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FocusMe checks for new versions in the background and either prompts you or installs them automatically, depending on your settings. Updates are never held back by a running plan — your protection carries straight over to the new version.

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Update Settings

Everything to do with updates lives in Settings → General → Update settings.

Settings → General, including the Update settings panel

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When an Update Is Available

With Update Method set to Prompt, FocusMe shows the Update Available! window: Version x.y.z is ready to install. with a What’s New summary.

The Update Available! window

  • Update Now downloads and installs the update. FocusMe restarts into the new version with your plans in the same state.
  • Not Now dismisses the window; you will be reminded again according to your Update Frequency.
  • Skip this version silences reminders for this particular version. You will still be told about the next one.
With Update Method set to Automatic, the update is applied in the background — including while plans are active.

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Updates and Running Plans

  • Upgrading while plans run is allowed. The installer stops the app, replaces the files and starts it again; your plans continue enforcing when it comes back.
  • Downgrading while plans run is not. If you run an older installer on top of a newer version while plans are enabled, the Windows installer stops with A newer version of FocusMe is already installed. Installing an older version is not possible while plans are running. With no plans running it asks you to confirm the downgrade instead.
  • On Windows the installer skips the licence-agreement page when it is upgrading an existing installation, so an update needs no clicks beyond the User Account Control prompt.
The old Protect Install/Updates setting was removed in August 2026 and is not coming back. It is no longer needed: installing an update does not interrupt, weaken or pause a running plan, and an older version refuses to install while plans are running, so the protection it used to provide is now built in. There is nothing to enable, and no gap to leave in your schedule for updates — you still choose when to update with Update Method above.

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macOS

Updates are delivered as a PKG. FocusMe installs it silently when it can; if that is not possible on your Mac, the installer opens and asks for your administrator password. With Automatic updates FocusMe waits until you are at the computer before launching the installer so that the password prompt is not missed.

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Linux

The update is applied by the installer, which manages the background service itself and restarts FocusMe afterwards.

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Diagnostics and Logs

If support asks for diagnostics, the Version row has what you need:
  • Save Diagnostics collects logs and configuration details into a single archive (FocusMeDiagnostic.dat, saved to your Desktop by default). The button reads Collecting… while it works. Attach the file to your support ticket.
  • Save Logs appears when logging is enabled and saves just the log files.
Logging is off by default. To turn it on, click the version number five times to reveal Enable Logging; Disable turns it off again.
Run Save Diagnostics straight after reproducing a problem so the archive contains the relevant entries.