Beginner
How to filter recordings by behavior on Hotjar
Quick Answer
Filter recordings by behavior in Hotjar by accessing the Recordings section, using the behavior filters panel, and selecting specific actions like clicks, scrolls, or form interactions. This helps you analyze user patterns and identify usability issues more effectively.
Prerequisites
- Active Hotjar account
- Recordings enabled on your website
- Basic understanding of user behavior analytics
- Admin or member access to your Hotjar site
1
Navigate to the Recordings section
Log into your Hotjar dashboard and click on Recordings in the left sidebar menu. Select the site you want to analyze if you have multiple sites configured.
Tip
Make sure you have sufficient recording data before filtering - at least 50+ recordings will give you better filtering results.
2
Access the behavior filters
Click on the Filters button located at the top of the recordings list. In the filters panel, locate the Behavior section which contains various behavioral filtering options.
3
Select click-based behavior filters
Under the behavior section, you can filter by:
- Clicked on element - Enter CSS selectors or element text
- Rage clicks - Users who clicked rapidly on the same element
- Dead clicks - Clicks that didn't trigger any response
Tip
Use specific CSS selectors like
#button-id or .class-name for more precise filtering.4
Apply scroll and navigation filters
Configure scroll-based filters by selecting:
- Scrolled to element - Users who scrolled to specific page sections
- Visited URL - Filter by specific pages or URL patterns
- Referrer - Filter by traffic source
Tip
Combine scroll filters with time-based filters to identify users who spent significant time on specific sections.
5
Set up form interaction filters
For form-related behaviors, enable:
- Filled form field - Users who interacted with specific form fields
- Submitted form - Completed form submissions
- Form abandonment - Users who started but didn't complete forms
6
Configure device and user filters
Enhance your behavior analysis by adding:
- Device type - Desktop, tablet, or mobile
- Browser - Specific browser types
- Country - Geographic location
- User attributes - Custom user properties if configured
Tip
Combining device filters with behavior filters often reveals device-specific usability issues.
7
Apply filters and review results
Click Apply Filters to execute your behavior-based search. Review the filtered recordings list and click on individual recordings to watch user sessions that match your criteria.
Tip
Save frequently used filter combinations using the Save Filter option for quick access later.
8
Export or share filtered results
Use the Export button to download recording data or click Share to create a link with your applied filters. This allows team members to view the same filtered results without reconfiguring filters.
Tip
Exported data includes session URLs, timestamps, and basic user information for further analysis.
Troubleshooting
No recordings appear after applying behavior filters
Check if your CSS selectors are correct and ensure you have sufficient recording data. Try broadening your filter criteria or check if the elements you're filtering for actually exist on your pages.
Behavior filters not detecting form interactions
Verify that your forms have proper HTML structure with
name or id attributes. Some dynamic forms may require custom event tracking setup in your Hotjar configuration.Rage clicks or dead clicks not showing expected results
These behavioral indicators may take 24-48 hours to process after recording. Ensure your site has proper JavaScript event handling and that Hotjar tracking code is correctly implemented.
Saved filters not working properly
Clear your browser cache and try reapplying the filters. If the issue persists, recreate the filter combination as saved filters may become outdated after site changes or Hotjar updates.
Ready to get started with Hotjar?
Put this tutorial into practice. Visit Hotjar and follow the steps above.
Visit Hotjar →