Hello! I was trying to figure out a better way to block unsafe search engines from the start. I am primarily using this for blocking adult content, as an adult. I've used similar tools, and they usually have a built-in filter that just blocks all unsafe search engines that cannot enforce safe search. So typically the only search engines that are allowed are Google and Bing.

I see that you have a Regex rule builder, but I was hoping I could suggest that with the app, you include a Plan that already has this built-in. Similar to the Adult Sites one.

Thanks!

I had a feature request for protecting plans/settings/etc. with passwords. In addition to the current options, something I've experienced in another tool is a random token that has a delayed time for the message. So basically, what you do is request to get a token which will be the random password to "unlock" something. This gets sent to the email for the account, or any other account you set.

With this, you can set a time frame of how long it takes to get the token. The default might be 1 hour or something.

Additionally, the other tool I've used lets you set an accountability partner that you trust (which must be approved by them), and instead of sending the token to you, it sends it to THEIR email. So instead of relying on having a person come over to your local machine to put the password in for you, this option would send THEM an email with the token and they would need to share it with you.

I hope you like the sound of this, and I think it would add a lot of value. Thanks!

When the Helper is displaying the url or the folder Location (or anything else) it'd be great to just click on it to copy it (to the clipboard) (like ctrl+c)

Kind regards
A4L

A button in the plans menu that "Quickstarts" all the plans, regardless of their settings, for a duration you set.

For my child's computer I have a plan that does the following:

Blocking Internet browser 24/7 with only certain allowed websites required for online school on the white list.  
This allows him freedom to use the sites with no limits.  

I want to run a second plan that will allow him his allotted time for video games on a weekly basis - with freedom as to when he uses it.  It just counts down over the course of the week and when he is through, it blocks all the videogame sites and apps until the week is done.  
I made the Video Game plan with a Time Limit Rule, and placed all video game apps and websites in the 'block'.  

This Video Game plan conflicts with the Blocking Internet browser plan - in that the blocking internet browser won't allow the video game websites. 

If I 'white list' the specific game websites he uses in the blocking Internet browser plan, will the Video Game plan still count the use of those sites against the timelimit set for the week?  Or will this just confuse FM?

Anyone have experience doing this type of layering of plans to get desired effect?
Thanks
JL

Hi,

First of all, thank you for this amazing application. One of the best purchases I ever made. 

The application is almost perfect for me. But there is one feature I badly want to see added. 

I use Focusme to cope with certain addictions, and for the most part, it works great. I have constructed several plans and I use the "just block" feature with the daily/weekly schedule (I select the 24h period for each day of the week), and then I "force" block the plan.

However, I never create a plan for more than two weeks in advance (I just don't feel able to do so, and also, there are settings that I want to modify once in a while [e.g., allow sync] and that is not possible while a plan is active). 

When I approach the end date of my plan, I would like to have a button to postpone the end date while the plan is still active. Otherwise, I have to clone the plan, schedule another end date on the cloned plan, and delete the original plan once its end date is reached.

I know that you can postpone the timer when using the "time limit" option, but then I have to calculate manually how long I need to set the timer for it to end up on the same date as previously created plans (e.g. to change a feature in the setting menu), and that is not practical. 

For me, this feature would complete an already awesome application. 

Thank you!!

Sorry if this was requested before - couldn't find anything.

It'll be great if plans can be synced between desktop and mobile. On my Mac, I have a vast number of rules and blocked websites. It'll take me an hour (minimum) to copy and type everything into FocusMe Android. It's a large chunk of time I'd prefer not to spend. If syncing is too troublesome to implement anytime soon, at the very least we should be able to export and import text lists (of websites to block). That way, if I change phones or do a factory reset, I wouldn't need to enter everything from scratch.

Right now I only have a fraction of the websites (blocked on my laptop) also blocked on my new phone, simply because entering it all is so difficult. I'll get it done eventually, but I already had multiple instances of procrastinating on my phone because of this.

Hi all,  
I thought I'd share how I'm setting up FM for my 2 kids who do online homeschooling.
I find there is a learning curve to using FM with kids - you have to set up a few plans, let them run, see how they behave and how the kids are helped or hindered by them.  You also have to monitor their use of the computer and see where they are getting distracted and then add plans accordingly.  It is an open discussion - the kids know it is for their benefit to have the FM working, and giving them their allowed time without the temptation to go over.  It isn't so much a control as guidance.  We discuss what they need out of their time on the computer and come to agree on what is reasonable, and make plans accordingly.  I also make sure they know that if there is need of a pause, altering of a plan etc, that it is an ongoing conversation that they are welcome to contribute to.  

First kid - 11y/o who needs a lot of guide rails when it comes to computer use.  Parent is fully in charge of FM and dashboard is PW protected:

• Skype limit plan - lets him check his skype for 15 min, limited launch to 5x/day.  Notifications are blocked (via skype settings) so there is not messages popping up when he gets a text. 
  
• Internet browsing plan - time limit internet browser to 30 min/day, 7 days/week - unlimited launches.  white listed sites needed for school.
  
• Videogame time limit - 3 hours/week - all allowed video games (apps and webites) are included on this plan.  
  

• Skype limit plan (as above)
  
• Gmail plan - Gmail is only allowed at certain specified times of the school day, so that he isn't checking it all the time. 
  
• block internet browser use during online class time - to prevent him drifting off on other tabs when he should be attending online classes. 
  

First off, I wanted to say I have been interacting with support and they are really great!  


I see that most times you are having problems with a particular plan, support needs you to send screenshots of each of the pages of the plan so they can see what is going on.  A good feature would be some sort of button within a plan that allows user to export the details of particular plan into a downloadable file, that you can just send to support when you make your ticket, so they can see right away what is going on with the plan.

At the moment you have to create ticket, and then they ask for the screenshots, and you have to stop/open plans, take individual shots, attach them to emails, etc... so it is less efficient.  If the users were prompted when creating the ticket to upload a file of the plan data that they had exported right at the beginning, support could be streamlined.

Keep up the good work - this is a great program for our needs of parental control. 
JL

Right now, you can only set a launch limit for a certain number of times per day. But there are some websites/apps that you would want to set a launch limit to, say, once every 2 weeks. 
For me, I'd like to stop ordering food online, but would like to allow it once every 2 weeks or so, but there is no way to this besides the time limit, but that is bypassable by not having the window open. 
Anyways, I think that'd be a cool addition. Loving the software so far, it's near perfect.