WorkTimer

Small macOS menu bar timer for tracking work time from the top-right of the screen.

What It Does

• Starts counting up as soon as the app launches.
• Lives in the macOS menu bar.
• Also appears in the Dock while running.
• Tries to register itself to launch at login.
• Single click pauses or resumes.
• Double click opens the panel.
• Right click opens the panel.
• Resets automatically each day and keeps a daily log.
• Can show timer, money, typing stats, mouse distance, or an icon in the menu bar.
• Saves the current day session locally, so relaunching the app does not wipe the timer.
• Tracks typing time, chars, CPM, WPM, and estimated on-screen mouse travel.

Quick Start For Someone Downloading The App

If you are just receiving WorkTimer.app or WorkTimer-macOS.zip, do this:

1. Unzip it
2. Drag WorkTimer.app into /Applications or ~/Applications
3. Open it
4. The setup panel should open automatically on first launch
5. If you want typing and mouse stats, press the in-app Grant Access button and enable WorkTimer in:
   • System Settings > Privacy & Security > Accessibility
   • System Settings > Privacy & Security > Input Monitoring

If the menu bar item is missing, check the hidden section in Ice/Bartender first.

Easiest Install

If you already have Node installed on macOS, the fastest install is:

npx @nickitakhy/worktimer

That downloads the matching signed WorkTimer.app from GitHub releases, installs it into ~/Applications, and opens it.

Useful commands:

npx @nickitakhy/worktimer open
npx @nickitakhy/worktimer doctor
npx @nickitakhy/worktimer install --app-dir=/Applications

Requirements

• macOS 14 or newer
• Xcode 16 or current Swift 6 toolchain

Developer Install

cd apps/worktimer
./scripts/install-app.sh

That builds a release app, installs it to ~/Applications/WorkTimer.app, and opens it.

If you want a different install location, set:

WORKTIMER_INSTALL_DIR=/Applications ./scripts/install-app.sh

The installer will use your personal Developer ID Application certificate if one is available in Keychain. Otherwise it falls back to ad hoc signing for local use.

Setup For Full Stats

Timer and pay tracking work right away.

AI usage is optional and only appears when WorkTimer can find local Codex/Claude logs or compatible usage snapshot files.

Wispr Flow stats are optional and only appear when Wispr Flow is installed locally.

Typing and mouse stats need macOS privacy approval:

• System Settings > Privacy & Security > Accessibility
• System Settings > Privacy & Security > Input Monitoring
• move WorkTimer.app into /Applications or ~/Applications before granting permissions
• WorkTimer retries automatically after both switches are on, but if stats still look stuck, reopen WorkTimer once

You can jump straight there with:

cd apps/worktimer
./scripts/open-permissions.sh

If permissions get stuck and you want to re-grant them cleanly:

cd apps/worktimer
./scripts/reset-permissions.sh
./scripts/open-permissions.sh

To inspect the installed app’s trust state and path:

cd apps/worktimer
./scripts/doctor.sh

Launch Again Later

cd apps/worktimer
./scripts/open-app.sh

or:

open -na ~/Applications/WorkTimer.app

Make A Sendable Build

cd apps/worktimer
./scripts/package-app.sh

That creates:

• dist/WorkTimer-macOS.zip
• dist/README-SEND-TO-FRIENDS.txt

That is the preferred non-developer onboarding path for another person.

To build a notarized zip with your personal ASC auth profile:

cd apps/worktimer
./scripts/package-app.sh --notarize --profile=Personal

First-Run Behavior

• The app should appear in the top-right menu bar area.
• The app should also appear in the Dock while it is running.
• On first launch, the setup panel should open automatically.
• The app also attempts to turn on launch-at-login automatically.
• If macOS asks for approval, check System Settings > General > Login Items.
• If you want typing stats or mouse travel, approve WorkTimer in both Accessibility and Input Monitoring.
• If you use Ice, Bartender, or another menu bar organizer, it may appear in the hidden section first.
• The default panel is simple black/white, with:
  • current timer
  • small reset button
  • hourly pay input
  • top-bar mode switch
  • typing stats
  • mouse travel stats
  • daily history
  • action log

Development

Run directly from SwiftPM:

cd apps/worktimer
swift run WorkTimer

Run tests:

cd apps/worktimer
swift test

Notes

• WorkTimer data now lives in ~/Library/Application Support/WorkTimer/worktimer.sqlite.
• Older typing.sqlite installs are migrated automatically the first time the new build launches.
• Updating or reinstalling the app should preserve the current day timer and history.
• Mouse distance is an estimate of cursor travel on the display surface, based on display size reported by macOS.
• Wispr Flow stats are detected automatically from the local flow.sqlite database when Wispr Flow is installed.