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How the new Apple focus function works on Macos Monterey

At the Apple World Developers Conference (WWDC), the company presented a new feature of the entire device, ‘Focus’. Available on iPhone, iPad and Mac, the tool allows you to adjust the notifications according to what you are doing at that moment. The feature reaches iOS 15, iPadas 15, and Macos 12 Monterey this fall. Here is a brief look at the “focus”, as it is related to Macos.

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Tell him hello to focus

‘Focus’ is an extension of the ‘Do not disturb’ feature Apple added through different devices a few years ago. That feature allows you to limit the messages, calls and alerts you will receive during sleep times. With the focus, you can now adjust these types of configurations for the other hours on the day.

To configure ‘Focus’ on Mac, click on the Apple icon at the top left of your screen, then choose ‘System preferences’. Choose ‘Notifications’> ‘Focus’. Your original configuration ‘Do not disturb’ is here, and is where you add more points over time.

For example, you may want different notification configurations for when you are at work, at home or gym. To start, click on ‘+’ on the left side of the screen. You can add a name, color and icon for your new configuration. Click on ‘Add’.

You can assign contacts and applications that you want to receive notifications from this event on the next screen. Click on ‘+’ below the ‘Allowed Notifications’ section. In ‘Automation’, you can add the start and end times for your event. The allocation of times is ideal for events such as work, but not so much for trips to the gym. For something like this, you can activate an ‘focus’ event manually.

For any ‘focus’ event, you can allow time-sensitive notifications and the ability to tell others from your current status. Apple is offering API for both configurations. The API ‘Sensient Time’ Pie Apply Applications Get Notifications Sensors Time: Assuming It has this configuration on. The ‘State’ API allows third parties (and native applications such as messages) to know if you are at a focus event or not. Again, you can control this configuration.

More about Automation

Time-based settings are not the only option in ‘Automation’. You can also add options that activate / deactivate any event based on your location. For example, you can have an ‘Focus’ event called ‘Fitness’ automatically light up every time you reach the gym. There is also a configuration based on the application in “Automation”. However, its intended use is not clear in Macos Monterey Beta.

Like ‘screen time, you can synchronize events’ focus’ on all your Apple devices or keep them limited to each device. It’s your choice.

Final focus

Alerts received during an focus event are available to view from ‘Notification Center’ at any time, which means that they remain accessible at any time. However, the genius is that you can not see them as a flag or a blocking screen, allowing you to focus on the task in question.

First days

‘Focus’, like the rest of Macos Monterey, is currently being tested Beta. During this process, it is likely that the tool receives adjustments that could change how it works. The finished product is not fully known until this fall is released. Until then, we will monitor its development.