How to use the online timer
- Choose a tab: Countdown for a single alarm, Stopwatch to count up, or Pomodoro for study and work sessions.
- For a countdown, type hours, minutes and seconds, or press a quick preset such as 5 min or 25 min. Keep the sound option on if you want an alarm.
- Press Start (or the Space bar). The large display counts down, and the remaining time also appears in the browser tab title so you can work in another window.
- When the time is up, a short alarm plays. Press Reset to set a new time, or use Full screen to show the clock to a whole room.
A free countdown timer with alarm for everyday jobs
Timers are one of those tools you need ten times a week for ten different reasons. You are boiling eggs, steeping tea, taking a power nap, limiting a meeting, running a round of a board game, timing an exam practice paper or telling kids that screen time ends in fifteen minutes. A dedicated app on your phone works, but it is often buried in a menu and cannot be shown on a larger screen. This page opens instantly on a laptop, tablet or phone, and it is designed so the time is readable from several metres away.
There is nothing to install and nothing to sign up for. The page does not use your camera, microphone or location. The only optional permission it can ask for is a notification, and only if you tick that box yourself.
Three timers in one page
| Mode | Best for | Highlights |
|---|---|---|
| Countdown | Cooking, breaks, presentations, exams, workouts | Hours, minutes and seconds; presets; alarm sound; notification option |
| Stopwatch | Timing tasks, races and experiments | Millisecond display and lap list |
| Pomodoro | Studying, writing, coding, cleaning | Focus and break phases, round counter, auto-start option |
If you mainly need a stopwatch with more detail, such as fastest and slowest lap highlighting and CSV export, use the dedicated online stopwatch.
Using the Pomodoro timer
The Pomodoro technique splits work into short, intense blocks. The classic pattern is 25 minutes of focus followed by a 5-minute break, repeated four times, and then a longer break of 15 to 30 minutes. The idea is that a clear end point makes starting easier and regular rests keep your attention fresh. Many students use 50-minute blocks with 10-minute breaks for subjects that need longer concentration, and the page has a preset for that too.
Pick the preset or type your own lengths, then press Start. When a phase ends the timer beeps and moves to the next one: a short break after each focus block and a long break after the number of rounds you chose. Tick "Start the next phase automatically" if you want an uninterrupted cycle, or leave it off to decide when to begin each block. The round counter shows how many focus blocks you have finished in this session.
Tips for getting the most out of a timer
- Use the tab title. The remaining time is shown in the browser tab, so you can see it even when another tab or window is in front.
- Test the sound once. Browsers allow audio only after you interact with the page, which is why the alarm is armed when you press Start. Check your volume before relying on it.
- Keep the screen awake for long timers. A laptop that goes to sleep stops the page. For a long countdown, change the power settings or keep the device plugged in.
- Use full screen for groups. In a classroom, workshop or gym, the full-screen digits can be read from the back of the room.
- Break big tasks into rounds. A task you dread for an hour feels easier as four 15-minute countdowns.
Common timer settings
| Activity | Typical time |
|---|---|
| Soft-boiled egg | 6 minutes |
| Hard-boiled egg | 10 to 12 minutes |
| Black tea steeping | 3 to 5 minutes |
| Power nap | 15 to 20 minutes |
| Standard Pomodoro focus block | 25 minutes |
| Stand-up meeting | 10 to 15 minutes |
Times for cooking are general guidelines; follow the instructions on your food packaging and use a thermometer for meat and fish where food safety matters.
How the timer stays accurate
A common mistake in simple timers is to subtract one second every time a timer function fires. Browsers delay those calls when a tab is hidden, so the countdown drifts. This page instead stores the exact moment the countdown should end and recalculates the remaining time from the system clock on every refresh. Even if the tab was frozen for a minute, the correct time appears as soon as it wakes up. The stopwatch uses the browser's high-resolution clock in the same way.
Private by design
The timer works completely inside your browser. It does not upload anything, store times between visits or use analytics cookies. You can disconnect from the internet after the page has loaded and it will keep working.
Frequently asked questions
Will the alarm sound if the tab is in the background?
Yes in most browsers. The countdown is calculated from the system clock, so it finishes on time even if the tab is throttled. The alarm is a short beep generated in your browser. Some mobile browsers pause audio when the screen is locked, so for important alarms keep the screen on or use the browser notification option as well.
Why does the browser ask for notification permission?
Only when you tick "Show a browser notification". The permission lets the page display a small message when the timer ends. You can refuse and the timer still works with sound and the tab title. The page never asks for permission on its own.
What is the Pomodoro technique?
It is a time-management method created by Francesco Cirillo in the late 1980s. You work in focused blocks, traditionally 25 minutes, separated by 5-minute breaks, and take a longer break of 15 to 30 minutes after four blocks. The timer counts rounds for you and lets you change every length.
What is the longest time I can set?
The countdown accepts up to 99 hours plus 999 minutes, about four days. In practice, keep long timers on a device that will not go to sleep and stay plugged in, because a closed laptop lid stops the page.
Can I use the timer on a projector or a TV?
Yes. Press the Full screen button or the F key to fill the screen with large digits that are readable across a classroom or a gym. Press Escape or F again to leave full screen.
Does the timer still work if I lose my internet connection?
Yes. After the page has loaded, nothing needs the network, and you can also install it as an app from your browser menu to use it offline.
Is anything saved or sent to a server?
No. Your settings and times exist only in the open tab. There are no accounts, no tracking and no uploads. Reloading the page returns everything to the defaults.
How do I stop the alarm sound?
The alarm is a short sequence of three beeps and stops by itself. Press Reset to clear the finished countdown and get ready for the next one.
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