Half an hour is a complete unit of work or exercise — long enough for something substantial, still easy to commit to. This free 30-minute timer counts down full-screen with an alarm and holds accurate time even when the tab is in the background.
What is a 30 minute timer good for?
- A 30-minute workout, run or HIIT session
- Cooking and baking — the most-timed task there is
- A focused work or study block before a break
- Capping a meeting, a call or screen time for kids
How this 30 minute timer works
Press Start and the countdown runs full-screen in your browser; press it again to pause and resume, hit Reset to return to 30 minute, or +1 min to extend. You can also press the spacebar to start or pause. It is wall-clock accurate, so it stays correct even in a background tab, and it rings when it reaches zero. Need a different length or a stopwatch and date countdown? Open the full timer.
Frequently asked questions
What is a 30-minute timer most used for?
Cooking is the classic — countless recipes call for 30 minutes in the oven or on the hob, and a reliable alarm means nothing burns while you do something else. It is also a standard workout length (a 30-minute run, HIIT or strength session) and a realistic deep-work block for many people before a break. Because this timer works out the time left from your device’s clock, the countdown stays exact while you switch to another app, and the alarm sounds as soon as the page is back on screen.
Does the timer keep accurate time if I switch tabs?
Yes — the 30 minute timer stays wall-clock accurate in a background tab. Instead of counting ticks (which browsers throttle in background tabs), it records the exact end time and works out the remaining time from your clock on every update, so the figure on screen is always correct. When you return to the tab the display instantly shows the true time left. The alarm tone is generated with the Web Audio API and plays when the countdown reaches zero with the page on screen, so keep the tab visible if you need the sound at the exact second.
Will it make a sound when it finishes? Is it free?
Yes to both — the 30 minute timer rings at zero and is completely free. When the countdown reaches zero it plays three short rising tones and the card flashes with a “Time’s up” message, so you are notified even with the sound off — use the speaker button to mute or unmute. The first time you press Start the browser unlocks audio from that tap, which is why a timer you start yourself can ring later. It runs entirely in your browser, needs no sign-up, and nothing is uploaded.
Can I pause the 30 minute timer and pick it up later?
Start becomes Pause once the 30 minute timer is running, and pressing it freezes the remaining time on screen. Resume works out a new end time from the moment you press it, so nothing is lost while the countdown sits paused. Reset clears the pause and returns the display to 30:00. The pause lives in the page only, so reloading the tab starts you back at a full thirty minutes.