Focus Mode shows you one task at a time with everything else removed from the screen. Press Tab from the Calendar view to enter it. Aftertone takes you directly to the task scheduled for the current time block.

What you see in Focus Mode

The task title and the time block duration. Press A to open a mini actions menu with quick access to all shortcuts without leaving the screen. The background blurs until the task is complete.

Google Calendar updates automatically

As you work through tasks in Focus Mode, your Google Calendar updates in real time. If you extend a session, the block grows. Anyone looking at your calendar sees an accurate picture of your day without you doing anything manually.

Completing a task and moving to the next

When you finish a task, click Complete or press Enter. Aftertone marks it as done and immediately surfaces the next most relevant task from your schedule. If you complete your scheduled tasks early, Aftertone pulls from your inbox and Today view. Read Moving Through Tasks to understand exactly how this sequencing works.

Leaving and re-entering Focus Mode

Press Escape or click the back arrow to return to the Calendar view — useful if something urgent comes in that you need to reschedule, or if you want to check what is coming up later. Press Tab to go back in. Re-entering picks up exactly where you left off.

Auto-Extend

Press Command A to toggle Auto-Extend on. When enabled, Aftertone automatically extends your session in 15-minute increments rather than stopping the timer when the block ends. Toggle it off the same way when you want the timer to stop at the block boundary.

Taking a break

Press B at any point while working to add a break. You can do this mid-task without losing your place. Aftertone adds the break to your calendar and returns you to the task when it ends.

Overdue tasks

If a task runs past its scheduled time block, it will show an overdue tag on the Focus Screen. You can respond directly from that screen — choose to auto-extend the session, mark the task complete, or add more time manually. You do not need to go back to the planning view to resolve it.

👉 Try it now — Press Tab right now. Work through one task in Focus Mode without leaving the screen. That single session will tell you more about how Aftertone works than anything else in this article.