diff --git a/lib/variables/variable-string.cpp b/lib/variables/variable-string.cpp
index ccc3d39c..3d6c1186 100644
--- a/lib/variables/variable-string.cpp
+++ b/lib/variables/variable-string.cpp
@@ -73,7 +73,9 @@ std::string SubstitueVariables(std::string str)
 	for (const auto &v : GetVariables()) {
 		const auto &variable = std::dynamic_pointer_cast<Variable>(v);
 		const std::string pattern = "${" + variable->Name() + "}";
-		ReplaceAll(str, pattern, variable->Value());
+		if (ReplaceAll(str, pattern, variable->Value(false))) {
+			variable->UpdateLastUsed();
+		}
 	}
 	return str;
 }
diff --git a/lib/variables/variable.cpp b/lib/variables/variable.cpp
index 1aefc275..b1c8dd79 100644
--- a/lib/variables/variable.cpp
+++ b/lib/variables/variable.cpp
@@ -51,28 +51,53 @@ void Variable::Save(obs_data_t *obj) const
 	obs_data_set_string(obj, "defaultValue", _defaultValue.c_str());
 }
 
+std::string Variable::Value(bool updateLastUsed) const
+{
+	if (updateLastUsed) {
+		UpdateLastUsed();
+	}
+	return _value;
+}
+
 std::optional<double> Variable::DoubleValue() const
 {
-	return GetDouble(_value);
+	return GetDouble(Value());
 }
 
 std::optional<int> Variable::IntValue() const
 {
-	return GetInt(_value);
+	return GetInt(Value());
 }
 
 void Variable::SetValue(const std::string &val)
 {
 	_value = val;
+	_lastUsed = std::chrono::high_resolution_clock::now();
 	lastVariableChange = std::chrono::high_resolution_clock::now();
 }
 
 void Variable::SetValue(double value)
 {
 	_value = std::to_string(value);
+	_lastUsed = std::chrono::high_resolution_clock::now();
 	lastVariableChange = std::chrono::high_resolution_clock::now();
 }
 
+std::optional<uint64_t> Variable::SecondsSinceLastUse() const
+{
+	if (_lastUsed.time_since_epoch().count() == 0) {
+		return {};
+	}
+	const auto now = std::chrono::high_resolution_clock::now();
+	return std::chrono::duration_cast<std::chrono::seconds>(now - _lastUsed)
+		.count();
+}
+
+void Variable::UpdateLastUsed() const
+{
+	_lastUsed = std::chrono::high_resolution_clock::now();
+}
+
 std::deque<std::shared_ptr<Item>> &GetVariables()
 {
 	return variables;
diff --git a/lib/variables/variable.hpp b/lib/variables/variable.hpp
index f3568087..37f3cf5a 100644
--- a/lib/variables/variable.hpp
+++ b/lib/variables/variable.hpp
@@ -19,11 +19,12 @@ public:
 	~Variable();
 	void Load(obs_data_t *obj);
 	void Save(obs_data_t *obj) const;
-	EXPORT std::string Value() const { return _value; }
+	EXPORT std::string Value(bool updateLastUsed = true) const;
 	EXPORT std::optional<double> DoubleValue() const;
 	EXPORT std::optional<int> IntValue() const;
 	void SetValue(const std::string &val);
 	void SetValue(double);
+	std::string GetDefaultValue() const { return _defaultValue; }
 	static std::shared_ptr<Item> Create()
 	{
 		return std::make_shared<Variable>();
@@ -34,11 +35,15 @@ public:
 		SAVE,
 		SET_DEFAULT,
 	};
+	SaveAction GetSaveAction() const { return _saveAction; }
+	std::optional<uint64_t> SecondsSinceLastUse() const;
+	void UpdateLastUsed() const;
 
 private:
 	SaveAction _saveAction = SaveAction::DONT_SAVE;
 	std::string _value = "";
 	std::string _defaultValue = "";
+	mutable std::chrono::high_resolution_clock::time_point _lastUsed;
 
 	friend VariableSelection;
 	friend VariableSettingsDialog;