Frequently asked questions
Short answers about UpWatchr. Anything missing? Ask me.
Is UpWatchr really free?
Yes. There is no paid tier, no trial and no limit on the number of sites. It is free for personal and commercial use - see the EULA.
Do I need an account?
No. Install it and add a URL. There is nothing to sign up for.
Does it keep monitoring when my PC is off?
No. UpWatchr runs on your computer, so it monitors while your computer is on. That is also why it can reach things a cloud monitor cannot - localhost, your LAN, a service behind your VPN. For a public site that must be watched around the clock, keep a hosted monitor as well.
What can it monitor?
Anything that answers over HTTP or HTTPS: websites, APIs, health endpoints, admin panels. You can set the HTTP method, headers, body and basic auth, the status codes you expect, whether to follow redirects, a timeout, and how often each site is checked. It does not monitor CPU, memory or disk - see Server Monitor for Windows for the difference.
How does it alert me?
With a Windows popup, an email through any SMTP server (Gmail, Outlook or your own), a webhook, a Telegram message from your own bot, or by running a program on your PC. Each channel can be turned on separately, and each has a Send test button.
Where is my data stored?
On your computer. Your sites, history and settings are never uploaded. The only thing UpWatchr sends to me is its update check - the Privacy Policy says exactly what that records.
What does the local status page do?
When you turn it on, UpWatchr serves a live, read-only status page at a localhost address you can open in any browser. It is bound to 127.0.0.1, so it is only reachable from your own computer, and you can protect it with a password.
What are the system requirements?
Windows 10 or Windows 11, 64-bit. The installer is about 11 MB.
Do I need administrator rights to install it?
No. UpWatchr installs for the current user, into your own profile, without a UAC prompt. Run the installer as a normal user, not with "Run as administrator".
How does updating work?
UpWatchr checks for new versions and updates itself - there is nothing to download by hand. You can also download the latest installer from this site at any time and run it over your current installation.
Can I install it silently, for many machines?
Yes. Run UpWatchr-Setup.exe -s in the user's session: it installs without any window and returns exit code 0 on success. It must run as that user, not as SYSTEM or an elevated administrator, because UpWatchr installs per user.
How do I uninstall it?
From Windows Settings → Apps → Installed apps → UpWatchr → Uninstall. That removes the application and its shortcuts.
I found a bug or have an idea. Where do I send it?
To [email protected] - see the contact page for what helps me fix things fast.