BusyBlock 1.0.1

BusyBlock hides the apps and blocks the websites that distract you, for exactly as long as your BUSY Bar timer runs.

Install

1. Download BusyBlock-1.0.1.dmg below and drag BusyBlock to Applications.
2. Open it. The welcome tour asks for local network access and finds your bar.
3. Turn on the browser extension:
   • Safari: it ships inside the app. Safari → Settings → Extensions → tick BusyBlock → allow it on every website.
   • Chrome, Arc, Brave, Edge: until the Chrome Web Store listing is live, unzip BusyBlock-chrome-1.0.1.zip, open chrome://extensions, turn on Developer mode, choose Load unpacked and pick the unzipped folder. Chrome will remind you about developer mode on launch; the extension itself stays installed and works.

Needs macOS 13 or newer and a BUSY Bar on the same network or plugged in over USB.

New in 1.0.1

• BusyBlock updates itself now: it checks once a day, shows what changed and installs the new version in one click. There is a switch in Settings.
• The welcome tour links straight to the Chrome and Firefox extension pages.

What it does

• Hides the apps on your list while the timer runs, and lets them back when it stops. Hidden, never quit.
• Blocks the websites on your list. The block page mirrors the bar's own screen, live.
• Finds the bar by itself over USB, busybar.local and Bonjour.
• Follows the bar's phases: work blocks, rest opens up, pause opens everything.
• Shows the countdown the way the bar does, optionally in the menu bar.
• Signed with Developer ID and notarized by Apple.

Checksums are in SHA256SUMS.txt.

BusyBlock is free and open source under GPL-3.0. If it buys you back an hour, buy me a coffee.

BusyBlock is an unofficial project, not affiliated with or endorsed by Flipper Devices. "BUSY Bar" is their trademark.

BusyBlock 1.0

First public release. Superseded by 1.0.1, which adds automatic updates.