Z8 Docs
Features

Settings

Configure the z8 Timer desktop app

Customize the z8 Timer to fit your workflow.

Accessing Settings

From the app window:

  1. Click the gear icon (⚙️) in the top-right corner

From the system tray:

  1. Right-click the tray icon
  2. Select Settings

Settings Overview

┌───────────────────────────────────────┐
│             Settings                  │
├───────────────────────────────────────┤
│                                       │
│  Webapp URL                           │
│  ┌─────────────────────────────────┐  │
│  │ https://time.yourcompany.com   │  │
│  └─────────────────────────────────┘  │
│                                       │
│  Theme                                │
│  ┌─────────────────────────────────┐  │
│  │ System                       ▼  │  │
│  └─────────────────────────────────┘  │
│                                       │
│  ┌──┐ Always on Top                   │
│  └──┘                                 │
│                                       │
│  ┌──┐ Start with System               │
│  └──┘                                 │
│                                       │
│  ─────────────────────────────────    │
│                                       │
│  [Sign Out]                           │
│                                       │
│  Version: 1.0.0                       │
│                                       │
│          [Cancel]  [Save]             │
└───────────────────────────────────────┘

Webapp URL

The base URL of your organization's z8 server.

FieldExample
Webapp URLhttps://time.yourcompany.com

Setting the URL

  1. Open Settings
  2. Enter your organization's z8 URL
  3. Click Save

First-Time Setup

You must configure the webapp URL before you can sign in. Ask your administrator for the correct URL.

URL Format

FormatValid?
https://time.company.comYes
https://z8.company.comYes
http://localhost:3000Yes (development)
time.company.comNo (needs https://)

Appearance

The z8 Timer supports dark and light themes to match your preference.

Theme Options

ThemeBehavior
SystemFollows your operating system's theme (recommended)
LightAlways use light theme
DarkAlways use dark theme

Setting the Theme

  1. Open Settings
  2. Find the Theme dropdown
  3. Select your preferred option
  4. Click Save

The theme applies immediately - no restart required.

System Theme

When set to "System", the app automatically switches:

OS SettingApp Theme
Light modeLight theme
Dark modeDark theme

Changes to your OS theme are detected automatically.

Theme Colors

ElementLightDark
BackgroundWhite/GrayDark gray/Black
TextDark grayLight gray/White
Clock button (inactive)Green gradientGreen gradient
Clock button (active)Red gradientRed gradient
Tray iconGray/GreenGray/Green

Tray Icon

The system tray icon colors (gray for not clocked in, green for clocked in) remain the same regardless of theme for visibility.


Always on Top

When enabled, the app window stays above other windows.

SettingBehavior
OnWindow floats above all other windows
OffWindow behaves normally

Use Cases

  • Quick access while working in other apps
  • Seeing elapsed time while coding
  • Fast clock in/out without window hunting

Notes

  • You can still minimize to tray with always-on-top enabled
  • The setting persists across app restarts
  • Applies immediately when toggled

Start with System

Automatically launch z8 Timer when you log in to your computer.

SettingBehavior
OnApp starts automatically on login
OffMust launch manually

Platform Implementation

PlatformMethod
WindowsRegistry entry in HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
macOSLogin Items (System Preferences)
LinuxXDG autostart desktop file

Enable auto-start so you never forget to track time. The app uses minimal resources when idle.


Sign Out

Sign out of your z8 account.

Offline Queue

Signing out clears the offline queue. Ensure you're online and synced before signing out.

What Happens

  1. Session token is cleared
  2. Offline queue is purged
  3. Tray icon returns to gray
  4. Login screen is shown

When to Sign Out

  • Switching to a different z8 account
  • Changing organizations
  • Troubleshooting authentication issues
  • Before uninstalling the app

Version

Shows the current app version (e.g., 1.0.0).

Useful for:

  • Checking for updates
  • Reporting issues
  • Confirming you have the latest features

Settings Storage

Settings are stored locally:

PlatformLocation
Windows%APPDATA%\com.z8.timer\settings.json
macOS~/Library/Application Support/com.z8.timer/settings.json
Linux~/.config/com.z8.timer/settings.json

Settings File Format

{
  "webapp_url": "https://time.yourcompany.com",
  "theme": "system",
  "always_on_top": true,
  "auto_startup": true
}

Theme values: "system", "light", or "dark"

Resetting Settings

To reset to defaults:

  1. Close the app completely
  2. Delete settings.json
  3. Restart the app

Troubleshooting

Settings not saving

  1. Check file permissions - App needs write access to config directory
  2. Restart the app - Try again after restart
  3. Check disk space - Ensure space for config file

Auto-start not working

Windows:

  • Check Task Manager → Startup tab
  • Ensure z8 Timer is enabled

macOS:

  • Check System Preferences → Users & Groups → Login Items
  • Re-add if missing

Linux:

  • Check ~/.config/autostart/
  • Ensure desktop file exists and is valid

URL not accepted

  1. Ensure URL includes https://
  2. Verify the URL is correct with your admin
  3. Test the URL in a browser first

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