Countdown Timer

This free online countdown timer counts down from any time you set and sounds an alarm when it reaches zero. Tap a preset to start at once, or type a time on the keypad. A progress ring shows how much time is left, up to four timers can run side by side, and a Pomodoro mode alternates focus sessions with breaks. It runs in your browser with no download or sign-up and works with a mouse, a keyboard or a touch screen.

What the countdown timer does

When you start a timer, it saves the exact moment it should end. Every time the display updates, it compares that end time with your device’s clock. This means the timer stays accurate when you switch to another tab, when the browser slows the page down in the background, and even when you reload or close the page. Running timers continue from their saved end times when you come back, and paused timers keep the time they had left.

When the time is up, the display reads 00:00, the ring empties and the alarm starts. It plays once at zero and repeats until you dismiss it. If a timer ran out while the page was closed, it rings when you open the page again. Your browser may need one tap before it allows sound, and the alarm banner tells you when that is the case.

How to use it

• Presets: tap 1, 3, 5, 10, 15, 25, 30 minutes or 1 hour to start that timer immediately.
• Keypad: type digits like a microwave. They fill from the right, so 5 is 5 seconds, 130 is 1 minute 30 seconds and 13000 is 1 hour 30 minutes. The first digit you type replaces the old time. Press Start or Enter to begin. You can set up to 99 hours, 59 minutes and 59 seconds.
• Pause, resume, reset: press Pause (or P, Space, or tap the ring) to pause, and again to resume. Reset puts the timer back to the time you set.
• Dismiss: press Dismiss, Space, Enter or Esc to silence the alarm. One dismiss stops every timer that is ringing.
• Alarm sound: choose Beep, Chime or Digital watch and set the volume. Test sound plays one round. All three sounds are generated by your browser.

Multiple timers

Press + Add timer (or N) to add a timer, up to four in all. Each one runs on its own, with its own time, progress ring and optional label, such as Pasta or Laundry. The strip at the top shows every timer’s label and time left. Tap one, or use the left and right arrow keys, to select it. When several timers end, the alarm banner lists each one by label. The x on a timer removes it. Timers you finish appear under Recent, so you can run the same time again with one tap.

Pomodoro mode

The Pomodoro technique splits work into focused sessions with short breaks in between. Switch a timer to Pomodoro and it runs a 25-minute focus session, then a 5-minute break. After every 4 focus sessions you get a 15-minute long break instead. All four numbers can be changed. The ring turns orange for focus and blue for breaks, and the timer shows which session you are on and how many focus sessions you have finished.

At the end of each phase the alarm rings. With “Start the next phase on its own” checked, the next phase starts right away, so no time is lost while you finish a thought. Uncheck it to have each phase wait for Start. Skip phase jumps to the next phase, and Reset count sets the session count back to zero.

Tips

• Label your timers. With two or three running, a label tells you which one is ringing.
• Keep the tab open. The timer can’t ring while the page is closed. It keeps time and rings when you return, but leave the tab open if you need to hear the alarm on time.

FAQ

Is this countdown timer free?

Yes. It’s free with no account and nothing to install. One tap on a preset starts a timer.

Does it keep counting in a background tab?

Yes. Each timer counts down to a saved end time rather than counting ticks, so time in the background is counted in full and the alarm plays when the time is up.

Can I run more than one timer?

Yes, up to four at once, each with its own label. One of them can be a Pomodoro timer while the others count down normally.

Taking a Pomodoro break? Try a quick round of 2048 or a Sudoku puzzle.