Focus Better and Get More Done

FocalFilter Start

FocalFilter is a free productivity tool that helps you focus by temporarily blocking distracting websites. After the block timer runs out, your websites are available for you to view again.

  1. Run FocalFilter.
  2. You choose which websites to block.
  3. Set how long they should blocked for.
  4. Get more work done.

One Block, All Browsers

FocalFilter was built to work with every Windows web browser including

Adding a Website to FocalFilter

FocalFilter Edit

Just copy and paste the address from your browser's address bar.

Examples

(If you don't see a "www" in the address bar, then don't add it when you paste into FocalFilter.)

The list of blocked sites is saved for the next time you run FocalFilter.

You can't reach FocalFilter's controls while it is blocking sites, and terminating it or uninstalling it before the time runs out will not remove the blocks. If FocalFilter is still installed, you can remove the blocks early by rebooting your computer.

Installation Instructions

FocalFilter works on all versions of Windows (actually, we haven't tested it on Windows 11 yet but as far as we know it works).
You can download it for free here (the latest version was released August 2015).

To run FocalFilter, your PC must have Microsoft's .NET Framework version 4. If you don't already have it on your PC, our installer will let you know. You can install .NET here.

If you are having trouble with FocalFilter, or you are using it on a tablet device, please read more about how to use FocalFilter on your version of Windows: Windows 10 and up, 8, 7, or XP.

Note: Some security or antivirus software may stop FocalFilter from working because it modifies your system settings. Please let us know if this happens. For example, if you have this problem with Kaspersky Anti-Virus, you can add FocalFilter to its list of trusted applications.

Related Productivity Tools by Other Authors

If you have any problems with FocalFilter, the site-blocking tools Leechblock for Firefox and StayFocusd for Chrome should always work, because they are browser add-ons. And they have many extra features compared to FocalFilter. LeechBlock is harder than StayFocusd for a sophisticated computer user to sneak around while it is blocking sites.

Cold Turkey for Windows blocks across all browsers like FocalFilter but has many extra features and also can block applications and games. If you have problems with FocalFilter, Cold Turkey may work for you. Note that Cold Turkey may prevent FocalFilter from working.

Freedom for Windows, Mac, iPhone and iPad blocks across all browsers like FocalFilter and has many extra features. If you have problems with FocalFilter, Freedom may work for you.

SelfControl is a Mac tool with similar features to FocalFilter.


Contact Info

Contact us at .

FocalFilter is brought to you by Deanna G. and Shan Naziripour.