Pause Restrictions¶
Sometimes you need temporary access to blocked content. The pause feature lets you suspend all Focus restrictions for a limited time, then automatically re-enables them when the pause expires.
How Pausing Works¶
When you pause restrictions:
- All website blocks are temporarily lifted
- App time limits stop counting
- Downtime restrictions are suspended
- A countdown timer shows how much pause time remains
- When the timer expires, all restrictions are automatically restored
Pausing Restrictions¶
- Click the Focus system tray icon.
- Select Pause Restrictions.
- Enter the admin password.
- Choose the pause duration:
- 5 minutes
- 15 minutes
- 30 minutes
- 1 hour
- Custom duration
- Click Pause.
Admin Password Required
Pausing always requires the admin password. This prevents children or employees from bypassing restrictions, and (in Productivity Mode) adds friction to discourage casual bypassing.
Ending a Pause Early¶
To restore restrictions before the timer expires:
- Click the Focus tray icon
- Select Resume Restrictions
- All rules are immediately re-applied
Pause Limits¶
You can configure limits on pausing to prevent overuse:
| Setting | Description |
|---|---|
| Maximum pause duration | Longest allowed pause (e.g., 30 minutes) |
| Daily pause limit | Maximum total pause time per day (e.g., 1 hour) |
| Cooldown period | Minimum time between pauses (e.g., 2 hours) |
| Disable pausing | Completely prevent pausing in any mode |
Configure these in Settings > Restrictions > Pause Limits.
Mode-Specific Behavior¶
Productivity Mode¶
Pausing is available but designed to add friction. The admin password requirement helps you think twice before bypassing your own rules.
Accountability
In Productivity Mode, all pauses are logged. Review your pause history in the usage reports to track how often you bypass restrictions.
Employee Mode¶
Pausing may be restricted or disabled entirely depending on company policy. When enabled, pauses are logged and can be included in monitoring reports.
Parental Mode¶
Pausing is only available to the parent (admin). Children cannot pause restrictions. Parents can grant temporary additional time when needed for homework or special circumstances.
Pause History¶
All pauses are recorded with:
- Date and time
- Duration (requested and actual)
- Who initiated the pause (by profile)
View pause history in Reports > Pause Log.