Free Online Countdown Timer
Set a countdown timer for cooking, studying, workouts, or any task. Just enter the time and hit start.
How to Use the Online Timer
Enter your desired duration in minutes and seconds, or tap one of the quick preset buttons for common intervals like 1, 5, 10, or 30 minutes. Click Start and the timer counts down in real time. When it hits zero, an audio alert plays to let you know time is up.
You can pause and resume the timer at any time, or reset it to start over with a new duration. Your browser tab needs to stay open, but you can switch to other tabs while the timer runs.
Timer vs. Alarm vs. Stopwatch
The timer counts down from a set duration — ideal for cooking, study sessions, or workout intervals. If you need an alert at a specific clock time (like 7:00 AM), use the online alarm clock instead. To measure elapsed time counting upward, try the online stopwatch.
For longer-term countdowns to a specific future date (like a birthday or launch), the countdown tool shows days, hours, minutes, and seconds remaining.
How long should the timer be? A quick reference
Most timer sessions fall into a handful of well-tested lengths. Use the quick buttons for these and save custom values for everything else.
| Task | Typical length | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Focused work block (Pomodoro) | 25 min + 5 min break | Long enough to get into a task, short enough that starting feels easy. |
| Deep work block | 50–90 min | Matches the natural 90-minute ultradian rhythm of alertness. |
| Pasta (dried) | 8–12 min | Check the packet; start timing once the water returns to a boil. |
| Steeping tea | 2–5 min | Green 2–3 min, black 3–5 min; longer turns bitter. See the tea timer. |
| HIIT work interval | 20–45 s | Short enough to sustain near-maximal effort. The Tabata timer automates the rounds. |
| Plank or wall sit | 30–60 s | Form breaks down beyond about a minute for most people. |
| Screen break | Every 20 min, 20 s | The 20-20-20 rule for eye strain; the break reminder repeats it automatically. |
Why this timer stays accurate in a background tab
Browsers throttle JavaScript in tabs you are not looking at: a function that should run every second may only run every minute. A naive timer that counts ticks would fall badly behind. This timer instead records the moment you press Start and, on every update, subtracts that timestamp from the current clock. If the tab was throttled for 40 seconds, the next update simply shows 40 seconds less; nothing is lost. The same technique keeps the stopwatch honest over long recordings.
What the browser cannot do is play a sound in a tab that has been fully suspended or closed, so for anything longer than an hour on a phone, keep the timer tab in the foreground or plug the phone in. The page title also counts down, so you can see the remaining time in the tab strip while you work in another window.
Pomodoro mode and the tick sound
Switch on Pomodoro Mode and the timer alternates automatically between 25-minute work sessions and 5-minute breaks, with a longer break after the fourth round. The round counter and the dots under the display show where you are in the set. The technique works because it turns a vague "work on the report" into a concrete "work for 25 minutes", and because the forced break stops fatigue from building up unnoticed. If 25 minutes feels too short once you are warmed up, use the focus timer, which offers 50- and 90-minute modes and keeps daily statistics. Our Pomodoro guide covers how to plan a day in pomodoros and what to do when you get interrupted mid-session.
The optional tick sound plays a soft click during the final ten seconds. It is useful in the kitchen, where you may be a few steps from the screen, and for exams or games where people want a warning before the buzzer.
Tips for using the timer well
- Type, don't scroll. Click into the minutes field and type a number; the display updates as you type, and pressing Start begins immediately.
- Named presets first. Pomodoro 25m, Break 5m, HIIT 45s and Meeting 30m sit above the plain quick buttons because they are the four most used values on the site.
- Use Lights Off for a big display. Once the timer is running, Lights Off turns the whole screen into a large countdown that is readable from across a room, which is what the classroom timer and presentation timer are built around.
- Several things at once? The cooking timer runs up to four labelled countdowns side by side.
Popular Timer Uses
Pomodoro Technique
Set 25-minute focus sessions followed by 5-minute breaks to boost productivity and fight procrastination.
Cooking & Baking
Time your recipes precisely — from boiling pasta to baking cookies. Never overcook a meal again.
Workout Intervals
Track exercise and rest periods during HIIT, Tabata, or circuit training sessions.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I use the online timer?
Enter the minutes and seconds, then click Start. The timer counts down and plays a sound when it reaches zero. For timing a specific clock time instead, use the alarm clock.
Can I use quick preset timers?
Yes. Use the quick timer buttons (1 min, 5 min, 10 min, etc.) for common time intervals.
Will the timer work in the background?
The timer continues running as long as the tab is open, even if you switch to another tab.
What is the difference between the timer and the countdown?
The timer counts down from a duration (minutes and seconds), while the countdown counts down to a specific future date and time. Use the timer for short tasks and the countdown for events like birthdays or deadlines.
Can I measure elapsed time instead of counting down?
Yes — use the online stopwatch to count up and measure how long something takes, with lap time support.