Getting started
- Install and pin. Add XTrack from the Chrome Web Store and pin it to your toolbar so the status is always visible.
- Sign in with Google. Open Gmail. The first time, sign in with Google so XTrack can scope tracking to your account and show status only to you.
- Choose what to track. Compose an email and you will see the XTrack toggle in the compose toolbar. Tracking is on by default. Flip it off for any single message you would rather not track.
- Send and watch. Send as usual. When the recipient opens the email you see the status right inside Gmail, opened or not, the time, and an approximate location, with an optional desktop alert. Clicks on tracked links show up the same way.
Knowledge base
How does open tracking work?
When you choose to track an email, XTrack adds an invisible 1x1 pixel. When the recipient's email client loads images, that pixel loads and XTrack records an open with the time and a coarse location.
Why is an open sometimes inaccurate?
Image proxies (used by Gmail and Apple Mail), link pre-fetching, and images-off clients can cause a false open or a missed open. XTrack labels likely proxy or prefetch opens separately, but treat opens as a strong signal, not a guarantee.
What does click tracking show?
When a recipient clicks a tracked link in your email, XTrack records the click, which link it was, and an approximate location. Because a click comes from the recipient's real browser, its location is more reliable than an open.
What location do you show, and do you store my IP?
A coarse, approximate location (country, region, city) derived from the network at the moment of the open or click. We do not store the raw IP address.
Why don't I see any opens?
A few common reasons: tracking was not toggled on before sending, the recipient has not opened it yet, their client blocks images, or a proxy is masking the open. Send yourself a tracked test email to confirm the setup, and make sure the XTrack toggle was on when you sent.
Can I track an email after I have already sent it?
No. The tracking pixel and link wrapping are added at send time, so tracking has to be toggled on before you hit send.
Does the recipient know I am tracking?
There is no visible indicator in the message. The tracking pixel is invisible. Use XTrack in line with your local laws and your recipients' expectations.
Which permissions does XTrack need, and why?
Access to Gmail so it can add the compose toggle and show status inside your inbox, and access to track.xtrack.cc, the endpoint that records opens and clicks. XTrack never reads or tracks messages you did not choose to track.
Is XTrack really free?
Yes. XTrack is free and funded by donations. No dashboard, no per-seat fees.
How do I stop tracking a specific message?
Use the per-message toggle in the compose window before sending. With tracking off, no pixel or link wrapping is added to that email.
How do I delete my data or uninstall?
Uninstall the extension from Chrome at any time. To request deletion of your stored data, email hello@xgeni.us. Open events are pruned automatically after about 12 months.
Report a bug
Found something broken?
Tell us what happened and we will get on it. The more detail, the faster the fix.
Prefer email? Write to hello@xgeni.us with the same details.