Catrace quietly watches your activity in the background (it only detects mouse and keyboard activity — no screen capture, no reading what you do) and reminds you to stand up and rest when you have been working continuously for too long. Two reminder modes are supported: notification cards (floating cards with postpone/skip actions and a rest liquid-ball timer) and fullscreen reminders (with customizable background image, fit mode, and overlay opacity). You can customize the work window and rest-detection durations, and set water reminders at your own interval that only interrupt you while active. Custom plugins and agent notifications are supported.
Publisher’s description
What is catrace?
catrace by lanxiuyun is open-source Windows software in the notes & to-do category. It is written in Rust.
Installation and requirements
The publisher provides EXE (NSIS) installers for 64-bit Windows. It can be installed for the current user only, without administrator rights. A silent install is possible with the installer’s documented switches.
Updates and version history
The current version is 26.10.15, released on October 15, 2026. The version history goes back to August 7, 2026: 24 releases, all linked to the official files. The last update is less than a month old.
Popularity and file types
The source code on GitHub (lanxiuyun/Catrace) has 269 stars. Similar programs include Obsidian, Logseq and QOwnNotes.
Project description on GitHub: “Catrace: Every notify is a Plugin! Catrace 是一个桌面小窗系统,由插件决定小窗的展示方式与交互形式。 VSCode 提供代码视窗,插件提供能力;Catrace 提供小窗视窗,插件提供内容。久坐提醒是 Catrace 的首个插件,未来还将有更多能力以插件的形式接入。”
Pros / Cons
Pros
- Open source: the code can be inspected and built by anyone
- Documented silent install
- Installs without administrator rights
- Updated in the last two months
Cons
- No native ARM64 build
In short: catrace is an open-source notes & to-do tool for 64-bit PCs. Administrators can deploy it unattended.
Is catrace safe to download?
- The file is served by github.com, the publisher’s own domain
- The download link uses HTTPS
- A SHA256 hash is published, so you can verify the file:
2FE1CF33DEC947AC26A3BEE6876A12992900666D6E42EA7012A9B82887433B34· Open the VirusTotal report for this hash - The link has not been checked yet
- The source code is public
- ExeAtlas does not host, wrap or modify installers
Related guide: How to check a file’s SHA256 hash on Windows
Recent versions
All 24 versions ›| Version | Date | Size | Files |
|---|---|---|---|
| 26.10.15Latest | October 15, 2026 | — | 64-bit EXE (NSIS) |
| 26.10.10 | October 10, 2026 | — | 64-bit EXE (NSIS) |
| 26.10.9 | October 9, 2026 | — | 64-bit EXE (NSIS) |
| 26.10.7 | October 7, 2026 | — | 64-bit EXE (NSIS) |
| 26.10.2 | October 1, 2026 | — | 64-bit EXE (NSIS) |
| 26.10.1 | October 1, 2026 | — | 64-bit EXE (NSIS) |
| 26.9.26 | September 26, 2026 | — | 64-bit EXE (NSIS) |
| 26.9.24 | September 21, 2026 | — | 64-bit EXE (NSIS) |
Install from the command line
Silent install ›winget install --id lanxiuyun.Catrace -eCatrace_26.10.15_x64-setup.exe /SRelated guide: How to use winget: install and update apps
Information
- Publisher
- lanxiuyun
- Category
- Notes & to-do
- Licence
- AGPL-3.0
- Price
- Free
- Source code
- github.com/lanxiuyun/Catrace
- Written in
- Rust
- Requires
- Windows 11 / 10
- Architecture
- 64-bit
- Installer
- EXE (NSIS)
- Version
- 26.10.15
- Released
- October 15, 2026
- Added to the catalogue
- August 19, 2026
- Versions listed
- 24
- GitHub stars
- 269
- GitHub forks
- 20
- Website
- github.com
- winget ID
- lanxiuyun.Catrace
Ratings and reviews
No reviews yet. Be the first to rate it.
Alternatives to catrace
See all ›-
Proprietary337.3K ↓ -
Open source29.3K ↓ -
Open source100.4K ↓ -
Evernote11.39.2Remember everything and tackle any project with your notes, tasks, and schedule all in one place.Proprietary902.6K ↓ -
Super Productivity19.3.0Personal Task Management App to help you with your daily struggle with JIRA etc.Open source18.8K ↓ -
ActivityWatch0.14.1ActivityWatch is an app that automatically tracks how you spend time on your devices.Open source40.5K ↓ -
Open source14.9K ↓ -
Open source24.3K ↓
Frequently asked questions
Is catrace free?
Yes. catrace is open-source software under the AGPL-3.0 licence.
Is catrace safe to download?
The download comes from github.com, which belongs to the publisher; ExeAtlas does not host or change the file. Compare its SHA256 hash with the one shown here, or open the VirusTotal report for that hash.
How do I install catrace with winget?
Open PowerShell or Windows Terminal and run the winget command shown on this page. winget downloads the official installer and checks its SHA256 hash before running it.
Can catrace be installed silently?
Yes. The silent install page lists the exact command for each installer.
Does catrace run on ARM (Windows on Arm)?
There is no ARM64 build; Windows 11 on Arm can run the 64-bit version through emulation.
Where can I download an older version of catrace?
The versions page lists all 24 versions with links to their official installer files, back to August 7, 2026.
Can I use catrace without administrator rights?
Yes, there is a per-user installer that does not need administrator rights.
What are alternatives to catrace?
Obsidian, Logseq, QOwnNotes, Evernote and Super Productivity. The alternatives page compares them.