What is Desktop App Blocking?
Desktop App Blocking is a feature in Freedom that allows you to hide or quit specific desktop applications during a Freedom session. When enabled, you can block access to:
Email clients
Games
Music streaming apps
Editing software
Word processors
Any other selected desktop apps
This helps minimize distractions by preventing access to specified apps while a Freedom session is active.
How to use Desktop App Blocking on Mac
To enable and configure desktop app blocking on a Mac:
Step 1: Open Blocked Apps Manager
Click the Freedom icon in your menu bar.
Select Manage Blocked Desktop Apps from the dropdown menu.
Step 2: Select Apps to Block
A window will appear listing applications installed on your device.
Click to select each app you want to block.
Click Save once you’ve selected your desired apps.
Step 3: Add to a Freedom Session
Visit your Freedom dashboard.
Under the section labeled Block These Distractions, ensure Desktop Apps is selected.
Start your session. The selected apps will be blocked when this blocklist is active.
Quick Recap: Blocking Apps on Mac
To block desktop apps using Freedom on macOS:
Select apps to block via the Freedom desktop app menu.
Add “Desktop Apps” to your Freedom session blocklist.
Start your session — the selected apps will be blocked automatically.
App Blocking Behavior: Hiding vs. Quitting
By default, Freedom hides blocked desktop apps on Mac rather than quitting them. However, you can choose to force-quit apps if needed:
To Quit (Kill) Blocked Apps Instead of Hiding Them
Open the Freedom desktop app menu.
Navigate to Options.
Select Kill Blocked Apps.
⚠️ Warning: Enabling this option can result in loss of unsaved work. Make sure to save any progress before starting a session with this setting enabled.
Important Notes:
App selections are device-specific. Apps you block on one device will not automatically be blocked on another.
You cannot remove apps from your blocklist during an active session if:
Desktop Apps are being blocked.
Locked Mode is enabled.(Freedom menu → Options → Enable Locked Mode)
Blocking Progressive Web Apps (PWAs)
Some browsers allow users to create Progressive Web Apps (PWAs), which behave like desktop applications but are essentially websites running in a window.
Because of their nature, PWAs may bypass desktop app blocking. To effectively block these:
How to Block PWAs
Enable Proxy Mode:
Go to the Freedom menu.
Make sure "non-proxy mode" and "website exceptions" are turned off.
Add the Website to Your Blocklist:
Include the web app’s source website in your blocklist (e.g., reddit.com to block the Reddit web app)
(Optional) Block the Browser:
Add the browser used to open the PWA to your blocked desktop apps.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I have more than one list of blocked desktop apps?
No. Currently, Freedom only supports a single list of blocked desktop apps. This list will be used whenever "Desktop Apps" is included in your session.
What do I do if I can't find an app in the window that appears to select apps?
If the app doesn't appear in the list:
Open the app manually on your computer.
It will then show up in the selection window.
You can now add it to your blocklist.
Download Freedom for Mac
Having trouble?
If you're having any difficulty, please feel free to contact us. We're happy to help!