Countdown Timer

About the Countdown Timer

The countdown timer counts down from a time you set and sounds an alarm when it reaches zero. It runs in your browser, so there is no app to install.

You can type hours, minutes and seconds, or tap a preset from 1 to 60 minutes. The Start button turns into Pause while the timer runs, and Reset returns to the time you set. A ring around the display empties as time passes, and the remaining time also appears in the browser tab title. The alarm can be turned off with the “Alarm sound” checkbox.

The Stopwatch tab counts up to the hundredth of a second. It has Start, Stop, Lap and Reset buttons, and each lap shows its own time and the running total.

How to Use the Countdown Timer

1. Enter hours, minutes and seconds, or tap a preset such as 5, 10 or 25 minutes.
2. Press Start.
3. Press Pause to stop and Start to continue.
4. Press Reset to return to the time you set.
5. When the timer reaches zero, the display flashes and the alarm sounds.

How to Use the Stopwatch

1. Open the Stopwatch tab.
2. Press Start to begin counting.
3. Press Lap to record a split while it runs.
4. Press Stop to pause, and Start again to continue.
5. Press Reset to clear the time and laps.

Timer Presets and Common Uses

• 1 to 3 minutes: tea, planks, quick speaking drills.
• 5 minutes: short breaks and stretches.
• 10 minutes: power naps, tidying, timed writing.
• 15 to 20 minutes: meditation, short meetings, baking.
• 25 minutes: one Pomodoro focus session.
• 30 to 60 minutes: workouts, exams and study blocks.

The Pomodoro Technique

The Pomodoro technique is a time management method created by Francesco Cirillo in the late 1980s. It is named after a tomato shaped kitchen timer, as “pomodoro” is Italian for tomato.

1. Choose one task.
2. Work for 25 minutes without distractions.
3. Take a 5 minute break.
4. After four rounds, take a longer break of 15 to 30 minutes.

Use the 25 min preset for each work block and the 5 min preset for each break.

How Accurate Is This Online Timer?

The timer measures against your device’s clock instead of counting ticks, so it does not drift even when the browser is busy or you switch tabs. A 60 minute countdown stays accurate to well under a second.

The alarm uses the Web Audio feature of your browser. Phones only allow sound after you tap the page, which pressing Start does. Some phones pause pages in the background, so keep the page open on mobile. Do not rely on a browser timer for medication or safety tasks. US official time is published by the National Institute of Standards and Technology at time.gov.

Countdown Timer Versus Time From Now

A countdown timer counts down a length of time, such as 10 minutes. To find the clock time at the end, such as “what time is it in 10 minutes”, use the time from now calculator. To measure the time between two clock times without running a clock, use the time duration calculator.

Frequently Asked Questions