Focus Mode and URL Push

Focus Mode and URL Push are two of KyberClassroom's most powerful features for keeping students on task during lessons. Focus Mode restricts browsing to only approved URLs, while URL Push sends a specific website directly to every student's device.

Before You Begin

• You need a Teacher role (or higher) in KyberGate
• Your class must be set up in KyberClassroom with enrolled student devices
• Student devices must be online and connected

Using Focus Mode

Focus Mode locks student devices to a specific set of URLs. Students can only visit the approved sites — everything else is blocked with a "Focus Mode Active" message.

Activating Focus Mode

1. Open KyberClassroom and select your class
2. Click the "Focus" button in the toolbar (or press F keyboard shortcut)
3. In the Focus Mode panel, add the URLs students should have access to:
   • Type or paste URLs one at a time
   • Use "+ Add URL" for each additional site
   • Wildcards are supported: *.khanacademy.org allows all Khan Academy pages
4. Optionally add a message students will see if they try to visit a non-approved site (e.g., "Please stay on the assigned websites")
5. Click "Start Focus Mode"

What Students Experience

• Their current browser tabs continue to work if they match the approved URLs
• New tabs or navigation to non-approved sites shows a "Focus Mode Active" overlay
• The overlay displays the teacher's custom message and a list of approved sites
• Focus Mode is clearly indicated so students know restrictions are temporary

Ending Focus Mode

• Click "End Focus" in the toolbar
• Or switch to Monitor or Restrict mode
• Student devices immediately return to normal filtering policy

Using URL Push

URL Push sends a website directly to every student's device, opening it in their default browser. It's like saying "everyone go to this website" — but instant and guaranteed.

Pushing a URL

1. In KyberClassroom, click the "Push URL" button in the toolbar
2. Enter the full URL (e.g., https://docs.google.com/document/d/abc123)
3. Choose the target:
   • All students — Send to every device in the class
   • Selected students — Click specific device tiles first, then push
4. Click "Push"

What Happens on Student Devices

• A new browser tab opens automatically with the pushed URL
• On iPads, Safari opens to the URL
• On Chromebooks, Chrome opens a new tab
• On macOS/Windows, the default browser opens

Combining Focus Mode + URL Push

The most effective workflow combines both features:

1. Push the URL first — send students to the assignment
2. Enable Focus Mode — lock them to that URL (and any related resources)
3. Monitor via Screen View — verify everyone is on task
4. End Focus Mode when the activity is complete

Example: Research Assignment

1. Push https://docs.google.com/document/d/assignment-123
2. Enable Focus Mode with these URLs:
   • *.google.com (Google Docs, Search)
   • *.wikipedia.org (Research)
   • *.khanacademy.org (Reference)
3. Students can only use these sites until you end Focus Mode

Tips

• Pre-build URL lists: Save frequently used Focus Mode URL lists as templates for quick activation
• Include supporting sites: If students need Google Docs, also allow *.google.com for authentication and *.googleusercontent.com for embedded content
• Test URLs first: Visit each URL yourself to make sure it works before pushing to students
• Use wildcards wisely: *.google.com is broad — consider being more specific like docs.google.com if you want tighter control

Troubleshooting

• URL Push not opening on student device? Check that the device is online and the KyberGate agent/extension is running. Pop-up blockers can sometimes interfere
• Focus Mode not blocking other sites? Verify the URLs are entered correctly. Check that the device has synced with the proxy
• Students can't access allowed site in Focus Mode? Some sites load resources from other domains (CDNs). You may need to add additional domains — check the activity logs to see what's being blocked
• Focus Mode persists after class? Click "End Focus" or switch to Monitor mode. Focus Mode should automatically end when you log out of KyberClassroom

Related Articles

• Getting Started with KyberClassroom
• Screen View: Live Device Monitoring
• Creating and Managing Filtering Policies