Is PausePoint free to use?

Yes! PausePoint is 100% free forever for up to 3 protected applications or websites. You get full access to the frosted reflection barrier, session timers, menu bar sentinel, and weekly Focus Balance insights with no credit card required.

Why does PausePoint request macOS Accessibility permission?

PausePoint uses Apple's native AXUIElement API to read the title of your frontmost focused window or active browser tab. This is how it detects when you switch to YouTube or Reddit so it can offer a mindful pause—without requiring you to install invasive browser extensions or certificates. It never monitors keystrokes or non-trigger websites.

What should I do if the Accessibility toggle doesn't stick in macOS System Settings?

This is a known macOS permission caching bug. To resolve it: 1) Open System Settings > Privacy & Security > Accessibility. 2) Select PausePoint in the list and click the minus (-) button to remove it. 3) Click the plus (+) button, navigate to /Applications, and select PausePoint. 4) Toggle the switch ON. The permission will now stick permanently.

What is included in PausePoint Pro?

PausePoint Pro is a $6.99 one-time lifetime purchase that unlocks unlimited app and website triggers, complete attention rhythm graphs (hourly and weekday fatigue analysis), custom mindful prompt editing, and all 4 visual themes.

Quick Setup Guide

Getting started in 2 minutes.

Q: How is Focus Balance calculated?

Focus Balance measures your self-regulation ratio: (Focus Redirects / Total Pauses) × 100%. Every time you click 'Return to Focus' instead of continuing into the distraction, your score increases. If you choose to continue into the app with a timer, your score adjusts accordingly.

Follow these simple steps after downloading PausePoint from the Mac App Store to ensure seamless protection.

Step 01

Grant Accessibility Permission

macOS requires Accessibility permission so PausePoint can inspect frontmost window titles (like "YouTube" or "Reddit") without needing browser extensions.

Open System Settings on your Mac.
Navigate to Privacy & Security → Accessibility.
Find PausePoint in the list and toggle the switch to ON.

💡 If the switch won't toggle: Select PausePoint, click the minus (–) button to remove it, then click the plus (+) button, select PausePoint from your Applications folder, and toggle it on.

Step 02

The Top Menu Bar Sentinel

PausePoint runs unobtrusively in your macOS menu bar (the little pause icon at the top of your screen). It never clutters your Dock when you are focused on deep work.

 File Edit ⏱ YouTube 4:52 Mon 9 Nov

During an active break: The menu bar displays your live countdown (e.g., YouTube 4:52).
Click the icon: See your break progress card and click "End Break & Return" at any time to immediately pause playback and return to work.
Open Dashboard: Click the menu icon and choose "Open Focus Dashboard" to view your habits and adjust settings.

Step 03

Customize Your Shield Triggers

In PausePoint, go to Shield to toggle or add distracting apps and websites.

By default, YouTube, Reddit, and X / Twitter are enabled.
You can protect native macOS apps (Steam, Roblox, Camtasia, Messages) or specific websites.
When you open an enabled app, PausePoint intercepts the impulse and invites a five-second reflection.

Frequently Asked Questions

Everything you need to know.

Is PausePoint really free? +

Yes! PausePoint is completely free forever for up to 3 protected applications or websites. You get the full reflection barrier, 5m to 45m timers, the menu bar sentinel, and weekly Focus Balance insights with zero subscriptions and no credit card required.

Does PausePoint track what I type or monitor private tabs? +

Never. PausePoint uses Apple's standard Accessibility API solely to read the title string of the frontmost window (to check if it matches words like "YouTube"). It has zero keylogger capabilities, does not inspect form fields, and has no network tracking code. Everything runs 100% on-device.

How does PausePoint pause YouTube or Spotify music? +

When a pause prompt appears or your timer finishes, PausePoint issues a native macOS media pause command and communicates directly with running browsers (Chrome and Safari) to halt video playback. This ensures background audio never pulls you back in when you're trying to return to deep work.

How is Focus Balance calculated? +

Focus Balance measures your self-control ratio:
Focus Balance = (Direct Redirects to Work / Total Pauses) × 100%.
When you click "Return to Focus", your score climbs. When you choose to continue into the app with a timer, the score adjusts. It is a real, dynamic measure of your impulse resistance.

What does PausePoint Pro include? +

PausePoint Pro is an optional $6.99 one-time lifetime purchase directly through the Mac App Store. It unlocks:

Unlimited protected apps, websites, and custom URLs.
Complete Attention Rhythm charts with hourly fatigue curves and peak-day diagnostics.
All 4 visual themes (Standard, Minimal, Student, High-Contrast).
Custom mindful prompt library & smart anchor editor.
Family Sharing across all Macs linked to your Apple ID.

Does PausePoint support Family Sharing? +

Yes! PausePoint Pro includes Apple Family Sharing. When you purchase Pro on the Mac App Store, up to 6 members of your Apple Family group automatically receive full Pro access on all their Macs with zero additional fees.

How does bulk purchasing work for schools, colleges, and districts? +

Educational institutions can purchase PausePoint in bulk through Apple School Manager (ASM) and the Volume Purchase Program (VPP) with an automatic 50% educational discount for orders of 20 or more seats.

School IT administrators deploying Macs via Jamf Pro, Mosyle, or Kandji can deploy managed volume licenses directly to devices across computer labs and 1:1 student MacBooks with zero individual Apple ID requirements.

How do I restore my Pro purchase on another Mac? +

Simply open PausePoint on your other Mac, open the Paywall or Settings, and click "Restore Purchases". As long as you are signed into the same Apple ID, Apple StoreKit will restore your Pro unlock instantly at no cost.

How do I contact the developer for support or feedback? +

You can contact the developer (Sethi De Clercq) directly via email at sethi+pausepoint@eduflip.net. Whether you have feature requests, bug reports, or questions about enterprise and educational deployments, every message receives a personal response.