Focus Session Blocking Isn't Working
Focus Session blocking problems usually fall into one of these categories: blocking that won't stop after a session, no blocking during a session, or a specific activity that isn't blocked when it should be.
Find solutions for these problems below.
Sites are still blocked after a session ends
If distracting sites are still blocked after your Focus Session has ended, RescueTime has most likely gotten into a stuck state. Force-quitting and restarting the app clears it.
Windows
Press Ctrl + Alt + Delete and choose Task Manager, or right-click the taskbar and select Task Manager.
Find RescueTime in the list and click End Task.
Reopen RescueTime from the Start menu.
macOS
Open Activity Monitor (Applications → Utilities → Activity Monitor).
Find RescueTime in the list, select it, and click the X button at the top of the window to force quit.
Reopen RescueTime from Launchpad or your Applications folder.
Sites aren't being blocked during a session
If you start a Focus Session but distracting activities aren't being blocked, the most common cause on macOS is missing permissions. RescueTime needs accessibility enabled to block websites.
To fix this, go to System Settings → Privacy & Security → Accessibility and make sure RescueTime is enabled. See Enabling Accessibility and Automation Permissions on macOS for step-by-step instructions.
Firefox on macOS requires the browser extension. The desktop app alone cannot block sites in Firefox. Install the RescueTime Firefox extension to enable blocking in that browser.
A specific site isn't being blocked
RescueTime only blocks sites that are rated Distracting and that you've visited in the last three months. If a site you expect to be blocked is slipping through, check the following:
Check the site's productivity rating
Open your Activities page and find the site. You may need to adjust the date range to look further back. If it's rated anything other than Distracting, it won't be blocked. Change the rating to fix it.
The site doesn't appear in your history
If the site isn't in your Activities report at all, RescueTime hasn't seen it recently. Visit the site once outside of a Focus Session, and it will be picked up and blocked in your next session.