Privacy Policy
Updated October 13, 2026
About this policy
This policy explains how Forcus handles information in its Windows and Android apps, companion browser extension, Google sign-in pages and account deletion page. Forcus is a focus timer with tasks, focus history, pets and optional blocking. You can use local features without a Forcus account. Contact the Forcus developer at the email below for privacy questions or requests.
Information on your device
Forcus saves your tasks, task notes, task order, session history, timer state, goals, presets, preferences and chosen blocking rules on your device. Local settings include permissions, appearance, sound and pet choices. Desktop folder paths, individual browser tab identities, pairing credentials and timed blocking locks are device-specific. Exported backups and CSV files stay wherever you save or share them; Forcus does not upload those files automatically.
Google sign-in and optional sync
Google sign-in gives Forcus your Google account ID, email address, display name and profile picture address. Google handles your password; Forcus does not receive it. Authentication uses saved sign-in credentials so you can remain signed in. Loading your profile picture makes a request to Google.
Signing in does not by itself enable data sync. If you enable Sync this device, Forcus sends tasks and notes, task order, session history, goals, shared timer preferences and presets, active timer deadlines and chosen blocking rules to Firebase. Rules include website domains, keywords, social sections, any retained custom routes and platform-specific app identifiers. These are user-chosen rules, not a log of everything you browse or open.
Sync also uses a random app installation identifier, platform, last connection time, readiness and notification preferences. Android may register a Firebase Cloud Messaging token to receive timer and rule updates in the background. Synced information is available to devices connected to the same Forcus account. Devices may retain local copies when offline or signed out. Turning sync off stops syncing on that device; it does not delete data already stored online.
Focus Shield on Android
If you allow it, Android Accessibility access lets Focus Shield identify the active app and read visible navigation labels, headings, selected tabs, view identifiers, media controls, pane titles and browser addresses when available. It may also examine accessibility summaries exposed by media layouts. This can operate in the background while your chosen protection is active. The service skips password fields, editable values and ordinary message text. It is not designed to read conversations, record your screen or collect keystrokes. Third-party apps control the metadata they expose, so a label or media summary can contain a person's name or content title.
This information is checked on your device to match your rules and leave blocked screens using Home, Back or Android Home. Forcus does not save or upload the inspected screen labels, summaries or browser addresses as browsing or message history. Your chosen rules can sync if you enable sync. The app picker reads launchable installed apps locally; selected app identifiers can be included in synced rules.
Accessibility access and the separate Allow In-app Blocking permission are optional. You can revoke them in Focus Shield or Android settings. Optional notifications show timer status and actions. An optional overlay permission supports a temporary setup reminder. The direct APK version can request permission to open Android's installer for an update you choose; the Play version uses Google Play. These permissions do not give Forcus access to your contacts, camera, microphone, precise location or SMS.
Focus Shield on Windows and in your browser
Windows blocking checks open app/process information and window titles locally against your selected app, folder and keyword rules. Folder Blocking uses the paths you choose. The paired browser extension checks tab titles, hostnames, session tab identities and supported social page structure to apply website, keyword, tab and in-site rules. It sends a bounded current tab list to Forcus through a paired connection on this computer. The extension stores its pairing key and connection state locally, and session tab identities in browser session storage.
Forcus does not send this live window/tab inventory or inspected page structure to its cloud service. Website, keyword and social rules you choose, and selected platform app identifiers, can sync. OS permissions, native folder paths and individual tab selections do not sync. Browser and operating system permissions can be revoked through their own settings.
Service providers and network information
Forcus uses Google Firebase Authentication, Cloud Firestore, Cloud Functions, Cloud Messaging, Hosting and Cloud Storage for sign-in, optional sync, background updates, account deletion and app distribution. Cloud data is processed by Google; the configured Firestore database and functions are in asia-east1, while other Google services can process data elsewhere. This is not a promise that all information stays in one country.
Connecting to hosted pages, sign-in, sync or update services exposes normal connection information, such as IP address, request time, browser/app information and error/status information, to the service provider. Forcus uses short-lived login challenges and hashed rate-limit identifiers to protect sign-in and account operations. Cloud infrastructure can retain security and operational logs. Update checks/downloads can contact Firebase/Google Cloud, GitHub or Google Play depending on the build and distribution channel. The current private update feed requires an authorized signed-in account.
The current app has no advertising SDK, active Firebase Analytics integration or developer-run behavioral analytics. Forcus does not sell your personal information. Information is used to run these features, protect the service, handle support requests and meet applicable legal obligations, not to build advertising profiles. Authorized developer access to the Firebase project is possible for operation and support; sync is not end-to-end encrypted. Google describes its handling at https://firebase.google.com/support/privacy and https://policies.google.com/privacy.
Website preview
The marketing website preview stores your theme choice in your browser. Its timer and pet demo run locally in that tab. The preview has no functioning payment checkout or task/account sync; its sign-in and policy links lead to the separate hosted account pages. Hosting the preview online would still expose ordinary connection information to its hosting provider.
Retention and account deletion
Local data stays until you remove it, replace it through Restore backup or remove the app's saved data. Uninstalling can leave desktop data and exported files behind. Cloud account data is retained until deleted; deleting a task removes its content but can leave an empty deletion marker to prevent an older device restoring it. Signing out or uninstalling does not delete the Forcus account.
Use Account → Account settings → Delete Account, or the Forcus account deletion page, to delete the Forcus sign-in account, synced tasks and notes, session history, shared settings and timer state, blocking rules and registered device/push-token records. A recent Google verification and internet connection are required. Deletion cannot be undone. It does not delete your Google account, erase local copies on any device, remove exported backups or cancel purchases managed by a store. Signing in again creates a new Forcus account; enabling sync again can upload your retained local data.
Short-lived login grants expire after five minutes and rate-limit records after about an hour. A hashed deletion guard is retained for about an hour to prevent requests already in flight from restoring deleted records. These records use automatic cleanup, which can run later than their expiry. Forcus does not intentionally retain deleted synced content in its live account database. Provider security logs and backup systems may retain information under Google's service retention practices; deletion from all provider backups is not instantaneous. Support correspondence is separate from the app account and is kept while needed to handle the request or legal obligations.
Your choices and requests
You can edit tasks and rules, export a local backup or session CSV, turn sync off, sign out, revoke permissions or delete your account. Contact us for access, correction, deletion or other privacy requests available under the law where you live. We may need to verify that you own the account. Do not send your Google password, payment card details or private signing credentials.
Forcus is not designed as a service directed to children. A parent or guardian who believes a child provided personal information can contact us to request its removal. Security measures include encrypted network connections, account-scoped database access and validated server writes; no system can guarantee absolute security. If our practices change, we will update this policy and provide additional notice or consent where required.