Online Countdown Timer
The online countdown timer runs entirely in your browser, no download, no install, no account required. Set any duration in hours, minutes, and seconds, start the timer, and receive an audible alert when time expires. Works on desktop, tablet, and phone. Used for study sessions, classroom exercises, cooking, presentations, and Pomodoro technique intervals.
How to use this online timer
Enter your desired duration in the hours, minutes, and seconds fields. Click Start to begin the countdown. The remaining time is displayed in large, clearly readable digits that update every second. Click Pause to hold the current time and Resume to continue from where you stopped. Click Reset to return the timer to the duration you originally set.
The timer plays an audible alert when the countdown reaches zero. Ensure your device volume is not muted if you need to hear the alert from another room or while working in a different browser tab. The countdown timer online works in the background while you use other applications, though some mobile browsers may throttle background tabs.
Free timer online for study, work, and classroom
For study use, the Pomodoro technique pairs 25-minute work intervals with 5-minute breaks. Set the timer to 25:00, work without distraction until the alert sounds, then reset to 5:00 for a break. Repeat four times before a longer 15-minute break. This free timer online handles the timing for the entire Pomodoro sequence without any additional app or extension.
For classroom use, teachers display the countdown timer on a projector or shared screen so students can see the time remaining for an exercise, quiz, or group activity. The large digit display is readable from the back of most classrooms. The alert notifies students when time is up even if they are working with heads down. For presenters, the timer works as a session management tool, set it to your allocated slot length and glance at it without leaving your slide deck.
Frequently asked questions
Yes, the timer continues running when you switch to a different tab or application. The countdown is tracked using the browser's timing APIs which are active even when the tab is not visible. Note that some mobile browsers may reduce timer accuracy for background tabs to save battery. Keep the browser tab active on mobile for most reliable results.
Yes. Enter any combination of hours, minutes, and seconds in the duration fields. The timer accepts any valid duration from 1 second to 99 hours. There are no preset-only limitations, any custom duration you enter is supported.
Yes. An audible alert plays when the countdown reaches zero. Make sure your device volume is turned up if you need to hear the alarm. Browser security policies require a user interaction (clicking the Start button) before audio can play, which this tool satisfies when you click Start.
Yes. Set the timer to 25:00 for a Pomodoro work interval and click Start. When the alert sounds, reset to 5:00 for a short break. After four work intervals, set a longer 15-minute break. The timer supports any duration, so it works for any variation of the Pomodoro technique including 50-minute and 10-minute interval formats.