Stopwatch and Countdown Timer
This free online tool combines a stopwatch with lap and split timing and a countdown timer with a choice of alarm sounds, both running directly in your browser with no download, sign-up or app permissions needed. Switch between the two using the tabs at the top. On the stopwatch tab, press Start to begin timing, press Lap to record each lap while the clock keeps running, and press Stop to pause; each lap row shows the lap time and the running split, with your fastest lap highlighted in green and your slowest in red, plus a summary of your best lap, worst lap and total laps recorded. On the countdown tab, enter hours, minutes and seconds or choose a quick preset such as 5, 10, 25 or 30 minutes, then press Start; a shrinking ring shows how much time remains, and when it reaches zero your chosen alert sound, beep, bell or silent, plays and the display pulses red. Keyboard shortcuts, the space bar to start or stop, L for lap and R to reset, let you control either tool without touching the mouse, and the browser tab title updates in real time so you can keep an eye on the clock while working in another tab. Use the stopwatch for sport, cooking or lab timing, and the countdown timer for kitchen tasks, Pomodoro study sessions, workouts or meditation breaks.
How to use the stopwatch
Press Start to begin timing. Press Lap to record each lap time while the clock keeps running, just like a physical stopwatch. Press Stop to pause. Press Reset to clear everything and start again. Each lap row shows the lap time (time for that lap only) and the split time (total elapsed time at that point). The fastest lap is highlighted in green and the slowest in red.
The browser tab title updates while the stopwatch is running so you can see the time even if you switch to another tab.
How to use the countdown timer
Enter the hours, minutes, and seconds you want to count down from, or click one of the quick preset buttons. Press Start to begin. The circular ring shrinks as time elapses, giving you a visual sense of how much time remains. When the timer reaches zero, an audio alarm sounds and the display pulses red.
The quick presets cover the most common everyday uses: a 5-minute egg timer, 25-minute Pomodoro work session, 1-hour study block, and many more.
Common uses for a stopwatch
Sport and fitness timing is the most obvious use: running, swimming, rowing, cycling, or any event where you want to know your split times. A lap stopwatch lets you compare each kilometre or each pool length individually. Coaches often use lap times to spot where athletes are fading or accelerating through a race.
In cooking, a stopwatch is useful for timing multiple items at once where a countdown is awkward, for example when you want to know how long something has been on the heat without committing to a fixed target time. In school labs and science experiments, stopwatches are used to time reactions. In public speaking and presentations, a running stopwatch tells you your elapsed time without the pressure of a countdown.
Common uses for a countdown timer
The most common everyday use is kitchen timing: boiling an egg (7 minutes for hard boiled), cooking pasta (typically 10-12 minutes), or resting meat after roasting (usually 15-20 minutes). A physical kitchen timer costs $15-40 in New Zealand; this browser timer is free and always at hand on your phone or computer.
Study timers are another major use. The Pomodoro technique uses 25-minute focused work sessions followed by 5-minute breaks. Research suggests this helps maintain concentration and reduce mental fatigue. Set a 25-minute countdown, work without distraction until it sounds, then set a 5-minute countdown for your break.
Presentation practice, meditation sessions, workout intervals, board game turns, and classroom activities all benefit from a countdown timer.
Why use an online stopwatch instead of a phone app?
If you are already working at a computer, opening a browser tab is faster than unlocking your phone and finding an app. This stopwatch runs in the browser tab and does not require any app download, account creation, or permissions. It works on any device, including school computers where app installation is not allowed. The lap table can be read directly on screen without needing to export data.