1. Start with the exact destinations that actually derail you
Do not begin with a giant wish list. Start with the sites you reopen on autopilot and name the real domains involved. FocusForge matches saved domains and their subdomains in supported browsers.
- Use the websites flow for browser-based distractions, not as a substitute for app blocking.
- Begin with the highest-cost domains first instead of trying to model the whole internet in one pass.
- Keep the list maintainable so you can tell what each rule is protecting you from.
2. Test in a supported browser
When a block does not trigger, the first question is not whether the idea is right. The first question is whether the test happened in a supported browser and whether the saved rule matched the real destination.
- FocusForge supports website blocking in Chrome, Edge, Samsung Internet, Firefox, Brave, DuckDuckGo, Opera, and Opera Mini.
- If you switch browsers, re-test the same saved domain before assuming the rule is wrong.
- Use one clean test domain at a time when verifying setup.
3. Use diagnostics before you expand the rule set
Diagnostics exist so you can confirm the app is seeing the domain you expect. That matters more than adding fifty more rules when the first five are still unverified.
- Run a recent-browser check after saving the rule.
- Visit the saved destination and confirm the domain FocusForge saw matches the rule you intended.
- Repeat that check after browser updates or when switching between browsers.
4. Layer presets when the pattern is recurring
Presets are for repeated situations. They are not magic. Use them when the time window and the target category stay stable enough to deserve a saved policy.
- Use work or school presets for repeatable daytime guardrails.
- Use Adult Content Shield when you want a faster starting point without hand-maintaining a large sensitive list yourself.
- Keep SafeSearch or Restricted Mode enabled inside Google, Bing, DuckDuckGo, and YouTube because website blocking remains domain-based.
Feature note: self-managed Adult Content Shield and saved website presets start at Apprentice. Family-managed child devices can receive Adult Content Shield through Journeyman Family, Journeyman Complete, or Master Smith.