10 Minute Timer — Free Online Countdown

Need a 10 minute timer? The one above is free, runs in your browser and keeps counting even if you switch tabs. Press start, get on with your task, and it chimes when your ten minutes are up. Use the −1/+1 buttons to fine-tune, or go full screen to put it on a classroom display.

What Ten Minutes Is Good For

• Classroom activities — a visible countdown for partner work, silent reading or pack-up time cuts down on "how long left?" questions.
• A beginner meditation or breathing session — long enough to settle, short enough to stick with daily.
• A power tidy — pick one room, set ten minutes, stop when it rings. It's surprising how much gets done.
• Hard boiled eggs — ten minutes in boiling water gives a fully set yolk. The egg timer has soft, jammy and medium presets too.
• Homework warm-ups — for younger kids, ten focused minutes is a realistic first block before a short break.
• Beating procrastination — commit to just ten minutes on the task you're avoiding. Starting is the hard part; most people keep going.

Want Longer Focus Sessions?

Ten minutes is a great starting block, but for sustained work most people use the Pomodoro Method — 25 minutes of focus followed by a 5-minute break. Try it with our 25 minute timer.

Prefer a Timer Kids Can See Without a Screen?

For classrooms and younger children, a physical visual timer shows time shrinking as a coloured disc — no screen, no tabs, no distractions. Browse our kids timers too.

Putting something off? Commit to just ten minutes, and let yourself stop when the timer ends. People tend to go back to tasks they’ve started, which is why this works so often. The Interval Atlas explains the ten-minute starter and 11 other timings, and The Flip Timer Playbook has 40 routines built from 5, 10, 25 and 50-minute blocks.

10 Minute Timer Video

Prefer a video version? Play the same countdown on YouTube — handy on a TV, classroom projector or second screen. Silent while it runs, with a gentle chime at the end.

Opens the YouTube player only when you press play. More free timer videos on our YouTube channel.

10 Minute Timer — FAQ

Will the timer keep running if I switch tabs?

Yes. The countdown is based on the clock, not the tab, so it stays accurate in the background and the alarm is scheduled to sound on time. The remaining time also shows in the browser tab title.

Can I show it full screen in a classroom?

Yes — press Full screen and the ring and digits fill the display. Press the space bar to pause or resume while in full screen.

Is it free?

Completely free, with no sign-up, no app and no ads.