- Four ways to log an hour in Toggl Track
- Starting a timer from the Timer page
- Catching up on time you forgot to track
- No pause button, so continue instead
- Filling gaps with Timeline and the browser extension
- Other trackers with a similar setup
- My advice for a freelancer starting with Toggl
- Frequently asked questions
To track time in Toggl Track, open the Timer page, add a description and project, then click the pink play button or press N to start the timer. For work you've already done, use Manual Mode, click an empty slot in Calendar view, or type a duration into the duration field.
Four ways to log an hour in Toggl Track
Each unit of time in Toggl Track is a Time Entry. An entry can carry a duration, date, start and end time, description, project and tags. There's more than one way to create one, and the right one depends on whether you're tracking live or catching up afterwards.
| Method | Best for | How |
|---|---|---|
| Running timer | Work you're starting now | Pink play button or press N |
| Duration field | A task you know took a set time | Type a number into the duration field in Timer mode |
| Manual Mode | Logging time after the activity | Switch the Timer page to Manual Mode |
| Calendar view | Backfilling a day visually | Click an empty slot, or drag for a longer block |
Starting a timer from the Timer page
- Open the Timer page in the web app and check it's in Timer mode, because the running timer only works there.
- Type what you're working on into the description field, then pick a project and tags. Click the billable icon if the work is billable.
- Click the pink play button, or press N, to start. Start the next job the same way when you switch.
Descriptions and projects are what your reports group by later, so don't skip them. A timer called Stuff is no use when you're invoicing at the end of the month. If a project is set as billable, new entries for it are billable by default, which saves a click every time.
Catching up on time you forgot to track
We all forget. Switch to Manual Mode, or type a number into the duration field, for anything that's already happened. Calendar view is the friendlier option for rebuilding a whole day: click any empty space to create an entry, or click and drag to make a larger one with the start and end times filled in.
The drag snaps in 10 minute steps at the highest zoom and in 5 minute steps on the other two zoom levels. Calendar view only shows entries up to 90 days back. For anything older, use Reports.
No pause button, so continue instead
Here's what catches new users. The Toggl Track Knowledge Base is clear that there's no pause feature. The closest thing is continuing a previous entry: hover over it in List view and click the grey play icon, or press C to continue the last one. The result is a separate entry each time you stop and restart, so a task with three interruptions shows as three lines. That's normal, and your reports still add them up by description and project.
Filling gaps with Timeline and the browser extension
Timeline records every website and program you view for more than 10 seconds. It only works while a desktop app is running and recording is switched on, and it isn't available on your first day after signing up. The web app shows the last 7 days of Timeline data. It's private to your account too: other workspace users, admins included, can't see it.
Timeline records activity, not time entries. Think of it as a memory aid when you're rebuilding an afternoon, not an automatic timesheet.
The browser extension, formerly Toggl Button, works in Chrome, Edge and Firefox and lets you start timers inside 100+ web tools. You'll find it in the web app under Integrations, on the Browser extensions tab. If most of your work happens in a project tool or your inbox, it's the easiest way to stop forgetting.
Other trackers with a similar setup
Clockify's timekeeping features list a Timer, Timesheet, Kiosk, Calendar and Auto tracker. Harvest offers dedicated apps to track time from the browser, the desktop and mobile. If you're comparing, my roundup of Toggl alternatives goes further, and freelancers should look at the time trackers that suit freelancers.
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My advice for a freelancer starting with Toggl
Use the N key and a real description every time, and make Calendar view your end-of-day check. Five minutes of backfilling there catches the calls and quick fixes you never timed. Switch on Timeline in the desktop app on day one, since it won't show anything until the next day anyway. Your invoices will thank you.
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Frequently asked questions
Can I pause a timer in Toggl Track?
No. Toggl Track has no pause feature. Continue a previous entry instead, using the grey play icon or the C key.
Can I add time after the fact?
Yes. Use Manual Mode, type a duration, or click an empty space in Calendar view.
How far back does Calendar view go?
Up to 90 days. For older entries, use Reports.
Can I track time from inside other tools?
Yes. The browser extension for Chrome, Edge and Firefox works with 100+ web tools.
Does Timeline track my time automatically?
It records activity, not time entries. You switch it on in a desktop app and use it to fill gaps in your timesheet.
