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Focus Filter

The Focus Filter is 2Do's magic switch between everything I have and just what matters right now. Pick one or more built-in focus conditions for a list, then toggle Focus on or off with one click whenever the noise starts to drown out the signal.

The Focus Filter dropdown

Toggling Focus​

  • Click the Focus button in the Sort Bar.
  • Press ⌘J (View > Toggle Focus Filter). When Focus is on, the Task List shows only tasks matching the selected conditions. Turn Focus off to see everything in the selected list again.

Choosing Focus Conditions​

Click the small dropdown beside the Focus button in the Sort Bar to choose what Focus should show. You can tick more than one condition at a time:

  • Overdue
  • No Due Date
  • In Progress
  • Today
  • Tomorrow
  • This Week
  • Next 3 Days
  • Next 7 Days
  • Next 30 Days
  • Next 6 Months
  • Next 12 Months
  • High Priority
  • Starred

When several conditions are selected, Focus shows tasks that match any of them. Turn Focus off at any time to return to the full list.

Per-List Focus Rules​

Each list can have its own Focus condition set, and 2Do remembers which options are active for each. Switch lists and the Focus state goes with them. This is useful when different lists deserve different focusing strategies — Work might focus on overdue and high-priority items, while Errands might focus on tasks coming up in the next few days.

Quick Filter via the Tags Panel​

For a quick one-off tag filter, click any tag in the right utility panel. The Task List narrows to tasks carrying that tag. Hold ⌥ (Option) to add more tags to the filter. This is separate from the saved Focus conditions, so it's handy when you only need a temporary tag view.

Saving a Focus as a Smart List​

If you need a more detailed saved filter — for example, a specific tag, location, text search, or list group — create a Smart List instead. File > New Smart List opens the Smart List builder, where you can save a permanent view in the sidebar. See Smart Lists.

Tips​

tip

Build a "morning review" Focus that shows High Priority items due Today. Toggle it on with ⌘J first thing in the morning.

tip

Keep Focus for quick list narrowing. Save more detailed filters as Smart Lists, since they're easier to discover later.

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