4 days ago
This free web timer puts your computer's Clock app to shame
For something as simple as setting a timer, the built-in apps on our computers can be awfully fiddly.
Usually you have to open a Clock app first, then navigate to a separate tab for timers. After that you have to hit another button to create the timer, and only then can you finally set the time. You might even have to wade through a messy list of all the previous timers you've created.
Fortunately, there's a faster way when time is of the essence. Even better, it's full of powerful features that don't detract from its up-front simplicity and delightfulness.
A plain but powerful desktop timer
The next time you find yourself with a timer-needing task, you can skip past all the cruft of your built-in Clock app by just opening your favorite web browser and visiting the appropriately named
➜ is a free web-based app for setting quick timers with simple keyboard commands.
⌚ Setting a timer takes just a few seconds.
✅ To set up a basic timer, try typing '5 minutes' or '5m' into the box on the landing page. This also works with other units of time, so you can type '3h48m15s' for a timer that runs for three hours, 48 minutes, and 15 seconds. When time expires, the site will play a tone and—with your permission—deliver a push notification to your device.
To speed things up further, just include the time directly in URL. For instance, entering into your address bar will bypass the setup page and set a five-minute timer immediately. You can even bookmark your most-used timers for faster access in the future.
I was chatting with my fellow Cool Tools writer JR Raphael about this, and he asked a valid question: Why use instead of, say, Google Search's built-in timer tool? To this I offer a few answers:
supports more time formats. In addition to the hour-minute-second format I mentioned earlier, lets you input absolute times such as '4:56 pm' or 'August 10 2025 3pm.' It can also count down to holidays such as Mother's Day or New Year's.
works offline. If you're using Chrome, click the little download icon in the top-right of the address bar to install Progressive Web App. Now you can launch a freestanding version of the site that works without an internet connection.
supports the Pomodoro method. Beyond just individual timers, you can also set up sequences of consecutive timers. Try typing '25m/5m/25m' for a pair of 25-minute work sessions broken up by a five-minute break.
is more fun. Beyond the basic black text on white background, the site offers a bunch of themes, including a digital clock, dot matrix, and—my personal favorite—one that looks like the Windows Blue Screen of Death.
This only scratches the surface of what's possible. Check out the site's Help and Settings page for even more possibilities, such as adding labels to your timers and tweaking things like the default alarm sound.
☝️ One quick caveat: While technically works in any browser on any device, I've found that its alerts don't come through on mobile devices unless your screen is on and the site is open, so you're better off using it on desktop browsers only. Too bad, because the built-in Clock apps on our phones are just as fiddly as their desktop counterparts.
is entirely web-based, though you can download it as a Progressive Web App if you would like.
It is free to use and doesn't include any ads (unless you select the 'Ugly' theme which has fake ads on the page).
doesn't ask for any personal information to use the service.
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