The essentials
- Platform
- macOS 14 or later. Dayflow needs screen-recording permission to capture new activity. Windows is a waitlist, not a current desktop release.
- Price
- The app is free and open source under the MIT license. Local models use your hardware; your own cloud provider can charge for usage. Dayflow Pro manages analysis for $20/month on monthly billing. See plans and billing options.
- Capture and storage
- Full screen recordings and a local timeline are stored on your Mac. Capture uses periodic screenshots to help AI describe the activity. Paused recording, denied permission, and time away from the computer leave gaps.
- Outputs
- A timeline, daily updates, weekly views, and Markdown exports. AI descriptions are drafts: check them against your actual work before sharing or billing.
- Assistant access
- Settings → MCP / CLI connects supported clients to local Dayflow data. Read access and edit permission are distinct. See connection instructions and verification scope.
- Export
- Export a date range as Markdown from Settings → Export. You can edit or copy the result into another document. Dayflow does not automatically send it to your team.
Choose where analysis happens
Local AI
A supported model runs on your Mac through Ollama or LM Studio. Screenshot analysis stays on-device. Setup and local inference need your own hardware resources.
Your own provider
Selected screenshots go to the provider you configure. Provider charges and privacy terms apply. The free app does not include paid API usage.
Dayflow Pro
Dayflow manages cloud analysis. Under the privacy policy, Dayflow Pro deletes screenshots after processing and may retain Activity Data for sync. Your own provider has its own terms.
An assistant can receive the Dayflow data it retrieves in your conversation. Local storage does not make a cloud assistant conversation local. Read the full data-flow explanation.
Where another tool may fit better
Dayflow does not provide invoices, payroll approvals, or website blocking. AI summaries can miss or misinterpret work; check outcomes before sharing. For billing and team reporting, compare the options in our Mac time-tracker guide.
Turn the record into something useful
Try a weekly status report, a daily work log, or a standup update. Each format asks you to verify outcomes and fill in missing context.
Sources and verification
We checked the running Mac app, its export action, the published release source, and a live Codex connection. Public examples are fictional. Cloud retention statements describe the published privacy policy, not an independent server audit.