Countdown timer

A kitchen timer and a countdown to a date

The tool does two things. In length mode it works like a kitchen timer: set five minutes and wait for the beep. In date mode it counts to a moment you choose, be it midnight on New Year's Eve, the start of a match or the end of a shift.

Write the length however feels natural. A number with no unit is read as seconds, so 90 is a minute and a half. 1:30, 5 min and 1h 30min all work too.

It keeps running while you look elsewhere

The end is held as a fixed moment, not as a counter ticking down. Switch to another tab or minimise the window and the browser will redraw less, but the remaining time is still measured against the clock. When you come back you see the right value, not one a minute behind.

The sound at the end

The beep is synthesised in the browser: no audio file is downloaded and the countdown works offline. The sound can be turned off, and when you turn it back on one beep plays immediately so you know what is coming and how loud it is.

Frequently asked questions

Will I hear the beep if I close the page?

No. The countdown lives only in the open tab. You can leave it in the background, but not close it.

Can I pause the countdown?

Yes. Pause stops the clock and resume picks up where you left off. Reset returns the countdown to the length you set.

What is the countdown to a date for?

For long waits: to the end of a probation period, to a wedding, to a deadline. It shows days, hours, minutes and seconds.

Does it work on a phone?

Yes, but phones often suspend the tab once the screen goes dark. For long countdowns an alarm clock is the more reliable choice on mobile.