Focus Mode#
Focus mode helps you concentrate on what you're writing by reducing visual distractions. FoldNotes offers three focus features that can be combined.
See also: Zen Mode
Focus Mode dims everything except your current line or sentence. Zen Mode (macOS) is the complementary switch — it mutes the Markdown syntax and hides the interface for a calm, distraction-free page. The two compose: run Focus inside a Zen window for the deepest writing view.
Typewriter Scrolling#
Keeps the cursor at approximately 38% from the top of the editor. As you type, the document scrolls to keep your active line in a comfortable reading position, like a typewriter.
Paragraph Focus#
Dims all paragraphs except the one containing your cursor. The focused paragraph appears at full brightness while surrounding text fades to a muted colour.
As you move your cursor, the focus follows. This helps you concentrate on the paragraph you're currently editing.
Sentence Focus#
Similar to paragraph focus, but narrows to the current sentence. Only the sentence containing your cursor appears at full brightness.
Sentence boundaries are detected using natural language processing, with newlines treated as sentence boundaries.
Combining Modes#
You can enable any combination:
- Typewriter + Paragraph: Your current paragraph stays centred and highlighted
- Typewriter + Sentence: Your current sentence stays centred and highlighted
- All three: Maximum focus — sentence highlighted, paragraph context visible, cursor centred
How to Enable#
macOS — Use the Edit menu or keyboard shortcuts:
| Shortcut | Mode |
|---|---|
| Ctrl+Cmd+T | Typewriter Scrolling |
| Ctrl+Cmd+P | Paragraph Focus |
| Ctrl+Cmd+S | Sentence Focus |
iOS — Tap the ellipsis menu (...) in the editor toolbar to find focus mode toggles. With a hardware keyboard the same shortcuts work on iPad, except Sentence Focus, which is Cmd+Shift+S on iPad (Ctrl+Cmd+S is the system's Show Sidebar shortcut there).
Per-Window (macOS)#
Focus modes are per-window. If you have the same note open in two windows, each window can have different focus settings. This is useful for editing in one window while reviewing in another.
Parts of Speech Interaction#
Focus mode works alongside Parts of Speech highlighting. When both are active, POS colours appear on the focused text while unfocused text remains dimmed.