How to Set Up 1Focus to Block Distractions on a Mac

Updated

1Focus is a Mac app and website blocker that lets you disable specific sites and apps during focus sessions or on a recurring schedule. To set it up: download it free from onefocusapp.com, pick the websites and apps you want to block, then create a session or schedule with rules that are hard to bypass. It's designed for Mac only, and the free plan is described as generous enough for regular use, with a paid tier referenced by a reviewer at $9.99/year.

Before you start

  • A Mac. 1Focus is built specifically for macOS — there's no Windows, Android, or iOS version mentioned.
  • The app installed. The official site offers a free download ("Download 1Focus for free!").
  • A short list of your worst distractions. The tool works by naming what to block, so decide up front which sites and apps pull you off task.

Step 1: Download and install 1Focus

Get it from the official site, onefocusapp.com. The site's own call to action is "Download 1Focus for free!" — so you can evaluate the free plan before deciding whether to pay.

Step 2: Choose the websites and apps to block

1Focus "creates an oasis for focused work by disabling access to specific websites and apps." You select the targets yourself. Reviewers describe blocking:

  • Social media (Facebook, Threads, and similar)
  • Messaging apps like WhatsApp
  • Streaming like Netflix
  • Email

One reviewer noted the app "allows us to block literally each and every type" of distraction, so the block list is broad rather than limited to a fixed set of popular sites.

Step 3: Create a session or a schedule

You have two ways to run a block:

Mode How it works Good for
Session A timed block you start, e.g. a 6-hour window Deep work sprints, study blocks
Schedule Recurring blocks tied to times of day Daily routines

A reviewer (Pomme2Poule, The Guardian, 10/24/25) describes creating "6-hour sessions where opening these sites by reflex is no longer possible." Another (J. S., 5/4/23) uses schedules to "block all social media after 10pm" and to block "social media and emails from before I wake up in the morning until noon each day."

If you're new, start with one session. Set the duration, confirm your block list, and begin. Once you're comfortable, move the same rules into a recurring schedule so you don't have to restart it manually.

Step 4: Set rules that are hard to bypass

This is the part reviewers single out most. One writes: "There's no way to cheat or bypass the restrictions. You're fully committed to the rules you set for yourself." Another says: "I like that there are ways to prevent me from unblocking, which honestly, sometimes I need."

The practical takeaway: decide your commitment level before the session starts, because once it's running, undoing it isn't meant to be easy. If you know you'll be tempted to quit early, lean on the stricter settings.

Step 5: Verify it's working

Open one of the sites or apps on your block list during an active session. It should be inaccessible. If it isn't, check that the item was actually added to the block list and that the session or schedule is currently active.

Common sticking points

  • Can't find the scheduling option at first. One reviewer admitted, "Once I figured out how to set my scheduled time, I was genuinely impressed" — so expect a brief learning moment before schedules click.
  • Assuming it works beyond Mac. It doesn't; it's Mac-only.
  • Expecting a polished, feature-heavy interface. A reviewer describes it as "very simple, no overly fancy graphics, just a clean, straightforward system that gets the job done." That simplicity is the point.
  • Wondering if it's worth paying. The site highlights 4.7 stars across 6,000+ reviews, and one reviewer calls $9.99/year "very reasonable" value. The free plan is described as "generous enough to allow for good use," so you can test your workflow before committing.

A setup that matches how people actually use it

If you want a concrete starting pattern based on reviewer habits:

  1. Block all social media and messaging after 10pm (sleep routine).
  2. Block social media and email from wake-up until noon (distraction-free mornings).
  3. Run a 6-hour session when you need a long, uninterrupted block.

Start with one of these, confirm the block holds, then add the next.