Keylogging is your best bet whether you are trying to monitor your child’s activities on their PC or know what your employees are up to. However, you may wonder how it works and what the best keylogger software is. In this article, we list the top keyloggers and explain methods to use them.
10 best Windows keylogger tools – Quick list
Our comprehensive list comprises ten of the best keyloggers for Windows PCs. With any of this software, you can anonymously monitor every keystroke on your child’s or employee’s Windows PC.
- Total Logger: The user-friendly keylogger program Total Logger has a complete feature set that you can utilize for parental control. It supports multiple Windows variations, is available in six languages, and can be used to monitor a home PC.
- pcTattletale: Unlike other keylogger software, it is a unique type of spyware that logs each keystroke and primarily records the target screen to monitor them.
- Spyrix: It is a free program that logs and tracks every keystroke. Additionally, it allows you to monitor all activity occurring on a Windows PC by taking screenshots of the open apps at preset times.
- Actual Keylogger: The software keeps track of every user activity on your computer, including keystrokes entered and websites visited. It can also record screenshots and any copies on the clipboard.
- Hoverwatch: It is one of the lightest and most undetectable keylogger software, records every keystroke and sends the information to you remotely. Additionally, it is simple to use and set up.
- FlexiSPY: It is a complete keylogger software used to implement sophisticated parental controls and perform intuitive staff surveillance. Additionally, it works with tablets and smartphones running both Android and iOS.
- CleverControl: It records which devices connect to the Windows PC and the time of each connection. It also shows screenshots to see who uses the computer for personal purposes or copies data.
- MoniVisor: It keeps track of all computer data, including keyloggers, WhatsApp chats, and emails. Additionally, it provides real-time data synchronizing, remote data monitoring, and screenshots of every action conducted on the target device.
- KidInspector: It makes it easier to keep your children safe online. Using its parental control tool, you can easily and effectively monitor and filter your child’s online activity.
- NetBull Keylogger: It is the best and most undetectable keylogger available online. It is entirely covert, user-friendly, and practical spy software with several configuration options.
What is a Keylogger & how does it work?
Keyloggers are tools designed to record each keystroke made on a computer covertly. They can be software or hardware devices that run in stealth mode to prevent detection by the user.
Keyloggers safeguard an in-depth log of everything written on a computer, including passwords, private conversations, text messages, financial information, social media posts, comments, and more. Moreover, they can also listen to discussions on popular platforms like Skype, WhatsApp, and email.
Today, keyloggers are available as both hardware and software. While a software keylogger is wholly undetectable and more difficult for individuals to recognize, a hardware keylogger is visible, immediately detectable, and detachable.
You can often refer to a keylogger as a keyboard capturer, keystroke logger, or keylogging device or software.
The best Keylogger software for Windows PC – Detailed list
1. Total Logger
$69.95 yearly
Sets up notifications for certain keywords
Can’t monitor mouse clicks
As the first on our list, Total Logger is a more comprehensive kind of spyware for monitoring that keeps track of each keystroke, website history, and programs used, including file operations. Additionally, it is capable of recording real-time communications and social media activity.
It can also capture images of the screen using a webcam and record audio using a microphone. Furthermore, you will receive keylogging reports via your email, Dropbox account, FTP, or shared folder via Total Logger. You can create a ready-to-use installer that operates covertly with this software.
The advantage of using Total Logger is that installing the keylogger and getting the reports don’t require physical access to the computer. The entire process is remote.
- Does not need direct access to the Windows PC for installation. It can be done remotely
- Restrict access to websites and apps on the target computer
- Doesn’t record how long a system or device is inactive
2. pcTattletale
pcTattletale ranks as the number one employee and child monitoring software. It lets you see what your employees or children are doing online. Also, it runs invisibly in the background on their devices and remains undetectable to them.
The keylogging software pcTattletale grants you remote access to your child’s or employee’s online browsing by tracking every click on the keyboard.
If your employers work remotely, monitoring their every action regarding your business can be tricky. But with pcTattletale, you can monitor their every action and catch them leaking compromising information, laundering money, or even stealing. This is done remotely and remains undetectable to your child or employee.
- Records every keystroke with accurate timestamps
- Each keystroke is backed up with screenshots
- Every recording, keystroke, and screenshots are all in one place
3. Spyrix
$69 yearly
Monitors both online and offline activities
Store activities from only the past two days
Spyrix is an effective keylogging software that you can use for various monitoring tasks, including employee tracking and parental control. It gives you specific dates and times for actions on the target device and reliable information about the programs used.
With Spyrix, you can monitor every online activity through screenshots, clipboard monitoring, and activity logs. It has a custom log viewer that allows you to review logged activity reports chronologically. Furthermore, all reports are sent directly to a secure account for only you to access.
- A free keylogging software for Windows PCs
- Can create specific keywords and set an alert for them
- Using the free mode does not guarantee the undetectable feature
4. Actual Keylogger
$69 yearly
Has log formats: HTML and TXT
Can’t monitor file activity
Actual Keylogger is basic software that is ideal for parents, CEOs, teachers, system administrators, or users who intend to monitor online activity on a computer. It gives you information on the activities of other users on the device in your absence.
The keylogger tracks every program running or closed, keystrokes pressed, and websites visited while recording screenshots and content copied to the device’s clipboard. Actual Keylogger allows you to create passwords for additional security. You can access recorded data and view it locally or via email.
- Can create passwords for extra safety
- Compatible with all Windows variations
- Doesn’t track mouse activity
5. Hoverwatch
$54.71 yearly
Supports screen recording
Limited compatibility
Hoverwatch has multiple features that can benefit you as a parent or an employer. With its keyboard logger feature, you can survey every activity on a computer with each keyboard press. It also lets you take live webcam shots directly from the computer’s camera.
Using Hoverwatch grants you access to the websites and apps the target device visits. Hoverwatch is undetectable to the point that you can gain full access to the target devices’ social media accounts and every other information on it.
Like every other software, Hoverwatch can take screenshots of keyboards and screens, save clipboards, and record all computer activity in chronological order. However, Hoverwatch has a unique feature, and that is to record and save conversations on Skype. Another unique feature of Hoverwatch is that it can tell the target device’s location.
- Shows you the real-time location of your target
- Screenshots and webcam shots are crisp and clear
- After purchasing a subscription plan, they fall back on promising features
6. FlexiSPY
With over 40 unique features, FlexiSPY claims to be the world’s best computer monitoring spyware for employers and parents.
FlexiSpy is primarily for three categories of people. The first is parents looking to monitor their child’s online activity. The second is employers monitoring their employee’s use of the official computers. And lastly, anyone looking to monitor or track how someone else handles their devices.
You can anonymously monitor a Windows PC and upload the data to a secure and convenient online portal for just you.
The keylogger feature on FlexiSPY lets you access all keyboard logs, including those deleted. There’s also the option to choose if the software is visible or undetectable to your target device. You also get an exclusive, easy-to-view portal for all key logs.
- Compatible with Windows PC
- Every keylogging record has a date and time
- The better features are only available when you purchase a plan
7. CleverControl
$4.70 monthly
Cost-effective
Limited features as compared to others
CleverControl offers an easy-to-use user interface that allows bosses to keep tabs on several employees. Since it is a cloud-based program, it can work remotely without requiring you to access the target computer for tracking physically.
It offers several monitoring features like keystroke logging, app tracking, screenshot capture, and statistical report production, including internet activity monitoring and interaction with external drives.
This software also provides real-time monitoring, which uses the computer’s webcam to record movies and noises, in addition to these features. You can monitor activity outside of the computer in this way.
CleverControl offers an accessible interface that shows all the data gathered, unlike other keyloggers that transfer data over email or LAN.
- Has top-notch screenshot recording quality
- Can access the target device remotely since it is cloud-based
- While it supports remote monitoring, installation requires physical access to the target computer
8. MoniVisor
$10.83 monthly
Has an easy-to-use and set interface
Inconsistent
The Windows version of KidsGuard Pro, MoniVisor, is a formidable monitoring tool that enables you to track and record your child’s online behavior while guaranteeing their safety.
You can effortlessly monitor all activity on the target Windows device in real time with MoniVisor, including social networking, web browsing, and messaging apps. The software can record screenshots, keep track of keystrokes, and display all actions with timestamps.
MoniVisor is a trustworthy and efficient monitoring option for parents because it is undetected. Every keystroke a user makes on the target computer is tracked and recorded by the keylogger function of MoniVisor. Passwords, emails, texts, and other types of data are all included in this detection process. Even keystrokes deleted or entered in private browsing mode are still detected and recorded.
Additionally, users can quickly see all keylogging activity with timestamps. Even better, you can quickly locate specific keystrokes by using the date filter and search bar features.
- Completely suitable for employers and parents
- Has date and time stamps upon each keylogging
- Some of its features stop functioning properly after a while
9. KidInspector
$59 yearly
Records deleted keylogs
Has slow speeds and performance
As the name implies, KidInspector is a keylogging software primarily created for tracking children’s online activities. It is software you can install anonymously as a parent on your children’s favorite devices.
This way, you can monitor and streamline the type of content your child consumes. Its features include screen broadcasting, keylogging, remote monitoring, webcam broadcasting, and web search queries.
- The installation process is hassle-free
- Can access the user’s screen remotely
- Offers a one-day free trial with limited features
10. NetBull Keylogger
$99.99 yearly
Can uninstall the software easily
Not easy to use
NetBull Keylogger is the best option for complete, covert keystroke surveillance. This robust solution is ideal for homes and companies because it offers end-to-end logging features with customizable settings. It doesn’t leave any traces on a computer, and task managers, program files, and most firewalls and antivirus programs cannot identify it.
With NetBull keylogger, you can track what happens on your monitored computer using the keylogger feature. It tracks all activity in secure logs that are only visible to you, including monitoring keyboard usage, passwords, and internet browsing patterns and capturing emails, chats, and clipboard content.
- Keylog recordings are sent via emails or FTP
- Have access to your target device’s password and crucial data
- The free version is detectable
Is it safe to download a free Windows keylogger?
We’ve described some of the top keyloggers for Windows PCs above. While almost all of them are free, some have a paid version.
Most of these keyloggers provide basic features in the free versions, which should be adequate for simple keylogger monitoring by parents and employers.
However, if the pro version’s advanced keylogging options will suit your needs, go for it. You can also try out the free versions of some top-notch tools, like KidInspector and Spyrix, to see if you really need to pay to monitor your target user’s Windows PC.
How to detect Keyloggers on your computer
Can a third party discover a keylogger even though they are supposed to be invisible to everyone but the person who installed them? The short answer is yes, although it is hard to spot. You can follow the steps listed below to check your PCs for keyloggers.
- Use a trusted anti-malware program to scan your computer for malware to find and eliminate any potentially harmful software, such as keyloggers.
- Find suspicious processes through your computer’s list of currently active processes. Some keyloggers run in the background under strange or random names.
- Utilize an anti-keylogger program to scan and delete software that behaves like a keylogger from your system.
- Using a network monitoring tool, monitor your network traffic for any data delivered to or received from remote servers.
- If you suspect a keylogger is on your computer, immediately change the passwords for all your online accounts.
Also read: Best Free Spyward Removal Tools to Use
Which one is the best Keylogger software for Windows?
When selecting which of all these keylogger software is best, it is solely up to you to decide. We have shared their features, pros and cons, and every necessary detail you should know in this guide. Now, you have to consider all 10 of them and choose one whose features check the boxes more.
FAQs
Yes, a virus scanner will likely detect a keylogger. However, every piece of software has a unique name, so people will need help understanding what the software is for.
You shouldn’t have any issues installing a keylogger if you’re using it to monitor a child’s online activities. However, if the person is older, it is best to let them know about the installation beforehand.
Yes, there are a ton of free keylogger software for Windows computers. Unless you want more advanced features, keyloggers are typically free.
