App Groups¶
App Groups let you organize applications into categories and apply rules to entire groups at once. Instead of setting limits on each app individually, create groups like "Games," "Social Media," or "Educational" and manage them collectively.
Creating App Groups¶
- Open Focus settings with the admin password.
- Navigate to Parental > [Child's Name] > App Groups.
- Click Create Group.
- Enter a group name (e.g., "Games" or "Homework Apps").
- Click Add Apps to select applications for this group.
- Browse the list of installed applications or search by name.
- Check each app to include and click Done.
- Click Save.
Applying Rules to Groups¶
Once a group is created, apply rules that affect all apps in the group:
Time Limit¶
Set a combined daily time limit for the entire group. For example, give the "Games" group a 1-hour daily limit. The child can play any game in the group, but total gaming time across all games cannot exceed 1 hour.
Schedule¶
Allow a group only during specific times. For example:
- "Homework Apps" -- Available all day
- "Games" -- Only available after 4 PM on weekdays and all day on weekends
- "Social Media" -- Available for 30 minutes after homework time
Block/Allow¶
Completely block or allow all apps in a group with a single toggle.
Default App Groups¶
Focus includes pre-configured groups to get you started:
| Group | Includes |
|---|---|
| Web Browsers | Chrome, Firefox, Edge, etc. |
| Games | Detected gaming applications |
| Communication | Email, messaging apps |
| Educational | Common learning applications |
| Entertainment | Media players, streaming apps |
You can edit these default groups or create your own.
Managing Groups¶
Adding New Apps¶
When new applications are installed, they are not automatically added to any group. Review new installations and assign them to appropriate groups.
Moving Apps Between Groups¶
An app can belong to only one group. To move it, remove it from the current group and add it to the new one.
Ungrouped Apps
Applications not assigned to any group follow the default rules for the child's profile. Consider creating a "General" group for miscellaneous apps or setting a default policy for ungrouped applications.
System Apps
Core Windows system applications (File Explorer, Settings, etc.) cannot be added to groups or restricted, as blocking them could prevent the computer from functioning properly.