Your focus data stays on your PC.

FocusFlow is a desktop productivity app for Windows that enforces focus sessions by blocking distracting applications and locking your desktop. This policy explains what the app stores, what system access it uses, and how your data is handled.

Last updated: October 2026 · Applies to: FocusFlow — Deep Focus App Blocker for Windows (Desktop) v2.0.0+

This Privacy Policy may be updated at any time without prior notice. Continued use of the app after any change constitutes your acceptance of the updated policy. The latest version is always available at this URL.

    Short version: FocusFlow stores your tasks, notes, habits, and session history on your PC by default. No account is needed, and normal use does not require internet access. If you choose a secondary backup folder on another drive or network location, verified database snapshots are copied there. Crash and critical-error diagnostics are off until you explicitly opt in in Settings → Privacy. If enabled, FocusFlow sends a bounded technical report through Discord to the FocusFlow developers. Reports can contain error/cause details, source, app/OS/Java information, and an error fingerprint. Discord receives your IP address and connection metadata. Error text may contain local paths or other context; FocusFlow redacts your current username, home path, and computer name before sending, but cannot guarantee every identifier is removed. If you choose "Report an Issue" in the rating dialog, the message you enter (up to 4,000 characters) and app version are sent separately. FocusFlow does not intentionally attach local tasks, notes, or other app data to either report.
  

Local-only storage

FocusFlow stores all data locally on your Windows PC in a SQLite database file at %USERPROFILE%\.focusflow\focusflow.db. This includes:

Tasks, schedules, and recurring task rules
Focus session history, durations, and notes
Focus Launcher session configuration (kiosk mode settings, PIN hash, break preferences)
App block rules, keyword blockers, and block schedules
Daily allowance settings and usage logs
Habit tracking data and streaks
Daily notes and app settings
Temptation log (which blocked apps were attempted and when)

FocusFlow does not transmit this database to a FocusFlow-operated or TBTechs-operated server. If you choose a secondary backup folder on another drive or network location, verified snapshots are copied there; the storage and access practices of that destination depend on how it is configured. Diagnostic and feedback transmissions are described below.

No account system or backend

FocusFlow does not require a user account, email address, or any form of registration. There is no FocusFlow backend service, cloud sync, or remote database. The app operates locally on your device. Internet access is used only when an enabled diagnostic report needs to be sent or when you choose to send feedback from the rating dialog.

Windows system access used

Process enumeration and termination: FocusFlow reads the list of running Windows processes to detect blocked applications during focus sessions or always-on enforcement, and terminates them using Win32 APIs. It does not read process memory, file contents, or private data from other applications.
Win32 API / JNA: Used to detect the foreground window (via SetWinEventHook and GetForegroundWindow), send close signals to blocked application windows, and manage the Windows taskbar state during Focus Launcher kiosk sessions. No keystroke logging, screen recording, or clipboard access is performed.
Focus Launcher (taskbar control): During a Focus Launcher kiosk session, the app hides the Windows taskbar to create a distraction-free desktop. Recovery mechanisms attempt to restore it when the session ends, when the app exits, when the JVM shuts down, through a crash handler, and at the next Windows sign-in. Severe Windows or system failures may still affect recovery. The taskbar state is not stored off-device.
Windows Firewall (optional): When network blocking is enabled for a specific app, FocusFlow adds an outbound block rule via netsh advfirewall. These rules are associated with the app's blocking session and are removed when blocking is disabled. This requires administrator privileges.
Hosts-file blocking (optional): When website blocking is enabled, FocusFlow adds entries to C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc\hosts to block specific domains. This requires administrator privileges. Entries are removed when blocking is disabled.
System tray: Used to display a tray icon and provide quick controls (restore window, toggle blocking, quit) while the app runs in the background.
Windows Registry (optional, opt-in): If the user enables "Start with Windows" in Settings, FocusFlow adds a single entry to HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run. This is an explicit user opt-in and can be removed at any time from the Settings screen.
File system: Used to read and write the local SQLite database, automatic backups, recovery files, and crash logs in %USERPROFILE%\.focusflow\. If you choose a secondary backup folder, FocusFlow also writes its verified backup copies there. Other system access is limited to the hosts file (when website blocking is enabled) and the registry key described above.
Auto-backup: FocusFlow creates periodic rolling backups in %USERPROFILE%\.focusflow\backups\. If you choose a secondary backup folder, verified copies are also stored there. This is a folder you choose, not FocusFlow-hosted cloud backup.

For details about the database, backup retention, restore, and deleting saved copies, see the Database & backups guide.

Opt-in crash diagnostics

Crash and critical-error diagnostics are off by default. FocusFlow sends them only after you explicitly turn on "Send crash diagnostics" in Settings → Privacy. If enabled, a bounded report is sent to the FocusFlow developers through Discord, a third-party service. Discord receives your IP address and connection metadata when the report is sent. Reports are not queued for later delivery.

1 · Crash reports

If diagnostics are enabled and FocusFlow encounters an unhandled crash or critical error, it may send one bounded technical report. The report can contain:

The exception class name and error message (e.g. NullPointerException: cannot read field)
A bounded cause summary and selected stack-trace details
Source information, operating-system name/version/architecture, and Java runtime version
Technical database and system status details needed to diagnose startup failures
The FocusFlow app version number

FocusFlow does not intentionally attach task names, notes, blocked app names, habits, or session history. Before sending, it redacts the current Windows username, home path, and computer name from diagnostic text. Other paths or identifying context may still appear in an underlying error, so the report is not guaranteed to be anonymous. The report includes an error fingerprint for grouping similar errors, not a device fingerprint. Discord receives the sender's IP address and may process connection metadata under its own privacy terms. Reports are discarded if the internet connection is unavailable.

User-submitted feedback

If you choose "Report an Issue" in the rating dialog, the message you enter (up to 4,000 characters) and your FocusFlow app version are sent to the developer through a Discord webhook. Do not include passwords, private information, or anything you do not want to share. Discord may process connection metadata under its own privacy terms.

What FocusFlow does not collect

No location data
No camera or microphone access
No keyboard input, clipboard contents, or screen recordings
No passwords or credentials of any kind
No payment data
FocusFlow does not intentionally add task names, note contents, habit names, blocked app names, or website domains to diagnostic reports
FocusFlow does not add the sender IP as report content; Discord can see the sender IP from the connection. Usernames and home paths are redacted from diagnostics, but other path or error context may remain
No device or hardware identifier is added to the report payload; an error fingerprint is included only to group similar crashes
No content from other applications
No cloud accounts, sync, or remote database — all user data is stored locally

Your control over diagnostic reports

The "Send crash diagnostics" toggle in Settings → Privacy is opt-in and is off unless you explicitly grant consent. Turning it off stops new reports from being sent. The choice is stored locally, independently of the FocusFlow database, and persists across app restarts. Reports are not queued or batched for later sending.

Windows App Package (MSIX) and Microsoft Store

The Microsoft Store version of FocusFlow is distributed as an MSIX package. The app declares the runFullTrust restricted capability, which is required to enumerate and terminate running processes and manage the Windows taskbar and firewall rules for focus enforcement. This capability is not used to collect, transmit, or store any data beyond what is described in this policy.

Microsoft may collect standard Store usage data (installs, updates, crashes) as part of its normal platform telemetry, independent of FocusFlow. This is governed by Microsoft's own privacy policy, not TBTechs'.

Your control

You can uninstall FocusFlow at any time through Windows Settings → Apps. To remove all stored data, delete the %USERPROFILE%\.focusflow\ folder after uninstalling. To remove any Windows Firewall rules added by network blocking, open Windows Defender Firewall → Outbound Rules and delete rules named "FocusFlow - Block [appname]". No task, note, or session data is transmitted to any server.

Children's privacy

FocusFlow is not designed to collect children's personal information. Crash diagnostics remain off unless a user explicitly opts in; when enabled, technical reports are handled as described above and Discord receives connection metadata including the sender's IP address. Parents can leave diagnostics disabled on shared or family devices.

Policy changes

This Privacy Policy may be updated at any time without prior notice. The latest version is always at this URL. We recommend reviewing this page when updating the app. Continued use of FocusFlow after any update constitutes your acceptance of the revised policy.

Open source

The Windows desktop source code is available at github.com/TITANICBHAI/FocusFlow-PC. If the app's data handling changes in a future version, this policy will be updated to reflect it, and the change will be visible in the repository commit history.

Contact

For privacy questions or corrections, open an issue on the FocusFlow GitHub repository.