Allow only the apps you pick
Instead of listing everything to block, list what you need. During a session, any other app that comes to the front is stopped. Finder and the essential parts of macOS always stay available.
Recento Focus · Part of Recento Pro
Keep yourself off the apps that derail you
Recento Focus is an app blocker for Mac built around an allowlist. Start a focus session, choose the apps you need, and everything else is kept out of your way until the session ends.
macOS 14 or later · Apple Silicon & Intel
It only takes one click on a chat app or a feed to lose half an hour. Willpower is not much help when the distraction is one keystroke away and your hand already knows the way.
Recento Focus takes the decision out of the moment. You pick the apps you need for the session, and Recento keeps every other app out of reach until the timer ends, with either a gentle nudge or a hard lock that hides blocked apps the instant they come forward.
What Recento Focus does
Profiles for different kinds of work
Save a profile for writing, one for coding and one for study, each with its own allowed apps. Start the right one in a click.
A gentle nudge
In Nudge mode a blocked app is covered by a calm reminder. After a five-second pause you can let yourself through for a short while, which is enough friction to break the habit without locking you out.
Or a hard lock
In Hard Lock mode a blocked app is hidden the moment it comes forward, and again if you launch it. Ending the session early means typing "I am done focusing", so quitting is a decision rather than a reflex.
Optionally quit blocked apps
For the strictest sessions, turn on quitting blocked apps. Recento asks them to quit politely, the same way the Quit menu does, so an app with unsaved work can still ask you to save. It never touches Recento itself, Apple's own apps or Finder.
Pomodoro cycles and breaks
Work in sprints with breaks in between: 25 minutes of focus and 5 minutes off by default, with a longer break after several sprints. Blocking pauses during breaks and resumes when the next sprint starts.
Streaks and history
Every finished session counts toward your streak, and your history shows how much focused time you put in. It is a simple way to see the habit build.
How it works
- 1Download Recento Pro and open Recento Focus from the app grid.
- 2Create a profile and tick the apps you want allowed during a session.
- 3Pick Nudge or Hard Lock, choose how long, and start the session.
- 4Work. Any app outside your profile is nudged away or hidden.
- 5When the timer ends, everything is available again and the session joins your streak.
Who it's for
- Writers who need the editor open and everything else closed.
- Students revising for exams who keep drifting to games and chat.
- Developers who want long, unbroken stretches in their editor and terminal.
- Remote workers who want clear work blocks with real breaks between them.
- Anyone building a deep work habit who wants a streak to keep.
Free and paid
| Feature | Free version | Recento Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Focus sessions & app blocking | Included | Included |
| Nudge & Hard Lock modes | Included | Included |
| Allowlist profiles | 1 | Unlimited |
| Pomodoro cycles | Not included | Included |
Recento Pro is $9.99 a month after a 2 day free trial (cancel any time) or $99 once for a lifetime licence, and it unlocks every module.
Plans, trial and refund terms are on the Recento Pro pricing section.
Privacy and permissions
- No special permission is needed to block apps. Recento Focus watches which app comes to the front using standard macOS notifications.
- Notifications (optional): so Recento can tell you when a session or a break ends.
- What stays on the Mac: your profiles, sessions and streak are stored on your Mac. Nothing is sent to 1dot.ai.
Requirements
- macOS 14 Sonoma or later
- Any Mac: Apple silicon or Intel
Questions
How do I block distracting apps on my Mac while I work?
Create a profile in Recento Focus with the apps you need, then start a session. Any other app that comes to the front is covered by a reminder in Nudge mode, or hidden immediately in Hard Lock mode, until the session ends.
Can I make it hard to turn off?
Yes. Hard Lock hides blocked apps as soon as they open or come forward, and ending the session early requires typing the phrase "I am done focusing". You can also have blocked apps quit automatically.
Does Recento Focus block websites?
No. Recento Focus blocks apps, not individual websites. If your browser is not on your allowed list, the whole browser is kept out of the way during the session.
Is Recento Focus the same as macOS Focus mode?
No. macOS Focus modes silence notifications. Recento Focus keeps you out of apps. They work well together. Separately, Recento Workspaces can switch on a macOS Focus mode when you restore a workspace.
Will blocked apps lose my work?
Hiding an app never closes it, so nothing is lost. The optional quit setting asks apps to quit politely, so apps with unsaved changes can still prompt you to save. It is off by default.
Does it have a Pomodoro timer?
Yes. Pomodoro cycles alternate focus sprints with short breaks and a longer break after several sprints, starting at 25 and 5 minutes. Pomodoro cycles are part of Recento Pro.
What is limited in the free version?
The free version includes focus sessions, app blocking, Nudge and Hard Lock, streaks and history, with one allowlist profile. Recento Pro adds unlimited profiles and Pomodoro cycles.
Can I still use Finder and system apps during a session?
Yes. Finder, the Dock, Spotlight, Control Center and the other essential parts of macOS are always allowed, so you can still find files and change settings.
Give your attention one job at a time
Download Recento Pro, set up your first profile, and start a session.
