Timer & Stopwatch
A countdown timer with an alarm, and a stopwatch with laps.
About the timer and stopwatch
Two tools in one tab. The countdown runs down from any duration and sounds an alarm when it reaches zero, with presets for the common cases including a 25-minute Pomodoro. The stopwatch counts up with lap times, marking the fastest and slowest laps automatically.
Both track wall-clock time rather than counting animation frames, so a backgrounded tab still shows the correct elapsed time when you come back to it β browsers throttle timers in hidden tabs, and naive implementations drift badly as a result. The remaining time also appears in the browser tab title, so you can watch it while working in another window.
The Pomodoro technique in one paragraph
Work for 25 minutes with no interruptions, then take a five-minute break. After four such cycles, take a longer break of 15 to 30 minutes. The method was devised by Francesco Cirillo in the late 1980s and named after the tomato-shaped kitchen timer he used. The point is less the specific interval than the commitment to a single task for a fixed, short, clearly-bounded stretch β the 25-minute preset above is there for exactly this.
Frequently asked questions
Does the timer keep running if I switch tabs?
Yes. It tracks actual clock time rather than counting frames, so switching tabs or minimising the window does not slow it down. The remaining time also shows in the tab title.
Will the alarm sound if the tab is in the background?
In most browsers, yes, as long as the tab has not been fully discarded and you have interacted with the page at least once β browsers require a user gesture before allowing audio, which starting the timer provides.
What is the difference between the timer and the stopwatch?
The timer counts down from a duration you set and alarms at zero. The stopwatch counts up from zero and records lap times, for when you want to measure how long something took rather than limit it.
Do I need to install anything?
No. It runs in the browser, works offline once the page has loaded, and needs no account or download.