Every 20 minutes,
rest your eyes.
Refocus is a Mac menu bar app that tells you when it is time to rest your eyes, at the interval you choose. It gives you cues to keep up the 20-20-20 rule: every 20 minutes, look at something 20 feet (about 6 m) away for 20 seconds.
- Version 1.03
- 1.24 MB
- Notarized by Apple
- macOS 12 or later
- Apple silicon & Intel Mac
The shape of the iris shows the time left, too.
Before you download
Whether it runs on your Mac, what it needs, and what it connects to.
The app starts in English. You can switch it to Japanese.
- Price
- FreeNo ads, no account, no paid version
- Requirements
- macOS 12 or later / Apple silicon & Intel MacOne universal app for both. Only “Launch at Login” needs macOS 13 or later
- App interface
- English and JapaneseEnglish by default. You can switch to Japanese under “Language” in the menu
- Permissions
- No special permissionsIt does not ask for Screen Recording, Accessibility or Input Monitoring
- Connects to
- k386.sub.jp onlyOnly to check for and download updates. No usage data is sent (details)
- Where data is stored
- On this Mac onlyOnly your settings and a copy of the image you chose for the break screen
- Latest version
- 1.03 (September 13, 2026)Release notes
Who it is for
You look at the screen for hours without noticing
When you are focused, you forget to take breaks. You want the screen to give you a cue when it is time.
You don’t want to be cut off mid-sentence
You want breaks, but not a screen that suddenly covers your work. A one-minute warning lets you reach a stopping point.
You want the count to restart after you step away
Coming back with a cup of tea only to be told “break time” is annoying. Time away should count as a break.
Features
Every setting is in the menu that opens when you click the eye mark in the menu bar. There is no separate settings window.
Time left, shown by the iris and a number
The menu bar shows an eye mark and the time left (for example “14 min”). As the break approaches, the iris inside the eye wanes from the top in five steps. In the final minute only the outline remains.
- over 15 min
- 10–15 min
- 5–10 min
- 1–5 min
- 1 min or less
A countdown one minute before the break
With one minute left, a small window at the top of the screen counts down the seconds. Hover over it to choose “Break now” or “Skip”. You can turn the countdown off in the menu.
A full-screen break when time is up
A break screen appears on every connected display, with the seconds remaining and a prompt to look about 20 feet away. Press Esc or “Cancel Break” to close it at any time.
Choose a break interval of 20, 30, 45 or 60 minutes and a break length of 10, 20, 30 or 60 seconds.
Stops counting when you step away
Turn on “Pause Timer When Away” and the countdown stops when there has been no keyboard or mouse input for the time you choose (1, 2, 5 or 10 minutes). If you were away for 5 minutes or more, it starts over when you return. After a shorter absence, it asks whether to continue or reset.
This feature is off by default.
Pause during meetings and presentations
Stop the timer for 10 minutes, 30 minutes, 1 hour or 2 hours. It resumes on its own afterwards, and “Resume Timer” brings it back at any time.
Your own image behind the break screen
Choose a photo or other image to show behind the break screen. “Preview Lock Screen” shows how it looks without changing the timer.
What it doesn’t do
It does not promise to treat or prevent eye strain. The 20-20-20 rule is one well-known habit for resting your eyes. If eye discomfort continues, please see an eye doctor or other medical professional.
- The break screen is shown by Refocus; it is not the macOS lock screen. You can close it with Esc at any time, so it does not force you to take a break.
- There is no history or statistics of your breaks.
- There is one interval and one break length (no second, longer break such as “every hour”).
- “Launch at Login” works only on macOS 13 or later. On macOS 12 this item cannot be selected.
- Mac only. There is no iPhone, iPad or Windows version.
How it works
-
Download and move it to Applications
Open the DMG and drag Refocus into the Applications folder.
-
Launch it and it starts counting in the menu bar
There is no Dock icon. The eye mark and the time left appear in the menu bar at the top of the screen, and the countdown starts right away.
-
When time is up, look into the distance
After the one-minute countdown, the break screen appears. It closes on its own when the break ends, and the next countdown begins.
Network and data
The break timer works without an internet connection. The app connects to the network in only these 2 cases.
MidoriIt only connects to check for and download updates.
| When | Where | What is sent or received | Can you turn it off? |
|---|---|---|---|
| About 3 seconds after launch, and when you choose “Check for Updates…” in the menu | k386.sub.jp (latest version info) | It only receives the latest version number, release date and notes. The app sends no usage data or settings. | The check at launch cannot be turned off |
| When you press “Update Now” in the update window | k386.sub.jp (DMG file) | It only receives the new DMG. | Nothing is downloaded unless you press it |
As with any web access, your IP address and similar details may appear in the distribution server’s access log.
Stored on this Mac
- Settings (break interval and length, language and so on)
~/Library/Preferences/com.duca.Refocus.plist - A copy of the image you chose for the break screen
~/Library/Application Support/LockScreenBackground/
Never recorded or sent
- What is on your screen, or what you type
- Usage data (telemetry) or crash reports
- Personal details such as your name or email address
How it works in detail
Detecting that you are away: every 5 seconds it reads the number of seconds since your last keyboard or mouse input, which macOS already keeps. It never reads what you type, so no Input Monitoring permission is needed.
In-app updates: the downloaded DMG is replaced only after its SHA-256 (a kind of fingerprint of the file) matches the published value. If it doesn’t match, nothing is updated.
Development address: if the latest version info cannot be fetched from k386.sub.jp, the app also asks an address on the same Mac (localhost), a leftover development setting. This request never leaves your Mac.
FAQ
Why is it free?
I built it for my own work and want other Mac users to be able to use it too. There are no ads and no upsell to a paid version.
Will it help with eye strain?
Refocus is a timer that reminds you to take breaks; it is not a medical device. Nothing on this site or in the app is medical advice. It uses the 20-20-20 rule as one well-known habit for resting your eyes, but it does not promise any effect. If eye discomfort continues, please see an eye doctor or other medical professional.
Can I use the app in Japanese?
Yes. The app starts in English. Click the eye mark in the menu bar and choose “日本語” under “Language” to switch the menu, prompts, notifications and help to Japanese. Your choice is remembered.
Does it work on an Intel Mac?
Yes. One app supports both Apple silicon and Intel Mac. It needs macOS 12 or later.
Can I stop it during meetings or presentations?
Use “Skip For” in the menu to choose 10 minutes, 30 minutes, 1 hour or 2 hours. To come back early, choose “Resume Timer”.
How do I update?
At launch it checks for a newer version and, if there is one, shows the update window. Press “Update Now” and it downloads, checks, replaces and relaunches the app. You can also use “Check for Updates…” in the menu, or download the new DMG from this site and reinstall.
How do I uninstall it?
Choose “Quit” in the menu, then move Refocus from the Applications folder to the Trash. To remove its settings as well, see Uninstalling.
I can’t find the app window
Refocus lives only in the menu bar and has no Dock icon. Look for the eye mark and the time left on the right side of the menu bar at the top of the screen.
Try Refocus
Free and notarized by Apple. Runs on macOS 12 or later, on Apple silicon and Intel Mac.
Trademarks
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- K386 and Refocus are not affiliated with, endorsed or sponsored by any of the companies above.