July 2026 Product Update: Introducing Focus Mode
This month we’re excited to introduce Focus Mode — a brand-new premium feature that turns Gorby into a calm, distraction-free writing environment. Whether you’re drafting a blog post, a chapter, or just thinking through your ideas, Focus Mode helps you stay immersed in your words.
🔍 What Is Focus Mode?
Focus Mode is a full-screen writing overlay that works with the same document you’re already editing. Launch it from the sidebar, write without distractions, and return to the same text when you’re done. It’s the same document, just with everything stripped away so you can focus on writing.
🎛️ Shape Your Writing Environment
Focus Mode comes with a settings panel that lets you personalize the experience to match how you write best:
- Background audio — Choose from rain, white noise, brown noise, forest, cafe, fireplace, or silence, with adjustable volume.
- Typewriter effects — Enable keystroke sounds, adjust their volume, and switch to the Special Elite typewriter font for a more tactile feel.
- Focus dimming — Darken everything except the lines near your cursor so your attention stays where it matters.
- Typewriter scroll — Keep the active line centered as you write.
- Session timer — Track how long you’ve been writing and how many words you’ve added this session.
All your settings are saved, so your Focus Mode feels the same every time you step into it.
📊 Ambient Stats, When You Want Them
Word count, readability score, and session progress sit in subtle floating pills at the bottom of the screen. You can show them, hide them entirely, or let them auto-hide with the rest of the UI. The stats are there when you need a quick check, but they never get in the way.
⏱️ Session Recap
When you exit Focus Mode, Gorby shows a brief summary of your session: how many words you wrote and how long you stayed in the zone. It’s a small touch, but a satisfying way to see what you accomplished before jumping back into the full app.
🧪 What’s Coming Next
We’re already working on the next set of improvements:
- Paragraph-level readability — A way to check readability scores for specific paragraphs, not just the entire document. Great for spotting sections that need tightening.
- Browser extension progress — We recently started work on a Chrome/browser extension. Development is continuing into August, and we’ll share more details as it takes shape.
🌟 Thank You!
We hope Focus Mode helps you find a little more calm in your writing routine. As always, your feedback shapes what we build next, so let us know what you think.
Happy writing!
