Countdown Timer
Set a timer for any event. We'll notify you when time is up.
How to use the countdown timer
Enter the number of hours, minutes, and/or seconds you want to count down, then press Set & Reset to load the timer. Press Start to begin the countdown. The circular progress ring shows how much time remains at a glance — as the ring empties, you're approaching zero. Press Pause to freeze the countdown, and Reset to clear it and start over.
What happens when the timer reaches zero?
When the countdown reaches 00:00:00, the timer displays a completion state with a visual indicator. If you have browser notifications enabled, the page can also send a desktop notification so you know the time is up even if you've switched to another tab. Note that browser audio autoplay may be blocked by default — if you need an audible alarm, consider using the dedicated Online Alarm Clock tool which is specifically designed for time-based alerts.
Common uses for a countdown timer
- Pomodoro Technique: Set a 25-minute timer for focused work, followed by a 5-minute break. Repeat four times, then take a longer 15–30 minute break.
- Cooking and baking: Time pasta boiling, oven baking, or marinating. Multiple browser tabs let you run several timers at once.
- Workout intervals: Set timers for HIIT circuits, plank holds, rest periods, or stretching routines.
- Presentation practice: Time your talk or pitch to stay within your allotted slot.
- Meeting management: Set a timer at the start of a meeting to keep discussions on track.
- Medication reminders: Set a timer for when your next dose is due (always consult a medical professional for health-related timing).
Timer vs. stopwatch: which should I use?
Use a countdown timer when you know the exact duration you want to track — like 10 minutes for boiling eggs or 30 minutes for a workout. Use a stopwatch when you want to measure how long something takes without a preset end point — like timing a run or tracking how long a task takes. Both tools are available on this site. The timer counts down to zero; the stopwatch counts up from zero.
Technical notes
This timer runs entirely in your browser using JavaScript's setInterval function. The countdown accuracy is within a few hundred milliseconds per minute, which is more than sufficient for general-purpose timing. The timer does not persist if you close the tab or navigate away — if you need a persistent timer, consider using your phone's native timer app. The circular progress ring is rendered using SVG and updates every second for smooth visual feedback.
Related tools
- Online Stopwatch — measure elapsed time with lap tracking.
- Online Alarm Clock — set an alarm for a specific time of day.
- World Clock — see the current time in 60+ cities.
- Meeting Planner — schedule across timezones.
Related Resources
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Frequently Asked Questions
An Online Countdown Timer is a digital tool that counts down from a specified time to zero. Our timer includes a visual progress circle and plays an audible alarm when the time is up.
Use the input fields at the bottom of the card to enter the desired hours, minutes, and seconds. Then, click the 'Set & Reset' button to apply this duration. The default timer is 5 minutes.
Click the 'Start' button to begin the countdown. This button will change to a 'Pause' button, which you can click to halt the timer. Click 'Start' again to resume.
The 'Reset' button stops the countdown and returns the timer to its original set duration. For example, if you set a 10-minute timer and reset it at 4 minutes, it will go back to 10 minutes.
Partially. We use your browser's local storage to remember the timer's end time. If you close and reopen the tab, the timer will self-correct to the accurate remaining time. However, for the alarm sound to play, the tab must be open when the timer hits zero.
The circle visually represents the remaining time. It gradually depletes as the countdown progresses, giving you a quick, at-a-glance sense of how much time is left.
Yes, you can set a timer for up to 99 hours, 59 minutes, and 59 seconds, making it suitable for longer-term countdowns.
No. The alarm is an audio alert, so your device's volume must be turned on and not muted for you to hear it.
The timer uses a standard, built-in alarm sound. Customizing the sound is not a feature at this time.
This page is designed to run a single countdown timer. To run multiple timers simultaneously, you would need to open the timer page in separate browser tabs.
It's excellent for productivity (like the Pomodoro Technique), timing workouts, cooking, classroom activities, practicing presentations, and as a simple reminder to take a break.
Yes, the timer is highly accurate. It's synced with your device's clock and includes a self-correction mechanism to account for any browser lag if the tab is in the background.
This is the self-correction feature. If the tab was inactive, the timer calculates how much time *should* have passed and jumps to the correct remaining time, ensuring accuracy.
The 'Start' button will be disabled if the total duration is zero. You must set a timer for at least one second for it to be active.
Yes, our Countdown Timer is completely free to use with no limitations.
No. The timer's state is saved in your browser's local storage, which is cleared when the browser is fully closed or the computer is restarted. It is designed for in-session use.
A countdown timer starts from a set duration and counts down to zero. A stopwatch starts from zero and counts up to measure how much time has passed.
While there isn't a dedicated full-screen button, you can use your browser's full-screen mode (usually F11) to make the timer and the progress circle larger.
This is standard time convention. 60 seconds automatically converts to 1 minute, and 60 minutes converts to 1 hour. The input fields reflect this to prevent invalid time entries.
Once the alarm plays, the timer has finished. You can click 'Reset' to run the same timer again, or set a new duration using the input fields at the bottom.