Block Apps on Mac

Eliminate distractions and improve your productivity by blocking distracting apps with 1Focus. Block distracting apps like email, social media, games, and streaming services—and even restrict access to the internet or the App Store.

Whether you’re a student, professional, parent, or anyone looking to take control of your digital habits, 1Focus is the perfect solution for managing and optimizing your Mac usage.

In this step-by-step guide, you’ll learn exactly how to block apps on Mac using 1Focus.

Want to block distracting websites too? Click here to learn how!

Why Block Apps on Your Mac?

Using an app blocker for Mac allows you to:

Eliminate distractions from social media or video games.
Enhance your productivity.
Support digital well-being and set screen time limits.
Block distractions at night to establish a regular bedtime routine and improve your sleep.

How to Block Distracting Apps on Mac

Follow these steps to block apps on your Mac with 1Focus (3 minutes):

Download 1Focus from the Mac App Store.
Open 1Focus by clicking its arrow icon in the top right of your screen.
Create or select a preset on the left side of the 1Focus window.
Click the Apps tab.
Select Block these apps.
Click the + button under Apps. A dialog will appear.
Select the app(s) you want to block. You can use the search field 🔍 in the top right to find an app.
Optional: If desired, enable the pause feature¹ in 1Focus while blocking is still inactive.
Click the Schedule tab, and enable blocking.
Close the 1Focus window to confirm the block and prevent bypassing.

Done! The selected apps will now be blocked according to the schedule you set.

Are you looking to do a digital detox or simply maximize your time even more? Learn how to set even more effective restrictions in our guide: How to block a Mac.

How to Block Access to All Apps Except Specific Ones

If you prefer to block all apps on your Mac except specific ones (for example, to allow only work or school apps) and promote monotasking, use the Block all apps except these option.

Note: To block all apps on your Mac, you need 1Focus Pro, an optional subscription. Wondering why 1Focus uses a subscription model? Learn more here.

Steps (3 minutes):

Download 1Focus from the Mac App Store.
Subscribe to 1Focus Pro.
Open 1Focus by clicking its arrow icon in the top right of your screen.
Create or select a preset on the left side of the 1Focus window.
Click the Apps tab.
Select Block all apps except these.
Click the + button under Apps. A dialog will appear.
Select the apps you need for work or study. You can use the search bar 🔍 in the top right to find them quickly.
Optional: If desired, enable the pause feature¹ in 1Focus while blocking is still inactive.
In the same preset, you can also create an allowlist¹ to block all websites except those that are essential for your work or study sessions.
Click the Schedule tab, and enable blocking.
Close the 1Focus window to confirm the block and prevent bypassing.

You’re all set! From now on, only essential work or school apps will be accessible during your deep work sessions.

Disclaimer: Since this setting is highly restrictive, consider enabling the pause feature in 1Focus. This will allow you to temporarily access other apps on your computer in case of an emergency or unexpected situation. It’s also useful if you accidentally block a helpful page.

How to Block Newly Installed Apps

You can also prevent the use of newly installed applications¹. For example, this prevents you from using a newly installed, unsupported web browser to bypass the block. Here’s how:

Steps (5 minutes):

Download 1Focus from the Mac App Store.
Subscribe to 1Focus Pro.
Open 1Focus.
Create or select a preset.
Click the Apps tab.
Select Block all apps except these. If the option is grayed out, either blocking is currently active (in which case, wait for it to end) or you do not have 1Focus Pro.
Click the + button under Apps. A dialog will appear.
Type app in the search field in the top right.
Select all apps. One way to do this is to select one app and press Command + A.
Click Open.
Remove any apps that should not be blocked.
Click the Schedule tab, and enable blocking.
Close the 1Focus window to confirm the block and prevent bypassing.

Done! Now, any new apps installed while blocking is active will be blocked by default.

To learn more, see: Prevent bypassing blocking.

Tips for Using 1Focus as a Mac App Blocker

Keep the 1Focus window open until you’re satisfied with your blocks. This allows you to adjust your settings as needed.
Test your settings by trying to open a blocked app before closing the 1Focus window.
While the 1Focus window is open, you can preview, change, or delete blocking events as needed.
If you want to add a password-protected block, either for personal use or to help protect your children, you can use Parental Control. It is derived from 1Focus and includes password protection.
In 1Focus, the times you set under Schedule determine when apps will be blocked (“blocking events”). Once you decide when you want access to certain apps to be restricted, enter only those blocking times into the schedule. At all other times, access to the apps will be allowed.
You can also restrict internet access by blocking the App Store and installed web browsers.
Combine app blocking with website blocking for the ultimate distraction-free experience.

Troubleshooting

If app blocking is not working as expected, check the following:

Block durations longer than six hours require 1Focus Pro.
Restart your computer if you run into issues.
Uninstall 1Focus, permanently delete it from the Trash (important), and reinstall it from the Mac App Store. No data will be lost.
Prevent bypassing blocking.
Ensure 1Focus starts automatically at login.
Fix unexpected blocking.
Fix 1Focus closing randomly.

For help, contact support.

Try 1Focus today!

Stay focused with the best app & website blocker for Mac.

This feature requires 1Focus Pro, an optional subscription.