Extension troubleshooting

Fixes for the common Focus extension problems — not blocking, not tracking, sync issues, crashes, high memory.

Quick answer

Most issues: confirm extension is enabled and signed in, check the active focus mode actually has the rules you expect, reload the page after settings changes. Sync issues: try Sync All on the Instances page first, then sign-out/sign-in.

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Extension issues fall into five buckets. Match your symptom below.

Not blocking sites

In order:

Confirm the extension is enabled. Visit chrome://extensions (or your browser's equivalent). Daybreak Focus should be toggled on.
Confirm you're signed in. Click the extension icon. If the popup shows a sign-in prompt, sign in.
Check the active focus mode. Click the icon → see the active mode. Switch modes if needed. The mode you think is active might not be.
Verify the active mode has the rules you expect. Open the Modes page on the dashboard, click the active mode, see what's actually toggled.
Reload the page after settings changes. Block rules apply on next navigation, not retroactively.
Disable other privacy/ad-blocking extensions temporarily to rule out conflicts.

Not tracking time

Confirm tracking isn't paused. Click the extension icon — if it says "Tracking paused", toggle it on.
Check sign-in. Same as blocking — click the icon, confirm account.
Restart the browser. Close all windows and reopen.
Reinstall the extension. Last resort if the above all fail.

Sync issues

Settings change isn't propagating

Open the Instances page on the dashboard

app.daybreakpath.com → Focus → Instances.

Click 'Sync all' at the top

All connected instances pull the latest settings within seconds.

If still not syncing, sign out and back in on the affected device

Refreshes the auth token. Settings re-pull on next sign-in.

Instance shows offline

The browser is closed or the extension is disabled. Open the browser and confirm the extension icon is in the toolbar — status updates within a minute.

Duplicate instances

If you reinstalled the extension recently, an old "ghost" instance might still appear. Open the Instances page, find the offline duplicate, click its menu (•••), and select Remove instance. The active one stays.

Data not appearing in dashboard analytics

Wait for sync. Aggregate sync runs every 10 minutes. Give it time.
Confirm analytics is enabled. Settings → Extension → Enable analytics sync. If off, the dashboard analytics page is empty by design.
Confirm same account. Open the extension popup; check the email matches the account you're viewing on the dashboard.

Extension crashing

Note when it crashes

On specific sites? On all sites? On startup? When triggering blocks?

Check for browser updates

Older browsers are the most common crash cause. Update to the latest.

Disable other extensions temporarily

Conflicts with other privacy/ad-blockers can cause crashes. Disable them one at a time to identify the conflict.

Reinstall the extension

Remove from the browser, restart the browser, reinstall from the store. Sign in again.

Submit a ticket if it persists

Include browser + version + the conditions under which it crashes. See below.

High memory usage

The extension typically uses under 20 MB. If you're seeing more:

Check chrome://extensions (or equivalent) for the per-extension memory readout.
Disable and re-enable the extension to reset its state.
Update the extension to the latest version. Old versions sometimes leak.
Reinstall if memory stays high after the above.

Common pitfalls

Expecting incognito to be tracked or blocked

By design, the extension doesn't run in incognito unless you explicitly enable it in browser settings. If you want incognito covered, enable it explicitly. We recommend leaving it disabled.

Confusing rule changes with mode switches

Editing a focus mode's rules doesn't activate that mode — it just edits its config. To use the new rules, switch to that mode (toolbar icon → mode list).