Twenty minutes, one countdown
Twenty minutes is long enough for a real piece of work and short enough to stay focused: a first draft, a workout, a round of revision, a quick meal. Press Start, work in any window, and the chime tells you when time is up. The tab title shows the time left, so a glance at the tab bar is enough.
A reminder every 20 minutes
The American Optometric Association suggests the 20-20-20 rule for screen work: every 20 minutes, look at something about 20 feet (6 metres) away for 20 seconds. Researchers note that the rule itself has seen little testing, but taking regular breaks from close-up focus is standard advice for tired eyes.
To use this page as a reminder, open Display and sound and tick Repeat. The timer then rings once at the end of each 20 minutes and starts the next round straight away, timed from the exact end of the last one. On a computer, tick Notify me as well to get a system notification when a round ends while you are in another app. This page opens with the calm chime rather than the beep, which is easier to hear many times a day.
Other uses
- Workouts: twenty minutes of intervals, a run or a stretching routine, with the digits full screen (press F).
- Study blocks: a shorter alternative to a 25-minute Pomodoro when concentration is low.
- Cooking and baking: the countdown keeps going exactly even if the tab is in the background.
Tips
Press M to mute a round without stopping the timer, and R to reset. Need a longer block? The 30 minute timer warns you five minutes before the end.