Tips and tricks

Short tips that make everyday life with Focus one easier. Each tip links to the matching help article.

Basic principle

• Areas instead of list chaos (all devices) → Areas
• Every task has a home (all devices) → The standard lists
• Next is your working stock (all devices) → Next
• Focus: from 10 make 3 (all devices) → Focus: seeing less at once
• The scheduled completion date is not the deadline (all devices) → Scheduled completion date and deadline
• The project deadline is inherited (all devices) → Scheduled completion date and deadline

Capturing

• Capture with Siri without opening the app (iPhone, iPad) → Siri and Shortcuts
• Create a task with list, Area, project and date by shortcut (iPhone, iPad) → Siri and Shortcuts
• Task list as a widget, per Area (iPhone, iPad) → Widgets and controls
• Open List on the Action button (iPhone, iOS 18) → Widgets and controls
• Global shortcut on the Mac (Mac, Pro, since version 2026.10.2) → Quick Capture on the Mac
• Drag an email into the Inbox (iPad, Mac) → Sharing and Mail Drop
• Share a link from Safari (all devices) → Sharing and Mail Drop
• Photo or scan right when creating a task (iPhone, Pro) → Attachments
• Import Apple Reminders (all devices) → Import from Apple Reminders
• ⌘V for attachments (Mac, Pro) → Attachments
• A new task lands on top or below the selected one (all devices) → Capturing tasks

Organizing

• Project headings as groups (all devices) → Projects
• Checklist inside a task (all devices) → Tags and checklists
• Counter per project (all devices) → Projects
• Schedule by drag and drop (iPad, Mac) → Editing tasks
• Edit several tasks at once (all devices, Pro) → Editing tasks
• Sequential projects for recurring routines (all devices, Pro) → Projects
• Review so nothing fizzles out (all devices, Pro) → Project review
• Load templates and tutorial projects (all devices) → Export, import and templates
• Show your calendar (all devices, Pro) → Adding your calendar

Navigation

• Quick Navigator (all devices) → Search and Quick Navigator
• Special filters in the Quick Navigator: All, Deadline, Reminders, With attachment (all devices) → Search and Quick Navigator
• Open details with ⌘I, right-click or ⓘ (all devices) → Editing tasks
• Tile view of the lists (all devices) → Customizing the appearance
• Undo and Redo (all devices, since version 2026.10.2) → Keyboard shortcuts

Customizing

• Monochrome mode (all devices, Pro) → Customizing the appearance
• Markdown export of projects (all devices) → Export, import and templates
• Round is a task, square is a project (all devices) → Glossary
• Animated checking off (all devices) → Editing tasks