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Focus Mode eliminates visual distractions by hiding the sidebar, toolbar, and other UI elements, creating a zen-like writing environment.

Activation

Enter Focus Mode using the keyboard shortcut or command palette:
Press Cmd+Shift+Enter (Mac) or Ctrl+Shift+Enter (Windows/Linux) to toggle Focus Mode on and off.
Focus Mode requires an open note. If no note is selected, the shortcut has no effect.

What Happens in Focus Mode

When Focus Mode activates:
1

Sidebar Fades Out

The sidebar slides out with a smooth opacity transition over 500ms
2

Toolbar Disappears

The formatting toolbar and title bar buttons fade out after a 500ms delay with a 1000ms transition
3

Content Centers

Your note content remains, centered and distraction-free

Visual Behavior

Focus Mode uses carefully choreographed CSS transitions:
<div
  className={`transition-all duration-500 ease-out overflow-hidden ${
    !sidebarVisible || focusMode
      ? "opacity-0 -translate-x-4 w-0 pointer-events-none"
      : "opacity-100 translate-x-0 w-64"
  }`}
>
  <Sidebar />
</div>

<div
  className={`titlebar-no-drag flex items-center gap-1 min-w-0 transition-opacity duration-1000 delay-500 ${
    focusMode ? "opacity-0 pointer-events-none" : "opacity-100"
  }`}
>
  {/* Toolbar buttons */}
</div>

<div
  className={`${
    focusMode || sourceMode
      ? "opacity-0 max-h-0 overflow-hidden pointer-events-none"
      : "opacity-100 max-h-20"
  } ${hasTransitioned ? "transition-all duration-1000 delay-500" : ""}`}
>
  <FormatBar />
</div>

Exiting Focus Mode

Return to the full interface:

Keyboard Shortcut

Press Cmd+Shift+Enter (Mac) / Ctrl+Shift+Enter (Windows/Linux) again

Escape Key

Press Esc when not actively editing (cursor outside the editor)

Command Palette

Open Cmd+P / Ctrl+P and select “Exit Focus Mode”

Sidebar Restored

Exiting Focus Mode always restores the sidebar
When you exit Focus Mode, the sidebar automatically becomes visible again, even if it was hidden before entering Focus Mode.

Implementation Details

Focus Mode is controlled by a single focusMode state variable in App.tsx:
const [focusMode, setFocusMode] = useState(false);

const toggleFocusMode = useCallback(() => {
  setFocusMode((prev) => {
    // Don't enter focus mode without a selected note
    if (!prev && !selectedNoteId) return prev;
    if (prev) {
      // Exiting focus mode — always restore sidebar
      setSidebarVisible(true);
    }
    return !prev;
  });
}, [selectedNoteId]);

// Keyboard shortcut handler
useEffect(() => {
  const handleKeyDown = (e: KeyboardEvent) => {
    // Cmd+Shift+Enter - Toggle focus mode
    if ((e.metaKey || e.ctrlKey) && e.shiftKey && e.key === "Enter") {
      e.preventDefault();
      toggleFocusMode();
      return;
    }

    // Escape exits focus mode when not in editor
    if (e.key === "Escape" && focusMode && !isInEditor) {
      e.preventDefault();
      toggleFocusMode();
      return;
    }
  };
  document.addEventListener("keydown", handleKeyDown);
  return () => document.removeEventListener("keydown", handleKeyDown);
}, [toggleFocusMode, focusMode]);

Interaction with Other Modes

Source Mode

Focus Mode works seamlessly with Markdown Source Mode:
  • The format bar hides in both Focus Mode and Source Mode
  • You can enter Focus Mode while in Source Mode and vice versa
  • The toolbar remains hidden until you exit both modes
Focus Mode overrides manual sidebar visibility:
  • Entering Focus Mode hides the sidebar regardless of its previous state
  • Exiting Focus Mode always shows the sidebar
  • The sidebar toggle (Cmd+\) is disabled while in Focus Mode

Use Cases

Long-Form Writing

Write articles, essays, or documentation without distractions

Drafting

Focus on getting ideas down without fiddling with formatting

Editing

Review and revise content with a clean, minimal interface

Presenting

Display notes in meetings without showing the full UI

Accessibility

When using Focus Mode with screen readers, note that the sidebar and toolbar are hidden with pointer-events-none and opacity-0, which may affect navigation announcements.

Tips

Pro Tip: Combine Focus Mode with a Wide or Full page width (Settings → Appearance → Page Width) for an immersive writing experience on large displays.
Use Esc to quickly exit Focus Mode without remembering the full keyboard shortcut.

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