How to use 5 Minute Timer
- The timer opens set to five minutes (05:00). Press Start, or the Space bar, to begin the five minutes.
- In a classroom or meeting, press Full screen so everyone can see the minutes left.
- Press +1 min if people need a little longer, or Pause if you are interrupted.
- When the bell rings, press Stop sound. Start again gives you another five minutes.
Why use 5 Minute Timer
Classroom timer
Large digits on a projector keep group work, tests and tidy-up time on track.
Break timer
Five minutes is the short break in the Pomodoro method; step away and come back when the bell rings.
The five minute rule
Struggling to start something? Commit to five minutes; once the timer rings, you can stop, or keep going.
Pick your alarm
Choose a bell, beep or chime for the 5 minute timer and press Test to check the volume before you start.
About this tool
Five minutes is long enough to do something useful and short enough to say yes to: a quick tidy, a stretch, a short meditation, a classroom activity or the last call before a meeting starts. Teachers use a five minute timer on the board so pupils can see how long they have left without asking.
Many people beat procrastination with the "five minute rule": start a task for just five minutes, and stop when the time is up if you still want to. Usually you carry on. This timer is set to five minutes as soon as the page loads, rings on time even in a background tab, and can repeat with "Start again when it ends".
Frequently asked questions
Can I show the timer on a classroom projector?
Yes. Press Full screen to show only the timer in large digits, and press it again, or Esc, to go back.
Can I add time while it runs?
Yes. Press +1 min to add a minute at any point, or Pause to hold the time left.
Does the 5 minute timer work offline?
Once the page has loaded it runs without the internet, as long as you keep the tab open.
Can I pause the 5 minute timer?
Yes. Press Pause to stop the countdown and Start to carry on from where it stopped. Reset puts it back to 5 minutes.
Does the 5 minute timer work on my phone?
Yes. Open the page in any phone browser and press Start. Keep the page open and the sound on, and the alarm rings when the 5 minute is up, even if you switch to another app for a moment.