Support & How-To

FocusConductor — Last updated: May 8, 2026

1. Getting started

FocusConductor lives in your Mac's menu bar — there is no Dock icon. After installing from the Mac App Store it launches automatically and places a small icon in the top-right area of your screen.

1. Download FocusConductor from the Mac App Store and open it.
2. Click the menu bar icon to open the quick-access menu.
3. Select Open Settings… to open the configuration window.
4. Follow the on-screen prompts to grant the required permissions (see section 2).
5. Configure at least one Focus mode (see section 3), then enable automation.

FocusConductor ships with five default Focus modes (Work, Personal, Sleep, Reading, Focus). Add, rename, or recolor them anytime from FocusConductor → Settings → Focus modes.

2. Granting permissions

Apple Events (for quitting apps)

The first time FocusConductor needs to quit an app, macOS will ask you to allow it to control that app via Apple Events. Click Allow. This is the only permission FocusConductor requires — no Full Disk Access, no Accessibility, no Automation profiles.

On the Mac App Store version, a small companion helper handles the quit requests on FocusConductor's behalf. The helper is bundled with the app and runs as a Login Item — no extra setup needed.

3. Configuring Focus mode automations

Each Focus mode in FocusConductor (Work, Personal, Sleep, etc.) has its own set of rules — apps to launch, apps to quit, Shortcuts to run.

1. Open Settings from the menu bar icon.
2. Select a Focus mode from the left sidebar — or click + to create a new one.
3. Use the Apps tab to set which apps launch or quit when this mode activates (see section 4).
4. Use the Shortcuts tab to add macOS Shortcuts that run on activation (see section 6).
5. Repeat for each Focus mode you want to automate.

Rules apply when a mode activates. When you switch from one Focus mode to another, FocusConductor first applies the "quit" rules of the mode you're leaving, then the "launch" rules of the new mode.

4. Adding apps to launch or quit

For each Focus mode you can assign an action to any installed app:

• Launch — the app opens automatically when this mode activates.
• Quit — the app closes automatically when this mode activates.
• Ignore (default) — FocusConductor does nothing with this app.

1. Select a Focus mode in the sidebar.
2. Click Add app… (or the + button) in the Apps section.
3. Search for the app by name and select it from the list.
4. Use the dropdown next to the app to choose Launch or Quit.
5. To remove an app from the list, select it and press Delete or click the − button.

FocusConductor never quits itself, even if you accidentally add it to a "Quit" list.

5. Enabling & pausing automation

Automation is controlled by the Enable automation toggle in Settings (or the quick toggle in the menu bar menu). When disabled, FocusConductor stays inactive when you switch modes — useful when you need a temporary break from automatic app switching.

The menu bar icon reflects the current state: active when automation is on, dimmed when paused.

6. Running Shortcuts automatically

Any macOS Shortcut can be triggered when a Focus mode activates. This lets you do things FocusConductor doesn't handle natively — toggle system settings, send a message, run a script, etc.

1. First create your Shortcut in the Shortcuts app.
2. In FocusConductor Settings, select a Focus mode and open the Shortcuts tab.
3. Click Add shortcut… and choose a shortcut from the list.
4. The shortcut runs every time that Focus mode activates.

Shortcuts run after app launches and quits have been processed. If a shortcut takes more than a few seconds, it runs in the background without blocking other automations.

7. Desktop widget

FocusConductor includes a WidgetKit widget that shows your current Focus mode and lets you switch modes with a tap — right from your desktop.

1. Right-click (or two-finger click) anywhere on your macOS desktop.
2. Select Edit Widgets….
3. Click the + button in the top-left corner.
4. Search for FocusConductor and choose a size (small, medium, or large).
5. Click Done to add the widget.

The widget updates automatically as your Focus mode changes. Tap a mode button on a medium or large widget to activate that mode directly.

8. Free trial & subscription

FocusConductor is free to download with a 14-day free trial. After the trial, a subscription is required to keep using the app:

• Monthly — US$2.99 / month
• Yearly — US$19.99 / year (save ~44%)

Subscriptions are managed entirely through the Mac App Store. To manage, cancel, or view your subscription:

1. Open System Settings → Apple ID.
2. Click Media & Purchases → Manage.
3. Find FocusConductor and tap Edit to change or cancel.

To request a refund, visit reportaproblem.apple.com. Apple handles all billing — we cannot process refunds directly.

9. Troubleshooting

Apps don't launch or quit when I activate a mode

• Make sure Enable automation is toggled on in Settings.
• Check the helper status in Settings → General. It should read Running. If it shows Dead, restart FocusConductor or re-enable the helper from System Settings → General → Login Items.
• Verify the mode you activated has Launch / Quit rules assigned. A mode with no rules will activate but do nothing.

An app doesn't quit when it should

• Some apps ignore quit requests when they have unsaved documents. FocusConductor sends a standard quit signal — if the app shows a "save before closing?" dialog, you must respond to it manually.
• Make sure the app is listed under Quit (not Ignore) for the relevant Focus mode.

An app doesn't launch when it should

• Confirm the app is installed in /Applications or ~/Applications.
• Click Refresh app list in Settings if you recently installed the app.
• If the app requires additional permissions on first launch (camera, microphone, etc.), open it manually once to dismiss those prompts.

FocusConductor doesn't appear after installation

• Look for the icon in the top-right area of your menu bar. If the bar is crowded, it may be hidden — try holding ⌘ and dragging other icons to make room, or use a tool like Bartender.
• If it's not there at all, open FocusConductor from Launchpad or Applications.

The widget shows the wrong Focus mode or doesn't update

• Widgets refresh on their own schedule. Activate a different Focus mode and switch back — that usually forces an immediate update.
• Remove and re-add the widget as a last resort.

10. Contact & feedback

If none of the above helps, we're happy to assist directly:

• Email: contact@focusconductor.com
• Feature requests and bug reports are also welcome at the same address.

We read every message and typically reply within one business day.