How to use Focus Mode

Last updated: April 15, 2026

Available on: Mac

Important: Focus Mode is currently available to Wispr internal users only. It will roll out to all users in a future release.

Focus Mode blocks distracting apps and websites with a single keyboard shortcut. When active, Flow prevents blocked apps from opening and stops your browser from navigating to blocked URLs — helping you stay in deep work without interruption.

What it is

Focus Mode is a distraction-blocking feature built into Wispr Flow. When toggled on, it terminates any blocked app you try to open and intercepts browser navigation to blocked URLs across Chrome, Safari, Arc, Brave, Microsoft Edge, Firefox, Opera, Vivaldi, Zen, Yandex Browser, Sidekick, and Shift.

You control which apps and URLs are blocked. Flow ships with default block lists — Slack and Superhuman for apps, and sites like app.slack.com, mail.google.com, x.com, and twitter.com for URLs. You can customize both lists from the Experimental settings page.

A notification confirms when Focus Mode turns on or off, and another appears whenever Flow blocks something while the mode is active.

When to use it

Use this feature when you want to:

  • Block yourself from reflexively opening Slack, email, or social media during focused work sessions

  • Prevent browser tab-switching to distracting sites while writing or dictating

  • Quickly toggle distraction blocking on and off without leaving your current window

How it works in Flow

Overview

Press ⌥F (Option + F) to toggle Focus Mode on or off. Flow displays a notification to confirm the state change. While active, any attempt to open a blocked app or navigate to a blocked URL is intercepted.

Key behaviors

  • App blocking: If you launch a blocked app while Focus Mode is on, Flow terminates it and switches you back to your previous app. Apps already running when you turned on Focus Mode remain open — but if one quits and you relaunch it, it is blocked. Auto-refocus only works if the previous app is still running.

  • URL blocking: If you type or paste a blocked URL in a supported browser's address bar and press Enter, Flow stops the navigation. Clicking links, bookmarks, history items, or using back/forward navigation to blocked URLs is not intercepted. In Chrome, pressing Enter on an autocomplete suggestion for a blocked URL is also intercepted.

  • Block notifications: Each time something is blocked, Flow shows a notification titled "You're in a Flow state" identifying the blocked app or URL. The notification plays a sound (if sounds are enabled in settings) and auto-dismisses after 6 seconds.

  • Toggle notifications: Turning Focus Mode on shows "Focus Mode on"; turning it off shows "Focus Mode off."

  • Configurable shortcut: The default shortcut is ⌥F. You can change it in Settings → General → Shortcuts.

Best practices

  • Start with the default block lists and add apps or URLs as you notice yourself getting distracted.

  • Use URL blocking alongside app blocking — blocking the Slack app but not app.slack.com still lets you reach Slack in your browser.

  • Avoid adding critical work tools to the block list — if you need Slack for standups, leave it unblocked and block only during deep work windows.

How to set it up

Enable Focus Mode

  1. Click the Flow icon in your menu bar, then click Settings.

  2. Go to the Experimental tab and enable the Focus Mode toggle.

  3. Press ⌥F to toggle Focus Mode on or off.

Customize blocked apps

  1. Open the Experimental settings page.

  2. Click the blocked apps picker and select or deselect apps.

Note: The picker shows currently running apps that appear in the Dock — background processes and menu bar-only apps are excluded. Open an app first if you don't see it listed. Apps already on the blocked list appear greyed out with an "Added" label.

Customize blocked URLs

  1. Open the Experimental settings page and find the Blocked URLs section.

  2. Type a URL (e.g., example.com) and click Add or press Enter.

  3. Click the ✕ next to a URL to remove it.

Change the keyboard shortcut

  1. Go to Settings → General → click Change next to Shortcuts.

  2. Find the Focus Mode entry and record your preferred key combination.

Note: The Focus Mode shortcut entry only appears after you enable Focus Mode in Experimental settings.

Examples

Blocking a distraction during deep work

Scenario: You're writing a report and reflexively press ⌘Space, type "Slack," and hit Enter.

What happens: Flow terminates Slack immediately, shows a notification titled "You're in a Flow state" with the message "Blocking Slack," and returns you to your document.

Blocking a URL in the browser

Scenario: You type "x.com" in Chrome's address bar and press Enter.

What happens: Flow intercepts the navigation and shows a notification titled "You're in a Flow state" with the message "Blocking x.com." The page does not load.

FAQs

Can I use Focus Mode without blocking any apps?

Yes. You can remove all default apps from the blocked apps list and leave URL blocking active, or vice versa. Both lists are fully configurable.

What browsers does URL blocking support?

Chrome, Safari, Arc, Brave, Microsoft Edge, Firefox, Opera, Vivaldi, Zen, Yandex Browser, Sidekick, and Shift on Mac. No browser extension is required.

What happens to blocked apps that are already open?

Apps already running when Focus Mode activates stay open. They are only blocked if you quit them and try to relaunch while Focus Mode is still active.

Why doesn't ⌥F do anything?

The shortcut only works after you enable Focus Mode in Experimental settings. Click the Flow icon in your menu bar, go to Settings → Experimental, and enable the Focus Mode toggle.

What happens if I disable Focus Mode in settings while it's active?

Focus Mode deactivates automatically — all blocking stops immediately.

What happens if I try to add a duplicate URL?

An error message appears: "URL already in blocked list."

Limitations and notes

  • Focus Mode is currently available to Wispr internal users only. It will be enabled for all users in a future update.

  • Focus Mode is Mac-only. Windows, iOS, and Android are not supported at this time.

  • The Experimental settings page requires a paid subscription (Pro, Student, Team, or Enterprise) or an active free trial.

  • URL blocking only intercepts URLs typed or pasted into the browser's address bar when you press Enter. Clicking links, bookmarks, history entries, or using back/forward navigation is not blocked.

  • URL matching is substring-based — adding "slack.com" blocks any URL containing "slack.com."

  • Wispr Flow cannot be added to the block list.

  • Focus Mode turns off when Wispr Flow restarts. Re-toggle it with ⌥F after each app launch.

  • Focus Mode settings (blocked apps, blocked URLs) are stored locally and do not sync across devices.

  • If you change your blocked apps or URLs while Focus Mode is active, press ⌥F twice (off then on) for changes to take effect.

  • If the Wispr Flow helper process crashes while Focus Mode is active, blocking stops until you toggle Focus Mode again.