What your company's laptop monitoring software can actually see — and what it can't

After a conversation with our IT team, I have a clearer picture of what most enterprise monitoring setups actually capture. Sharing because there's a lot of myth and anxiety around this.

What most enterprise MDM tools can see:
- Applications installed and running
- Network activity (which sites/domains you visit, timestamps)
- Screenshots at configurable intervals (not universal, depends on policy)
- Keylogging: rare in standard setups, more common in specific regulated industries
- Battery and device health status

What they typically can't see:
- Content of encrypted messaging (WhatsApp, Signal, personal email)
- Anything on your personal devices on the same WiFi
- Browsing on personal phones connected via hotspot

Important: Your company's policy matters more than the technical capability. HR can access logs if there's a specific investigation, even for data that isn't actively reviewed.

Bottom line: don't do anything on a company device you'd be uncomfortable with your IT team seeing.