Windows 11 has been available for nearly two years now, and it brought with it a lot of new features and apps with new capabilities to make Windows better than ever. That continues to happen with new updates likeWindows 11 version 23H2, but the original release was arguably the most impactful, and a big part of it was the new Clock app with Focus sessions.

Focus sessions, as the name suggests, are designed to help the user focus on the task at hand. They provide a countdown timer and additional tools to help users stay focused in shorter bursts, while including break times to help break the monotony. If you're not sure how to use this feature, though, we're here to help with that.

How to set up focus sessions

When you first launch the Clock app on Windows 11, it opens right into theFocus sessions tab, and it's going to look somewhat like this:

There are four elements here. The first block is the timer for your focus session, and by default, it's set to 30 minutes. You can use theup anddown arrows to change the length of the focus session, and the app will automatically add breaks. However, you can clickSkip breaks if you don't want them, then clickStart focus session to start the timer. You can also minimize the timer to a small floating window that's always visible, so you don't have to switch apps to see how it's going.

Next to the timer for your focus session, you get a box for your daily progress. You can set goals for how long you want to focus each day, and the app will keep track of how often you achieve that goal. You can change your daily target by clicking the pencil icon in the upper right corner of this block. You can also set when the timer resets for measuring your daily progress, so if you work past midnight, you can still count focus sessions as part of the same day. Finally, you can also choose to include weekends in your progress streaks if you usually work on weekends as well.

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At its core, this is a very straightforward feature. Just start the timer and start working. You can change settings for breaks and focus periods in the app's settings, but we'll get to that in a bit. For now, there are a couple more blocks to explore on this screen.

Starting a focus session from the notification center (Windows 11 2022 Update and newer)

With the Windows 11 2022 Update, or version 22H2, Microsoft integrated Focus sessions more deeply into the operating system. Now, you can start a focus session from the notification center. To do this:

1. Click the clock/calendar area on the taskbar or pressWindows + N to open the notification center
2. Use the- (minus) and+ (plus) buttons to set the length of the focus session.
   
3. ClickFocus.

The focus session will begin and the Clock app will launch into the timer.

How to start a focus session through Widgets

In a recent update to the Clock app, it's also become possible to create a Focus session widget in the Widgets board on Windows 11. To do this, you'll need to follow these steps:

1. Move your mouse over the Widgets icon on the taskbar or pressWindows + W to open the Widgets panel.
2. Click the+ (plus) button next toWidgets.
   
3. ChooseFocus session from the list of available widgets.
4. ClickPin.
   
5. Find the Focus session widget on your board (you may need to scroll down).
6. Use theup anddown arrows next to the time to adjust the length of the focus session.
   
7. Click theplay button to start the focus session.

This will similarly start a focus session and launch the Clock app.

Microsoft To Do and Spotify integration

There's a bit more to Focus sessions than just a timer that keeps track of your goals. It's meant to bring the tools you need to focus into a single screen, so you don't have to constantly change contexts. That's why there are two big integrations here — Microsoft To Do and Spotify.

Microsoft To Do

Microsoft To Do is the company's task management/to-do list app. By having it integrated into Focus sessions, you can look at your upcoming tasks and choose the ones you want to focus on during a focus session. You can choose just one or multiple ones, and you can mark them as completed within Focus sessions, too. It will depend on what kind of person you are, but if you find it satisfying to check things off a list, this can give you some extra motivation.

This feature requires you to sign into the app with a Microsoft account, but there's a good chance you're already using one for Windows 11 anyway. You'll see a sign-in button near the bottom left corner of the app window, and you can choose your Windows 11 account or a separate one. This allows you to access to-do lists you've already created and sync your progress across devices.

Spotify

Then there's Spotify integration, and this is also a neat addition. Music can often help us stay focused, drowning out background noise. With Spotify integration, Focus sessions give you a handful of music types to listen to during your session. Keep in mind you'll need the Spotify app installed for this to work, and if you don't have it yet, you'll see a link to download itfrom the Microsoft Store. You also need to be signed in to the Spotify app.

Once that's done, you can use the Focus sessions window to choose from white noise, lo-fi beats, smooth jazz, and more to play in the background while you work. These are all abstract types of music, meant to help you focus rather than distract you. However, you can go in the Spotify app and play anything else you want to.

Focus sessions settings

If you want to tweak your experience a bit further, you can head into the Clock app's settings to change certain aspects. ClickSettings in the bottom left corner of the app window, and you'll see a bunch of options, mostly related to focus sessions.

Here, you can configure these options:

• Focus periods: Set the length of focus and break periods during a focus session
• End of session sound: Set whether a sound should play at the end of a focus session and what it should be.
• End of break sound: Set whether a sound should play at the end of a break period and what it should be.
• Spotify: See settings for your Spotify account and whether you want music to start playing automatically when a focus session starts. You can also disable Spotify entirely.

Outside of focus sessions specifically, you can choose your app's theme on this page, and delete your personal data from your device.

Additional focus settings (Windows 11 2022 Update and newer)

In the Windows 11 2022 Update, Microsoft has also added a page to the Settings app, which is dedicated to the Focus sessions feature. Here, you'll find a few options. You can choose to automatically enable Do not disturb when you start a focus session, choose whether you want to disable taskbar flashing (when an app is highlighted in orange when you receive a notification), and hide notification badges for apps on the taskbar.

You can also start a focus session directly from this page, giving you yet another method to do this.

Other features in the Clock app

Aside from Focus sessions, the Clock app in Windows 11 is almost identical to the one on Windows 11. You can set alarms, timers, use a stopwatch, or see a world clock highlighting cities of your choice. However, there are some noteworthy changes compared to Windows 10, specifically in terms of UI design. You'll see new icons throughout the app, rounded corners, and other small UI tweaks. The blocks for each alarm in the Alarms section are now wider, and the time picker when setting a timer has a slightly different look, among other changes.

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The most notable change, however, is that timers and the stopwatch can now be set to be small floating windows, just like focus sessions. That means you can see them over anything else you're doing, without having to accommodate for a large window or snapping apps side by side.

And that's all there is to the new Clock app with Focus sessions. This is one of the many big features Microsoft added to Windows 11 that help users be more productive on their PC, which has become increasingly important in the age of hybrid and remote work. Of course, we're going to be diving into other new features in Windows 11, so stay tuned for more guides like this.

Have yet to upgrade to Windows 11? Make sure your PC meets thesystem requirements, or check out our list of all thePCs that will support the Windows 11 upgrade. If your PC isn't compatible, it's a good time to buy a new laptop, as there are some fantastic options out there running Windows 11 out of the box.