One thing at a time
A long list is easy to open and hard to start. Focus mode asks you to choose a single item that has steps, then keeps that checklist visible outside the app. You can set a timer of 25, 45, 60 or 90 minutes, a custom length, or none at all.
On iPhone: Lock Screen and Dynamic Island
Focus uses a Live Activity. On the Lock Screen it shows the item, how many steps are done and the next step. On iPhones with a Dynamic Island it appears there too, in its compact and expanded forms. The countdown is drawn by iOS itself, and the card follows your Nodus theme. On iOS 17 and later you can tick a step straight from the Lock Screen without opening the app. Live Activities need iOS 16.2 or later.
On Android: a pinned notification
On Android, Focus is a pinned notification with the countdown, the next steps, a progress bar and a Done button for the current step. On Android 16, where Live Updates are supported, it can appear as a status-bar chip. It is an ordinary notification, so Nodus does not need the “display over other apps” permission.
Across your devices
Focus syncs through your account. Signed in, start it on your phone and the session also shows in Nodus on the web at app.trynodus.com, and a step you tick on one device is updated on the others. The same goes for the items themselves: finish a step from the Lock Screen and it is done in the app.
Where the steps come from
Steps are the ones Nodus wrote when you spoke the task, plus anything you added. A renewal such as the SARS return has its own steps, so you can focus on it the same way. Ask Siri, “what’s my focus in Nodus”, and it tells you where you are.
Good to know
Focus needs Nodus 1.0.7 or later. One item is in focus at a time; starting another replaces the first. Which plan includes Focus can change, so check the app for the current position.
Questions people ask
What is Focus mode in Nodus?
It keeps one item and its steps visible outside the app, with an optional timer, so you can tick off steps one at a time. On iPhone it appears on the Lock Screen and in the Dynamic Island; on Android it is a pinned notification.
Does Nodus show to-dos on the iPhone Lock Screen?
Yes, in Focus mode. It uses an iOS Live Activity, which needs iOS 16.2 or later. Ticking steps from the Lock Screen needs iOS 17 or later.
Does the Android version need “display over other apps”?
No. It is a normal pinned notification, so no overlay permission is required.
Can I focus on more than one item?
No. One item is in focus at a time, and starting a new one replaces the old one.
Does Focus sync to my other devices?
Yes, when you are signed in. Focus syncs through your account, so a session started on your phone also shows on the web app, and ticked steps stay in step.