How to use the 5 minute timer
- The timer is already set to five minutes. Press Start or the space bar.
- Pause and resume with the same button, or tap ＋1 min if you need longer.
- When time is up, the alarm sounds, the screen flashes and phones vibrate. Pick the alarm sound below the timer.
- Use ⛶ for full screen so everyone in the room can see it.
What a five minutes timer is good for
Five minutes is one of the most searched timer lengths. It is the standard Pomodoro short break, the brew time for many herbal teas, about four minutes for a French press plus pouring, and a common limit for lightning talks and classroom activities. Use it to tidy a room, answer messages in a burst, or give children a five-minute warning before leaving the playground.
The countdown is measured against the clock, so it stays accurate in a background tab, and the remaining time shows in the tab title. Need a different length? Tap one of the quick times or type your own. Everything runs in your browser with no app or sign-up.
FAQ
Is 5 minutes enough for a break?
Yes. The Pomodoro technique uses 5-minute breaks between 25-minute focus sessions.
Will the alarm go off if my phone screen locks?
Keep the screen on for the alarm to sound reliably; many phones pause web pages when locked. The timer tries to keep the screen awake while it runs.
Can I pause the timer?
Yes. Press Pause and then Resume. Reset starts it again from five minutes.