multi-level reporting

Cons

Offline recording is only supported by the Silent/Hidden Agent, meaning any network downtime will lead to data being recorded on the local machine
Teramind may not work on Linux systems if you have them on your premises

Is Teramind Worth It?

Despite the vast features, Teramind’s price makes it a great option for business owners on a budget. With it, small business owners can cut down on the cost of the lack of productivity by sending reminders to employees and limiting the time spent on unproductive activities.

Deployment can be done on-premises or via the cloud, which gives you greater control over the costs of the infrastructure needed to run the application.

Is Hidden Screen Sharing Legal?

One last thing to consider when choosing hidden screen monitoring software is the legality of employee monitoring. Unfortunately, most of the software in this list can be used illegally, which is why I strongly recommend seeking legal counsel and obtaining consent if using third-party computers.

Hidden screen sharing and recording are legal, and the employer is allowed to monitor and track activities on the company’s computers, including recent email activity and social media. Doing this ensures that company resources are maximized to meet the company’s goals.

For instance, an employer can check out an employee’s online behavior on their personal devices if they’re on the company network. Of course, the company needs to install the monitoring software on the user’s computer or device. Remember, screen sharing should only be done during work hours when employees are supposed to fulfill their duties.

Tips for Using Screen-Sharing Software on Employee Devices

As you may have guessed, there’s a lot of debate over the ethics of using screen-sharing software on employee devices. Although these software can prevent employees from wasting valuable company time, they can also raise privacy concerns.

If you want to make the most of your screen-sharing software and minimize (if not completely eliminate) privacy concerns, here’s what you can do.

Be transparent with your employees about the fact that you’re using screen-sharing software. No matter how your employees may feel about the fact, they’ll at least know better than to access questionable websites using company property.
Train your employees in the use of screen-sharing software, if necessary. As I’ve mentioned above, some of these software require a steep learning curve. It’s also possible that the software will cause bugs that’ll get in the way of your employees’ productivity.
Install the software only on devices used on company property. At the end of the day, the software is there to ensure that employees are making the most of company Whatever they do on their personal time is their own business.
Do a trial run of the software first. If you’re unsure whether you should use a particular software, take advantage of its free trial period (if it has one). That way, you can check for things like whether it has any concerning bugs, whether it makes a significant difference in employee productivity, and whether it’s a good investment overall.

Conclusion

When looking for screen-sharing software, you’ll want to ensure its features align with how it’ll be used in your company. The good news is that monitoring software like Wolfeye contains everything you need for secure, hidden, and multi-purpose workplace management.

Sources

Articles.

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