How to Use HT SysAdmin – A Quick Start Guide
Learn how to overcome distractions and time-wasters in just a few minutes
- Download HT System Administrator and install it on your computer(s), laptop(s), or terminal server with Windows OS.
- For remote management on one network after the installation, download HT Remote Manager and install it on your admin computer or use your browser.
The app begins monitoring activities automatically immediately upon installation. It starts every time the computer is turned on; working silently in the background, recording activities, and blocking them according to your settings. The program does not block any activity by default; therefore, you need to configure the filters according to your preferences.
Keep your team focused by limiting access to distracting websites like social media, video platforms, and news sites. Block harmful or inappropriate content, including adult sites, gambling, and other unwanted categories.
- Go to Rules → Website Limits.
- Choose actions for categories:
Block: Fully restrict access.
Limit: Limit access time per day.
Allow: No restrictions.
(e.g., set limit for pre-defined categories like Social Media, Video, and more – this applies to thousands of sites at once.) - Set daily time limits and/or schedules for sites marked as Limited.
- Use the Custom List to block, limit, or allow access to individual websites and keywords.
Works across Chrome, Edge, Firefox, Opera, Brave, and Internet Explorer.
Blocks even in Incognito/Private mode and against most VPNs.
Tracks all visited websites in reports, allowing quick blocking from history.
The Website Blocking tab allows you to block specific websites or keywords, as well as create exceptions using an allowlist. This helps reduce distractions while ensuring important sites remain accessible.
How to Use It:
- Click Rules → Website Limits.
- Blocklist:
Add websites or keywords to the Blocklist to block them entirely.
Example: Adding *_streaming_* will block any site with "streaming" in its URL or title.
Tip: Use underscores for exact matches to avoid overblocking. For example, _keyword_ will only block pages that match "keyword" exactly. - Allowlist:
Use the Allowlist to prevent overblocking. If a website you don’t intend to block gets blocked, simply add it here to restore access.
Example: If you block *chat*, it might also block chatgpt.com. To allow it, add chatgpt.com to the Allowlist. - For information on using Allowlist Mode, see the next section.
HT System Administrator allows you to block all websites except those you explicitly approve.
- Go to Rules → Website Blocking.
- Add allowed websites or keywords to the Allowlist.
- Enable 'Allow access only to listed websites' to block everything else.
HT System Administrator helps you block or limit apps to improve productivity. You can restrict access to installed apps or even portable apps that aren’t yet installed. Block games, messengers, browsers, media players, and more.
- Go to Rules → App Blocking.
- Choose «Block» or «Limit» for predefined app categories.
- Add specific apps by name and set them «Block» or «Limit».
- Set daily time limits or create custom schedules for limited apps.
HT System Administrator lets you block or limit distracting activities directly from the Reports view. This makes it easy to identify problematic apps or websites and restrict access without switching tabs. This method gives you an easy way to manage access based on real-time usage data.
- Open the Reports tab and go to Applications or Websites.
- If you notice a distracting app or website in the report, you can block or limit it directly from here.
- Click the app or website to select it, then choose Block or Limit at the bottom.
Get live, visual reports showing how time is spent on your computer — both productive and wasted. Use these reports to understand how much of the day is dedicated to work and to verify the accuracy of your timesheets.
The program shows you detailed reports, so you can see how much time you spent on each website and application. Learn where your users can waste time using the reports and limit or block these activities. See your achievements and discover where your team is wasting time.
- Open Reports → Apps or Websites.
- To block an unwanted activity from the reports, click it to select and then click the Block or Limit button.
Control when monitoring and filtering are active. Apply time restrictions to ensure productivity during work hours and allow privacy during breaks or after work. For example, you can enable tracking and filtering during work hours and disable them during lunch breaks or after work for privacy.
- Go to Settings → General Settings.
- In the Schedule section, select the mode:
- Monitoring & Filtering
- Monitoring Only
- Filtering Only
- Click Set Schedule.
- In the schedule window, select the days and hours when the rules should apply.
- Click OK to save your changes.
If your computers are on the same network, you can configure the filters and see the reports remotely. HT System Administrator offers two convenient ways to do this:
- Using a web browser — access each computer’s dashboard directly via its local network address.
- Using HT Remote Manager — a dedicated desktop app that finds and connects to all online devices running HT Work Focus on your network.
Show Instructions for Option 1 (Browser Access)
Option 1: Access via Browser
- On the monitored computer, open HT System Administrator and go to 'Settings → Remote Access'.
- Copy the URL address shown in the tab.
- On your admin computer (connected to the same network), open a browser and paste the copied URL. Log in using the default credentials:
Default Login: admin
Default Password: admin
Click to enlarge
Click to enlarge
Show Instructions for Option 2 (HT Remote Manager App)
Option 2: Use HT Remote Manager App
- Install HT Remote Manager on your admin computer.
- Click Find Computer to automatically detect all online devices running HT System Administrator on the local network.
- If no device is found, click Add Computer and enter the URL from the monitored device’s 'Remote Access' tab.
- Select the needed computer from the list and log in with:
Default Login: admin
Default Password: admin
Click to enlarge
To manage computers from any location over the Internet, we recommend using our cloud-based tool: HT Task Vector, which includes a secure web dashboard for remote access and time tracking.
HT System Administrator allows you to configure multiple computers easily with its import/export features.
- Open HT System Administrator on one of the computers and configure it according to your preference.
- Click Menu → Export Settings. Save the file with your setting on a flash drive or send it to your email. Then export it to the HT System Administrator on other computers — Menu → Import Settings.
If your computers are on one network, you can do it remotely:
- Open HT Remote Manager, select one of the computers and configure it according to your preference.
- Open its computer dashboard, then click Export settings to file and save the file.
- Select computers one by one and import your settings — Dashboard → Import settings from file.
As soon as it is installed, HT System Administrator keeps track of all users on the computer or terminal server. You can turn on or turn off any monitoring and filter functions for a separate user. This enables you to set clear guidelines for some users while allowing others to freely browse the Internet and use the computer.
Not all your users can be happy with the restrictions. Protect HT System Administrator with these built-in options:
- Set up an access password > click Menu → Set Password.
- Click Rules > Enhanced Security.
- Select Restrict access to Task Manager (Ctrl + Alt + Del) to prevent HT System Administrator from stopping via task manager.
Have a question about using HT SysAdmin? Need assistance with configuration? Please feel free to contact us. We are looking forward to hearing from you.
Haven’t tried HT System Administrator yet? Download the 14-day trial version!
Liked the program? Purchase the full version!