What this guide covers
A browser page is not an always-on monitoring server. Its scheduling, screen capture and notifications depend on the browser, operating system and shared application. Switching to another app can work, but a background page may run less often. Closing the main Watch page ends its recognition session; there is no server worker continuing to inspect that screen afterward.
Set it up
Test the exact arrangement you plan to use. Share the intended window or tab, start one simple task and trigger a visible change while Watch is foregrounded. Repeat after switching applications, then check both the preview and history. A test that only shows an old result in the interface does not prove the source is still delivering fresh frames.
Check the result
Minimizing the target app is different from placing another app in front of it. Some programs stop rendering or provide unavailable frames when minimized. A computer that sleeps or loses its display session introduces another failure mode. Keep the source running and avoid minimizing it when reliable updates matter; browser behavior is not a guaranteed capture service-level agreement.
Before you rely on it
Supported browsers can open a Document Picture-in-Picture floating view. It groups tasks by source and aggregates results and records, while controls apply to the currently selected source. The main page remains the owner of capture and processing. Closing the floating view does not necessarily stop sharing, and leaving it open cannot keep a closed main page alive.
Troubleshooting
Slow updates may come from a difficult OCR region, multiple active tasks, source rendering or background throttling. Reduce the workload and compare a simple foreground test before blaming the network. Internal frame checks adapt to work duration; the product does not expose a promise of an exact polling interval or constant frames-per-second recognition.
Product reference
For consequential alerts, plan a human check and an independent fallback instead of assuming unattended operation. After waking the device or restoring a browser session, verify permissions, source connection and a new deliberate change. The shared screen is observed as it exists; Watch does not refresh a website, restart another program or repair a frozen source for you.
Sharing can continue while you use another app, but browsers may reduce background recognition frequency. Minimized target apps may stop rendering or become unavailable to capture, so continued updates are not guaranteed. Share a specific window or tab and keep it running without minimizing it.
Further reading
- Set up system, Webhook, Telegram and email notifications
- Your first screen recognition task
- Number changes and threshold alerts