What the Pomodoro technique is
The Pomodoro technique is a way to work in short blocks with breaks between them. You pick one task. You work on it until the bell rings. Then you stop and take a short break. After four of these focus blocks, you take a longer break. Each finished focus block counts as one pomodoro.
The method is often called the tomato timer because the word pomodoro is Italian for tomato. The name comes from a kitchen timer shaped like a tomato. The idea is simple: one task, no interruptions, and a break when the bell goes.
This page runs the timer for you. It keeps time from your computer's clock, not by counting ticks. That means it stays accurate when the tab is in the background or your device sleeps. The display refreshes several times a second. The alarm is a tone made in your browser, so nothing downloads. You can pick beeps, a chime, or silent with a flashing tab title.
How the rounds work
The default setup is 25 minutes of focus, 5 minutes of short break, and 15 minutes of long break after 4 rounds. All three numbers are adjustable. If 25 minutes feels too long or too short, you can change it. Some people use 50 minutes of focus with a 10 minute break. Others use 15 minutes of focus with a 3 minute break. The timer does not care which you pick.
The timer tracks completed rounds for you. Each time a focus block ends, the round count goes up by one. After the fourth round, the timer gives you the long break instead of the short one. Then the count resets and the cycle starts again.
Here is a worked example. You start the timer at 9:00 am with the default settings. You work until 9:25, then take a 5 minute break until 9:30. You work again from 9:30 to 9:55, then break until 10:00. You work from 10:00 to 10:25, then break until 10:30. You work from 10:30 to 10:55. That is four pomodoros. Now the timer gives you a 15 minute long break until 11:10. Then the cycle repeats.
If you reload the page while a timer is running, the timer keeps going on the same page. The end time is stored in your browser for that tab. The tab title shows the remaining time, so you can read it from another tab. Press Space to start or pause. The full-screen button shows only the clock.
Why 25 minutes is the usual length
Francesco Cirillo developed the technique in the late 1980s. He used a tomato-shaped kitchen timer and settled on 25 minutes as a workable block. The number stuck because it is short enough to start without dread and long enough to get something done. It is a convention, not a rule. You can set any length you like.
Short breaks are usually 5 minutes. Long breaks are usually 15 to 30 minutes. The 15 minute default on this page is a common choice. If you work in a noisy office or a busy home, you might want a longer break. If you are on a roll, you might want a shorter one.
The important part is the rhythm: work, break, work, break, and a longer break after four rounds. The timer handles the counting so you do not have to watch the clock.
How to use this timer
Set your focus length, short break length, long break length, and the number of rounds before a long break. The defaults are 25, 5, 15, and 4. Then start the timer and work on one task until the bell.
- Pick one task before you start. Write it down if that helps.
- Work until the bell rings. Do not switch tasks in the middle of a block.
- Take the short break when the bell goes. Stand up, stretch, or get water.
- After four rounds, take the long break. Then start again.
- Tick off each pomodoro as you finish it. The round counter does this for you.
You can type durations in several ways. Type 25 for 25 seconds, 25:00 for 25 minutes, or 1:30:00 for 1 hour 30 minutes. You can also type 90m or 1h 30m. The timer reads all of these.
If you want a plain 25 minute timer without the break cycle, the 25 minute timer page does that. For a single short break, try the 5 minute timer. The stopwatch is there if you want to time something without a countdown. And the main timer handles any length you need.
The alarm choices are beeps, a chime, or silent with a flashing tab title. The silent option is useful in a library or a shared office. The tab title still shows the remaining time, so you can see it at a glance.
Keyboard shortcuts work too. Space starts and pauses the timer. On the stopwatch, L records a lap and R resets. These are handy when you do not want to click.
The timer does not track what you did during a block. It only counts rounds and keeps time. That is the whole job. You bring the task, and the timer brings the bell.