Windows 11's new focus timer feature will work with Spotify

Microsoft is betting that a little Spotify streaming could help sharpen your mind. The Verge reports that product chief Panos Panay has previewed a Focus Sessions feature in Windows 11 that uses Spotify to help you concentrate. Based on the Pomodoro Technique that divides tasks into timed segments with breaks, the new Clock app mode asks you to choose a task (from Microsoft To Do, at least for now), set a timer and choose a Spotify playlist if you need a soundtrack. When the timer is done, your music will stop and let you know it's time for a brief pause.

Focus Sessions aren't yet available in public Insider Previews, but there's a real chance they'll be available in the finished version of Windows 11 arriving late this year. Microsoft has integrated Spotify with Xbox consoles before, but this appears to be the first major effort in Windows.

The concept of a Pomodoro app isn't new, but this will be built into Windows — and Microsoft is clearly hoping the Spotify tie-in will make a difference. It could be an important competitive advantage, too. Windows 11's focus elements could help it compete against macOS Monterey's Focus modes, not to mention parallel similar features in Android and iOS.