Monitoring Your Computer’s Last Activity: A Comprehensive Guide

Keeping track of your computer's last activity is essential for security, productivity, and personal organization. Whether you use Windows, macOS, or Linux, there are several tools and methods to monitor your computer's activity. This guide will help you understand how to view your computer's last activity and ensure your system's security.

Using Windows Event Viewer to Check Computer Events

Maintaining an eye on your computer's activities can prevent unauthorized access and enhance your overall security. One of the most effective tools for this purpose is Windows Event Viewer. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to use Event Viewer:

Press the Windows key on your keyboard. This key is typically found in the bottom-left corner of most keyboards, between the CTRL and ALT keys.

Start typing Event in the search box. This will highlight 'Event Viewer' in the search results.

Press the Enter key to launch Event Viewer. This tool will display all system, application, and security events in a detailed log.

Using Command Prompt to Monitor Activity

For more detail, you can use the built-in command prompt to check your computer's last activities. Here’s how:

Open up the command prompt by pressing the Start button and typing cmd into the search box.

Once the command prompt is open, enter the following command:

net statistics workstation

This command will display detailed information about the last user who logged on to the workstation and the total time the workstation has been on.

Monitoring Browser History

Your web browser’s history can also provide insights into your computer's last activity. Most browsers have a settings tab where you can check the history of your browsing sessions:

Go to the History tab on your browser.

Likely, you will need to dig deeper into the settings to find the exact time you last used the computer. System logs under settings list anything serious, but be aware that a devious person can delete both records.

For Linux Users: Checking System Logs

For those using Linux, you can use the terminal to check your computer's last activity:

Open the terminal and enter the following command:

last -x  grep reboot

Running this command will provide you with a detailed output of when your computer was last turned on and the duration it was active. An example output is as follows:

Example Output:

At above picture we can see that on Monday August 1st I turned on my computer from 13:30 - 10:24 which is taking the amount of time 20 hours and 53 minutes.    Continue on Wednesday August 3rd I turned on my computer from 03:22 - 17:59 which is taking the amount of time 15 hours and 36 minutes.

These tools and methods can help you effectively manage and monitor your computer's activity, ensuring that you are always aware of its status and usage.