Getting started with Solo Focus
Everything you need to install, set up automatic tracking, run your first Focus Session, and start building better work habits, all in one place.
What is Solo Focus?
Solo Focus automatically tracks the time you spend on apps and websites in the background. No manual timers, no spreadsheets. It then gives you clear data on your work habits and powerful tools to protect your most productive hours.
Silently records every app and website you use. No timers. No manual logging. Just honest data about your day.
Time-boxed work sessions with optional distraction blocking to keep you on-task. Syncs across all your devices.
Set daily targets for focus work and get real-time nudges before distractions take over.
Daily, weekly, and trend reports that reveal your peak hours and where time actually goes.
Install the Desktop App
Logging into the website alone will not capture your time. The desktop app needs to be installed.
-
Download the installer
Visit rescuetime.com/rtx/download and click Download. The file will be named
RescueTimeInstaller_X.exeon Windows or a.dmgon Mac. -
Run the installer
Open the downloaded file from your Downloads folder. On Windows, click Yes when asked to allow changes. On Mac, drag RescueTime to your Applications folder.
-
Sign in and activate
The RescueTime Assistant will open and prompt you to sign in. After signing in via the browser, click Activate Assistant to complete setup.
-
Allow permissions (Mac)
On macOS, go to System Preferences → Security & Privacy → Accessibility and enable RescueTime. This is required for full tracking. Step-by-step Mac permissions guide →
-
Install the mobile app (optional)
For iOS or Android tracking, download RescueTime from the App Store or Google Play. Your subscription covers all devices.
How Activity Tracking Works
RescueTime works silently in the background, recording every app and website you visit.
Activity Categories
Every app and website is automatically assigned to a category (e.g., Design & Composition, Social Media, Communication) and given a productivity score from Very Productive to Very Distracting. You can customize these at any time from your Activities page.
Focus Work vs. Other Work
Activities you score as Focus Work are tracked separately and used to calculate your daily Focus Work goal. Typically these are high-concentration tasks: coding, writing, and design. These benefit most from uninterrupted blocks of time.
What RescueTime does NOT track
- ✓ Never records keystrokes or passwords
- ✓ Never takes screenshots
- ✓ Never reads webpage content or form inputs
- ✓ Your data is never sold or shared
Run your first Focus Session
Focus Sessions are timed work blocks with optional distraction blocking and a post-session summary. Open the Assistant, click the 🎯 button, and you'll land on the session setup screen.
From there:
- Write a short description of what you're working on
- Choose your blocking level: no blocking, distracting sites only, or distracting sites plus communication apps
- Set a duration: 25, 50, or 90 minutes, or enter a custom time
Click Start Session and you're in. Blocking activates immediately and a countdown appears in your menu bar (Mac) or taskbar (Windows).
When the timer ends you'll see a summary: Focus Work logged, distractions blocked, your streak, and how many others were focusing at the same time.
Goals & Alerts
Goals let you set daily targets, like 2 hours of Focus Work or under 30 minutes of social media. Your progress tracks in real time inside the Assistant all day.
The goal you pin to the front of the Assistant becomes your anchor for the day. Most people start with a Focus Work target: pick an amount of time you want to spend on deep work, pin it, and the Assistant keeps it front and center as you work.
Alerts fire when you cross a threshold you've set: a nudge before a distraction takes over or a check-in when you hit your target. Set both from the Goals and Alerts pages.
Reading your reports
After a few days of tracking, your reports will start showing meaningful patterns. Here's where to look first.
Your Assistant gives you a daily breakdown each morning. Check it to see yesterday's Focus Work, top activities, and goal progress.
The Productivity report shows when during the day you're most focused. Use this to schedule deep work during your natural peaks.
See exactly which apps and sites consumed your time, ranked by duration. Filter by day, week, or month.