Pomodoro Timer
Runs locallyInput stays in your browserFree, no sign-up
The Pomodoro Technique is deliberately simple: work in 25-minute focused blocks, rest for 5 minutes, and take a 15-minute long break after every four blocks. The hard part was never the rule — it is having a timer that runs the whole loop without nagging you. A phone's built-in timer handles one countdown at a time, so you end up manually resetting it between focus and break, and the ritual dies within a day. This tool encodes the full cycle as a small state machine — focus, short break, long break — advancing from one phase to the next in the order you configured, so you never reset anything by hand. Each tick recomputes remaining time as end-timestamp minus now instead of decrementing a counter, which means the display self-corrects even when the browser throttles background tabs: switch away, come back, and the time is still right. A progress ring around the clock shows at a glance how far through the current phase you are, no number-reading required.
Three ways people actually use it. First, exam prep and thesis writing: slice a big task like 'memorize 50 words' or 'finish chapter two' into pomodoros, one task per block, and physically leave the desk during breaks. Twenty-five minutes is long enough to get into flow and short enough to stay fresh, which is why study groups swear by the rhythm. Second, deep work for programmers and writers: silence notifications, start one pomodoro, and keep your hands off the phone until the ring closes. Four blocks is nearly two hours of genuinely focused output — far more honest than 'I sat at my desk all afternoon.' Third, a trick for procrastination: promise yourself just one pomodoro. A 25-minute commitment feels trivially small compared to 'finish it today,' and once you start, you rarely stop at one.
A few things to know. Every duration is adjustable — focus from 1 to 180 minutes, short breaks 1 to 90, long breaks 1 to 120, and the number of focus blocks before a long break from 2 to 12 — but changes only take effect from the next phase; the phase currently running never stretches or shrinks mid-way. The timer needs the tab to stay open: closing the tab or the browser stops it, and reopening will not resume the interrupted phase. Your settings and today's stats persist in the browser's local storage, but an in-progress phase must be restarted. The end-of-phase sound needs the tab open, the sound option enabled, and the device unmuted with the browser allowed to play audio. Today's counters reset at local midnight and do not sync across devices.
Privacy is straightforward: your task name, duration settings, and today's stats live only in this device's browser storage and are never uploaded anywhere. No account, no sign-up. You can wipe everything by clearing the site's data in your browser settings. On a shared computer, remember to clear it when you are done.
How to use
- Check the focus, short-break, and long-break durations under Settings (defaults 25/5/15 minutes) and optionally name your current task.
- Hit Start to begin a focus block — the ring shows live progress; pause, reset, or skip the phase anytime.
- A sound plays when a phase ends and the next one begins; today's pomodoro count and focused minutes add up below the ring.
FAQ
Does it have to be 25 minutes? Can I change the durations?
Yes — focus can be set anywhere from 1 to 180 minutes, short breaks 1 to 90, long breaks 1 to 120, and you can choose how many focus blocks come before a long break (2 to 12). The classic 25/5/15 split works because 25 minutes is enough to enter flow without fatigue, and 5 minutes is enough to drink water, look away from the screen, and roll your shoulders. Start with the defaults for a week, then tune to your own rhythm; changes apply from the next phase onward.
Is the timer still accurate if I switch tabs or lock the screen?
Yes. Every refresh recomputes remaining = end timestamp minus now, so background-tab throttling cannot make it drift — the number is correct when you come back. But once the tab is closed, JavaScript stops and so does the timer; the interrupted phase has to be restarted.
Does it move to the next phase on its own?
By default, no — you press 'Start next phase' yourself. That pause is intentional: it gives you a conscious switch between rest and focus instead of sliding into non-stop work. If you prefer an unbroken loop, tick 'Start the next phase when the current one ends' in Settings.
When do today's stats reset? Do they sync across devices?
They reset at local midnight. Stats live only in the current browser's local storage on this device — they are never uploaded, so another device or browser will not see them.
No sound when a phase ends — what should I check?
Three things: the tab is still open (a closed tab stops everything), the 'Play a sound when a phase ends' option is ticked, and your device is unmuted with the browser allowed to play audio. Some browsers only allow sound after you have interacted with the page once — clicking Start covers that.