Guide
A deep work tracker that counts the hours you actually focused.
Build Mode is a one-button deep work tracker for Mac. Press ⌘⌥B, a brief full-screen ceremony opens the session, and a small clock appears in the MacBook notch. It counts active time only, sorts hours into the skills you are building, and turns every week into evidence that you are moving.
Why it works
Deep work grows when you can see it adding up.
Begin on purpose
Press ⌘⌥B and a short full-screen ceremony starts the session. The moment is small, but it marks a decision: this hour belongs to the work.
Count real focus
Build Mode counts active time only. Step away or let the display sleep and the clock pauses, so an hour in your record means an hour of attention.
Close with one line
Press ⌘⌥B again to stop and jot a one-line note. Over time those lines become a trail of what each block of focus actually built.
Reflect weekly
Each week becomes a visual recap: hours, sessions, categories, consistency, and a rhythm graph. Keep it private or share it.
The start ceremony
A focused hour is easier to protect when it has a clear beginning.
The ceremony takes over the screen for a moment, then gets out of the way. While the session runs, a small clock sits in the MacBook notch, a quiet sign that this time is spoken for. If that glanceable timer is the part you care about most, the notch timer guide covers it in detail.
Honest hours
Attention, not elapsed time.
A timer you left running through lunch tells you nothing. Build Mode pauses when you step away or the display sleeps, and resumes when you return. The number at the end is real focus, which is what makes the record worth keeping.
Skills, not just time
Every hour lands in the skill it served.
Auto Mode, on by default, sorts sessions into categories from the name of the app in front. Browsers stay unassigned unless you decide otherwise, and you can pick the category yourself or turn Auto Mode off in Settings. Over months you see exactly where your deep work is going: code, design, writing, whatever you are building.
The long game
Goals measured in hours, not vibes.
Every completed active hour becomes a dot on the hour wall, and long-term goals mark the milestones: 100 h, 500 h, 1,000 h, 10,000 h. There is no streak to lose and nothing scolds you for a day off. The tracker is proof you are moving, not a judge.
Private by design
Deep work is private. Your tracker should be too.
Build Mode has no account, no cloud, no screen recording, no keystroke logging, no browser history, and no website tracking. Everything stays on your Mac. Stronger than a promise: the app contains no networking code at all, which anyone can verify by searching it for networking symbols, and it asks for zero macOS permissions.
If that is the part that matters to you, the private time tracker guide goes deeper. Or skip ahead and download Build Mode to check the claims yourself.
See the full productThe details
Common questions about tracking deep work.
Does the timer keep running if I walk away?
No. Build Mode counts active time only. When you step away or the display sleeps, the session pauses, and it resumes when you come back. Away time never inflates your totals.
Do I have to categorize every session myself?
No. Auto Mode is on by default and assigns a category from the name of the frontmost app. Browsers are intentionally left unassigned by default. You can pick the category yourself for any session, or turn Auto Mode off in Settings.
Where does my data go?
Nowhere. There is no account and no cloud, and the app contains no networking code at all, which is provable by searching the app for networking symbols. It also asks for zero macOS permissions. Your record of focus stays on your Mac.
How much does it cost?
$9, paid once, for the first 50 buyers. The price rises to $12 for the next 50 and $19 after that as batches sell out. No subscription and no free tier. The download is free, and the app unlocks with a license key sent by email and verified on your Mac. Details are on the pricing page.
What does it run on?
Any Mac on macOS 14 or later, Apple Silicon or Intel. It lives in the menu bar.
One button. Honest hours. A record you’ll be glad exists.