Stop Doomscrolling. Reclaim Your Focus.
Blocks YouTube Shorts, Instagram Reels, TikTok, and Facebook Reels.
Installation • Features • Configuration • Technical Details
FocusTube is a Manifest V3 browser extension designed to stop doomscrolling in its tracks. Unlike basic element blockers, it uses Session-Aware Logic to handle modern Single Page Applications (SPAs), ensuring that distractions remain blocked even as you navigate, without breaking the rest of the site.
- Strict Mode: Blocks distracting surfaces; redirects or overlays to keep you out.
- Warn Mode: Shows an interstitial; you must click “Watch Anyway” to proceed.
- Passive Mode: No blocking, but hides visual traps (Shorts/Reels tabs) to reduce rabbit holes.
- YouTube: Hide Shorts button and Shorts shelves.
- Instagram: Hide Reels tab, explore, stories, and feed reels (toggleable).
- Facebook: Hide Reels nav link and stories.
- Customizable Timer: Built-in Focus/Break timer with auto-lock of mode switches while active.
- Dashboard: Tracks “Shorts Blocked” and “Time Saved.”
- Microsoft Edge: Download from Edge Add-ons (v2.1.0)
- Firefox Add-ons: Download from Firefox Add-ons (v2.1.0)
- Chrome Web Store: Download from Chrome Web Store (v2.1.0)
- Clone or Download this repository.
- Pick Manifest:
- Chrome/Edge/Brave: Rename
chrome-manifest.jsontomanifest.json. - Firefox: Use the provided
manifest.json.
- Chrome/Edge/Brave: Rename
- Load Extension:
- Chrome/Edge: Go to
chrome://extensions→ Enable Developer Mode (top right) → Click Load unpacked → Select the folder. - Firefox: Go to
about:debugging#/runtime/this-firefox→ Click Load Temporary Add-on... → Select themanifest.jsonfile.
- Chrome/Edge: Go to
Click the extension icon to access the Control Center:
- Master Toggle: Global On/Off (Locked during active Timer).
- Platform Cards: Click to expand and configure modes (Strict/Soft/Passive) for each site.
- Settings (⚙️): Click the gear icon to access the Options Dashboard for timer customization and data management.
- Architecture: Manifest V3 with modular content scripts (Split Architecture).
- Performance: Uses
MutationObserverandrequestAnimationFramefor responsive, low-overhead DOM manipulation. - Compatibility: Cross-browser support for Chromium (Chrome, Edge, Brave) and Gecko (Firefox).
- Privacy: 100% Local. No analytics, no tracking, no external servers.
FocusTube is a privacy-first, open-source project.
- No Data Collection: This extension does not collect, store, transmit, or sell any user data.
- Local Storage: All preferences (timer settings, stats, active modes) are stored locally on your device using the browser's
storage.localAPI. - No Analytics: We do not use Google Analytics or any third-party tracking scripts.
- No External Servers: The extension does not communicate with any external servers.