Rules
How to set daily time limits for websites
How to allow only approved websites
How to block or limit access to apps
How to Block Websites
With HT Work Focus, you can block specific websites, keywords, and entire categories of websites to reduce distractions and keep users focused. Whether you’re managing employee productivity or ensuring a safe browsing environment, website blocking gives you full control over which content is accessible.
- Click Rules → Website Limits.
- Select Block for any unwanted web categories (like Adult or Gambling).
- In the Custom List, click Add Site, enter the website or keyword, and set it to Block.
- Blocked items will be completely inaccessible.
How to Set Daily Time Limits for Websites
With HT Work Focus, you can restrict how much time users spend on distracting or non-work-related websites. Instead of completely blocking access, you can set daily limits to allow short breaks without compromising productivity. It's a great way to encourage healthier screen habits and help your team stay focused throughout the day.
- Go to the Rules → Website Limits.
- Select Limit for non-work categories (like YouTube or Social Media).
- In the Custom List, add specific websites/keywords and set them to Limit.
- Set daily time limits or create a custom schedule. Time limits apply to all limited items together, not separately.
Block: Access is completely denied at all times.
Limit: Access time is capped per day. The daily quota is shared across all items marked as Limit.
Block and Allow Lists
Use the Website Blocking tab to block certain websites or keywords. If something gets blocked by mistake, you can easily restore access using the allowlist.
- Go to Rules → Website Blocking.
- Blocklist
Add websites or keywords to the Blocklist to block them completely.
Example: Adding _streaming_ will block any site with the word “streaming” in the URL or title.
Tip: Use underscores for exact matches to prevent overblocking. For example, _keyword_ will only block pages where “keyword” stands alone. Without underscores, all pages containing any part of the word (e.g., xxxKeywordxxx) may also be blocked. - Allowlist:
Use the Allowlist to prevent overblocking. If a website you don’t intend to block gets blocked, simply add it here to restore access.
Example: If you block *chat*, it might also block chatgpt.com. To allow it, add chatgpt.com to the Allowlist. - For information on using Allowlist Mode, see the next section.
You can block unsupported browsers, click Rules → App Limits, and select Block for Unsupported Browsers.
How to Allow Only Approved Websites (Whitelist)
HT Work Focus lets you block access to the entire web and allow only specific, trusted websites. This powerful feature is ideal for strict environments like exam rooms, kiosks, or focused work sessions where distractions must be eliminated. By creating a whitelist, you ensure that users can access only the sites you’ve approved — nothing more.
- Go to Rules → Website Blocking.
- Add the exact URL or keyword you want to allow to the Allowlist.
- Check the box Allow access only to the websites above.
– Do not include extra characters like slashes, "www", or symbols that aren’t part of the real web address.
– The safest way is to open the website in your browser, copy the full address from the address bar, and paste it directly into HT Work Focus.
How to Block or Limit Access to Apps
HT Work Focus offers a powerful feature that lets you block or limit specific applications — including games, messengers, media players, and any other non-work software — helping you create a focused, distraction-free environment.
- Go to Rules → App Blocking.
- Select Block or Limit for the desired app category.
- Add specific apps to the Custom list and set their status.
- If the app is missing, click Browse to select its EXE file.
- For Limited apps, configure time restrictions and a schedule.
Block: Access is completely denied at all times.
Limit: Access time is capped per day. The daily quota is shared across all items marked as Limit.
Alternative method: Block apps directly from the Reports tab — see next section.
Block or Limit Apps and Websites Directly from Reports
With HT Work Focus, you can block or limit distracting apps and websites directly from the Reports tab. This allows you to take quick action based on real-time usage, without navigating away.
- Open the Reports tab and go to Applications or Websites.
- If you notice a distracting app or website in the report, you can block or limit it directly from here.
- Click the app or website to select it, then choose Block or Limit at the bottom.
Set a Filtering Schedule
Choose exactly when monitoring and filtering are active. For instance, keep both on during work hours but disable them during lunch breaks or after work for privacy. You can also turn off only blocking and leave monitoring enabled, or vice versa.
- Go to Settings → General Settings.
- In the Schedule section, select the mode:
- Monitoring & Filtering
- Monitoring Only
- Filtering Only
- Click Set Schedule.
- In the Schedule window, select the days and hours when monitoring or rules should apply. Green means blocking is on; Red means it is off.
- Click OK to save your changes.
