Focus Changelog

What's new in Focus 1.15

Jul 18, 2023
  • ARC Support
  • Refreshed app icon
  • Fixed preferences window resizing bug
  • Improved blocking performance
  • Various other small improvements

New in Focus 1.14 (Apr 26, 2022)

  • Fixed password unlocking bug
  • Forcing Focus to use Focus.app to prevent multiple copies from being launched
  • Added support for Chrome Beta browser
  • Fixed drag and drop not unblocking sites properly

New in Focus 1.13.1 (Mar 13, 2022)

  • Improved efficiency of blocking large lists
  • Fixes add site regression from 1.13
  • Fix crashes and bugs

New in Focus 1.13 (Feb 27, 2022)

  • Improved efficiency of blocking large lists
  • Fix crashes and bugs

New in Focus 1.12.2 (Jul 11, 2021)

  • Fix crashes and bugs

New in Focus 1.12.1 (Jun 20, 2021)

  • Added macOS 10.11 to 10.12 support

New in Focus 1.12 (Jun 15, 2021)

  • Added macOS Big Sur support
  • Added M1 support
  • Added new preference panel to easily customize the menubar
  • Changed application blocking to use the more secure bundleIdentifier rather than application path
  • Added command-line interface to manage distracting websites and applications
  • Fixed force quitting applications like Microsoft Outlook
  • Added Microsoft Edge and Brave beta browser support
  • Fixed login bug with spacing around license or email
  • Fixed not using local time format bug
  • Fixed regex blocking issue
  • Fixed many other small bugs

New in Focus 1.11 (Oct 14, 2019)

  • Added macOS Catalina support
  • Added Brave browser support
  • Fixed Firefox extension not blocking sites with service workers (like Twitter)

New in Focus 1.9.0b (Jan 4, 2019)

  • Optimized performance of URL matching
  • Optimized performance of large block lists and schedules
  • Optimized performance of preference loading
  • Better handle Mojave automation permissions
  • Changed blocking rules so ending slash blocks more generally
  • Changed blocking rules so all URLs are treated as lowercase
  • Fixed bug with deducting too much break time from a sleeping Mac
  • Fixed bug with dock icon showing when using Terminal commands
  • Fixed bug where invalid rules would crash Focus
  • Lots of other smaller bug fixes
  • Fixed issue with Focus not starting properly because port taken
  • Fixed issue with Focus not able to run on multiple user accounts

New in Focus 1.8.14 (Nov 5, 2018)

  • Fixed bug with older versions not handling permission setting

New in Focus 1.8.13 (Nov 5, 2018)

  • Fixed bug with Mojave not setting automation permissions properly

New in Focus 1.8.12 (Oct 30, 2018)

  • Fixed bug with breaks running out of time
  • Added Crashlytics for monitoring app crashes
  • Fixed bug with Safari pinned tabs causing runaway tabs
  • Added notice on Firefox that addon is required

New in Focus 1.8.11 (May 29, 2018)

  • A minor update that fixes bugs and adds a long awaited feature, Do Not Disturb mode:
  • Added Do Not Disturb mode to Focus
  • Fixed bug with disabling schedule while password mode enabled

New in Focus 1.8.10 (May 23, 2018)

  • Minor update that adds deeper method for application blocking:
  • Added ability to block applications by bundle identifier
  • Removed synchronization due to conflicts while saving
  • Fix bug that crashed Focus in some cases

New in Focus 1.8.9 (Apr 6, 2018)

  • Changed Focus pricing
  • All Focus licenses get 5 activations by default
  • Added Focus Team License
  • Updated vendor libraries

New in Focus 1.8.8 (Apr 6, 2018)

  • Fix bug with Opera support
  • Fix crashing bug with favicon

New in Focus 1.8.7 (Apr 6, 2018)

  • Native Opera support
  • Fix bugs with logging causing crash

New in Focus 1.8.6 (Apr 6, 2018)

  • Fixed licensing activation bug

New in Focus 1.8.5 (Apr 6, 2018)

  • Split statistics out of preferences and into separate window
  • Fixed issue with Safari Technical Preview not working properly
  • Added import / export to preferences
  • Fixed browser extension connection issue
  • Redesigned blocked preferences, adding favicons, filtering, sorting and more
  • Redesigned quote preferences, adding filtering
  • Redesigned scripting preferences
  • Added break and unbreak scripting modes
  • Fixed bug where in some cases schedule would start twice

New in Focus 1.8.4 (Apr 6, 2018)

  • Changed Setapp agent name to make it more clearly associated with Focus
  • Fixed bug with command-line focus:// URL schemes not honoring existing timer
  • Fixed performance issue with large block lists
  • Upgraded backend licensing and analytics framework

New in Focus 1.8.3 (Apr 6, 2018)

  • Fixed bug with unfocus scripts/notifications not running
  • Fixed bug where quote page was showing dash even when author wasn't available
  • Fixed repeating prompt when agent installation fails
  • Fixed installation bug where missing system folder caused failure
  • Fixed agent crashing because of alert from background thread
  • Sending more debug information about agent environment
  • Removed old migration code causing issues if previously installed Focus

New in Focus 1.8.2 (Apr 6, 2018)

  • Fixed bug where on first run the timer wouldn't start
  • Fixed pomodoro mode checkbox bug
  • Switched welcome from preferences to dedicated window

New in Focus 1.8.1 (Apr 6, 2018)

  • Fixed bug where on first run the timer wouldn't start
  • Fixed pomodoro mode checkbox bug
  • Switched welcome from preferences to dedicated window

New in Focus 1.8.0 (Apr 6, 2018)

  • Added statistics to see your history
  • Disabled confusing feature that kept sessions running after time was over
  • Added Focus favicon to block page
  • Fixed bug where sleeping Mac was using up break time
  • Re-enabled crash reports sending by default
  • Updated in-app scripting documentation
  • Fixed bug with app not coming to foreground when selecting from expos

New in Focus 1.7.11 (Jul 19, 2017)

  • Fixed long-standing issue with multiple versions of Focus running 🎉
  • Changed preferences window to show up in dock and app switcher
  • Added more advanced preferences in menu bar
  • Fixed Focus icon size in menu bar
  • Fixed bug with schedule not re-enabling in some cases
  • Fixed bug starting timer from menu bar icon
  • Fixed bug with custom focus time hours not calculating properly
  • Added throttle to control block speed
  • Lots of other bug fixes

New in Focus 1.7.8 (Jul 19, 2017)

  • Added new themes for block page
  • Added ability to control breaks in preferences
  • Added new welcome screen for first-run
  • Fixed application blocking for apps with launchers (like League of Legends)
  • Fixed drag and drop bug
  • Lots of other bug fixes

New in Focus 1.7.6 (Jul 19, 2017)

  • Added breaks
  • Simplified drop-down menu
  • Fixed Firefox extension to work with latest Firefox changes
  • Added official extension, which supports 3rd party browsers like Opera, Vivaldi and Brave
  • Lots of bug fixes

New in Focus 1.7.5 (Jul 19, 2017)

  • Fixed issues with hardcore mode not working in some cases

New in Focus 1.7.1 (Jun 23, 2017)

  • A minor release that fixes a bug introduced to the 1.7.0 release:
  • Fixed browsers opening when waking computer

New in Focus 1.7.0 (Jun 23, 2017)

  • A major release that implements a new blocking procedure:
  • Changed core blocking in Focus to be more straightforward
  • Removed requirement for accessibility permissions
  • Various bug fixes

New in Focus 1.7.1 Beta (Jun 12, 2017)

  • Fixed browsers opening when waking computer.

New in Focus 1.7.0 Beta 3 (Jun 10, 2017)

  • A major release that implements a new blocking procedure:
  • Changed core blocking in Focus to be more straightforward
  • Removed requirement for accessibility permissions
  • Various bug fixes

New in Focus 1.4.20 (Feb 1, 2016)

  • Added ability to dynamically change log level to help with debugging
  • Bugfix: Fixed crashing bug in third party library
  • Bugfix: Fixed inability to close Focus
  • Bugfix: Fixed blocking not working in some cases
  • Bugfix: Fixed 'Send Debug Info' bug when browser not present

New in Focus 1.4.19 (Jan 25, 2016)

  • Fixed crash by reverting broken library

New in Focus 1.4.18 (Jan 19, 2016)

  • Added auto relaunch when Focus quits to prevent blocking workarounds
  • Rewrote blocking layer to improve blocking on 10.9, 10.10 and 10.11
  • Fixed memory leaks
  • Added Chromium browser support
  • Bugfix: Fixed unblocking bug when browser not present
  • Many smaller bug fixes

New in Focus 1.4.17 (Jan 18, 2016)

  • Added auto relaunch when Focus quits to prevent blocking workarounds
  • Rewrote blocking layer to improve blocking on 10.9, 10.10 and 10.11
  • Fixed memory leaks
  • Added Chromium browser support
  • Many smaller bug fixes

New in Focus 1.4.15 (Dec 14, 2015)

  • Rewrote data layer in preparation for sync and other upcoming features
  • Updated debugging to make it easier to fix problems
  • Bugfix: Fixed 'Add Schedule' not showing new schedule without changing panels
  • Bugfix: Fixed whitelisting of Safari and Chrome new tab pages
  • Bugfix: Fixed menu opening on down click rather than upclick
  • Many smaller bug fixes

New in Focus 1.4.11 (Oct 27, 2015)

  • Added confirmation button for changing the schedule
  • Bugfix: Fixed issues with trial window not disappearing
  • Bugfix: Fixed running only one custom command per session
  • Bugfix: Fixed crashing bug with WebSocket connection

New in Focus 1.4.9 (Sep 30, 2015)

  • Bugfix: Fixed environment variables in scripting to better handle intervals

New in Focus 1.4.8 (Sep 29, 2015)

  • Bugfix: Fixed Safari pinned tabs in 10.11 (pinned tabs are now closed)

New in Focus 1.4.7 (Sep 29, 2015)

  • Bugfix: Fixed drag and dropping applications to the menubar in hardcore mode
  • Bugfix: Fixed schedules not starting properly if existing session
  • Bugfix: Fixed menubar animations in 10.11
  • Bugfix: Fixed preference panel resizing

New in Focus 1.4.3 (Sep 29, 2015)

  • Bugfix: Fixed certain timezones not being calculated properly
  • Added console logs to “Send Debug Information”

New in Focus 1.4.1 (Sep 29, 2015)

  • Bugfix: Fixed preference panels not showing on 10.9
  • Bugfix: Fixed negative time allowed on timer
  • Bugfix: Fixed new schedules in flexible schedule ordering
  • Bugfix: Fixed auto launch not being installed properly

New in Focus 1.4.0 Beta (Aug 21, 2015)

  • A major release that introduces many new features like flexible scheduling and site whitelisting.
  • Feature: Flexible scheduling allows an infinite number of schedules
  • Feature: Whitelisting for websites
  • Added BASH variables to scripting
  • Improved drag and drop support
  • Improved custom time window
  • Improved timezone support
  • Lots of bug fixes!

New in Focus 1.3.5 (Apr 27, 2015)

  • A minor release that fixes various bugs.
  • Bugfix: Fixed prompt that would sometimes appear if a browser wasn't installed
  • Bugfix: Fixed some URLs not being blocked properly
  • Bugfix: Fixed Chrome Canary blocking issues
  • Bugfix: Fixed issue where custom time window was unavailable
  • Allow trial to reset on major version updates

New in Focus 1.3.0 (Apr 20, 2015)

  • A major release that adds advanced URL filtering.
  • Feature: Advanced URL filtering (allows blocking of sub-pages. For example, allows blocking Facebook while allowing the Facebook login page for apps like Spotify)
  • Added option for sending additional debug information.

New in Focus 1.2.9 (Apr 18, 2015)

  • A minor release that fixes bugs and removes old blocking support (Firefox extension now required).
  • Deprecated support for PAC files
  • Better support for Firefox extension
  • On-boarding dialog
  • Multiple license support
  • Bugfix: Fixed bug with minutes not being selectable in custom focus time
  • Bugfix: Fixed bug with blocked apps disabling menu
  • Various other bugfixes

New in Focus 1.2.4 (Apr 18, 2015)

  • A minor release to add a few features and fix bugs.
  • Feature: Automatically unblock webpages when unfocusing
  • Feature: Drag & drop applications onto the Focus icon or blocked apps panel
  • Feature: Icons now show on blocked application list
  • Bugfix: Keyboard shortcut now respects menubar icon click behavior
  • Bugfix: Preferences window now opens a dock window
  • Bugfix: Cleaned up edge-cases with schedule unfocusing
  • Added privacy policy

New in Focus 1.2.3 (Apr 18, 2015)

  • A minor release to improve how apps are blocked.
  • Feature: Blocked apps are closed automatically when possible
  • Bugfix: Background apps are no longer blocked, only visible apps

New in Focus 1.2.0 (Apr 18, 2015)

  • A major release that adds better pomodoro support
  • Feature: Show timers and schedules in the menubar
  • Feature: Start a timer with 1-click from the menubar
  • Feature: Improved preferences UI (new menubar panel)
  • Bugfix: Can add more time in hardcore mode
  • Bugfix: Diagnostic crash report prompt
  • Various other bugfixes

New in Focus 1.1 (Apr 18, 2015)

  • A major release that adds native SSL support to Chrome and Safari.
  • Feature: SSL support for Chrome and Safari
  • Various other bugfixes

New in Focus 1.0.4 (Nov 27, 2014)

  • Fixed bug with upgrading Focus
  • Added focus://toggle CLI option
  • Added 'Hardcore Mode' to disable settings while timer or schedule is on
  • Added ability to add blocked site (via drag and drop) when focusing

New in Focus 1.0.1 (Nov 24, 2014)

  • On the heels of the big Focus 1.0 release is Focus 1.0.1 which fixes bugs with 10.8 and 10.9. This update is only necessary if you're running OS X 10.8 or 10.9.

New in Focus 1.0.0 (Nov 18, 2014)

  • Changes:
  • OS X 10.10 support (including dark mode)
  • Timer & schedule based focusing
  • Customizable quotes to motivate yourself
  • SSL pages now show quotes on Firefox & Chrome browsers (with the new browser extensions)
  • Whitelists (beta)
  • Other