20 Second Timer
A 20-second countdown with an alarm. Press Start or hit the space bar.
Space start / pause · R reset · F full screen
What a 20-second timer is good for
- Handwashing for the recommended 20 seconds
- Tabata work intervals (20 on / 10 off)
- Short sprints
How to use it
- Press Start. The ring empties as time runs down and the tab title shows the time left.
- Need more time? Press +1 min, or Pause and Resume whenever you like.
- At zero the alarm rings for about 40 seconds. Press Stop alarm to silence it.
- Pick a different sound or turn on a desktop alert under the clock. Your choice is remembered.
Questions
How do I set a 20-second timer?
This page is already set to 20 seconds. Press Start (or the space bar). When it reaches zero the alarm rings and the tab title changes to “Time's up!”.
Will the alarm ring if I switch tabs or lock my screen?
Switching tabs is fine: the alarm is scheduled on your device's audio clock when you press Start, so it rings on time even in a background tab. Keep the tab open and your volume up. On a phone you can switch apps or lock the screen and the alarm still plays, but if another app plays video or music, the phone gives the sound to that app and the alarm is silenced.
Can I change the timer from 20 seconds?
Yes. Tap a preset under the clock, use +1 min while it runs, or open the custom timer to set any hours, minutes and seconds.
Does the timer keep counting if my computer is slow?
Yes. Timer Owl counts down against the real clock rather than counting ticks, so it doesn't drift when your browser is busy or throttled.