Skip to main content

​
Requirements

FocusMe requires macOS 12 (Monterey) or later and runs natively on both Apple Silicon and Intel Macs. Download it from focusme.com/download/mac.

​
Installation

Two downloads are available:

​
Accessibility Permission

Granting FocusMe Accessibility permission in macOS System Settings

Blocking applications by process name works without any special permission. FocusMe asks for Accessibility permission so that it can also read window titles: Window title targets and Enhanced Window Detection depend on it, and those rules cannot match until it is granted. Grant it unless you only ever block by process name.
  1. Open System Settings → Privacy & Security → Accessibility
  2. Enable FocusMe in the list (click + and add it from Applications if it is missing)
If the permission is removed while a plan is running, FocusMe reports App blocked because accessibility permission was revoked. Please re-enable it in System Settings. After a macOS update or an app update, macOS sometimes needs to re-verify permissions; FocusMe will then ask you to restart your computer — macOS needs to re-verify app permissions. Please restart your computer to ensure FocusMe works correctly.

​
Enhanced Window Detection

Settings → System → Enhanced Window Detection → Enable requests an additional permission that lets FocusMe detect which apps and websites are open, even in the background, making blocking faster, more reliable and lighter on the battery. FocusMe does not capture, record or transmit any screen content — the permission is used only to identify windows.

​
macOS-Specific Settings

​
Browser Blocking on macOS

  • Install the addon for Chrome, Firefox, Brave and the other supported browsers from Settings → Browsers, exactly as on Windows
  • Safari uses FocusMe for Safari from the Mac App Store. Click Safari in Settings → Browsers to open it, install it, then enable it in Safari → Settings → Extensions
See Browser Extension.

​
Blocking Behaviour on macOS

  • The Close application action asks the app to quit gracefully; Kill terminates it immediately. Pick Kill for apps that ignore a normal quit.
  • Timer windows are shown on every Space, so the countdown stays visible when you switch desktops.
  • The Hide application action and Network block website action are Windows-only.

​
Keeping FocusMe Running

FocusMe starts at login and keeps running when you close its window; blocking continues from the menu-bar icon. Quit from the menu-bar icon is refused while any plan is enabled.

​
Updates

Updates arrive as PKG installers. FocusMe applies them silently when it can, otherwise the installer opens and asks for your password; with Automatic updates it waits until you are at the Mac before doing so. Updates run while plans are active. See Update FocusMe.

​
Troubleshooting

​
”FocusMe would like to control this computer using accessibility features”

This is the Accessibility prompt. Grant it — see above.

​
App blocking not working

  1. Confirm the app is on the plan’s list with the right target type — open Helper from the sidebar to see the exact Application Name and Process Name. Process-name rules block without any permission, so start here
  2. If the rule targets a Window title, check Accessibility is granted and enable Enhanced Window Detection if it is not already — window titles are the part that needs the permission
  3. If you recently updated macOS or FocusMe, restart the Mac so macOS re-verifies the permission

​
Websites not blocked in Safari

Make sure FocusMe for Safari is installed and turned on in Safari → Settings → Extensions, and that the addon popup shows Connected.

​
FocusMe not starting at login

Open System Settings → General → Login Items and make sure FocusMe is allowed.