The Pomodoro
technique.

What is the Pomodoro technique?

The Pomodoro technique is a time-management method created by Francesco Cirillo. A timer is one part of it: the wider method also includes planning tasks, handling interruptions, estimating effort, and reviewing completed work. You can explore those practices on Francesco Cirillo’s official Pomodoro Technique website (opens in a new tab).

The familiar starting point is 25 minutes of work followed by a 5-minute break, as described in The Open University’s guidance on the Pomodoro technique (opens in a new tab). Our browser timer uses that rhythm and prepares a 15-minute break after your fourth completed focus interval.

How to use our Pomodoro timer

1. Choose a concrete task. Make it small enough to start: “outline the introduction” is clearer than “write the report”. Add it to the task list.
2. Start a focus interval. Choose Focus and press Start. Work on the task until the timer ends. Keep a note of unrelated ideas to return to later.
3. Take the short break. Press Start break when you are ready. Step away from the task, stretch, or get some water.
4. Repeat, then take a longer break. The timer prepares a long break after four completed focus intervals. Every interval starts manually, so you decide when to continue.
5. Review what moved forward. Mark completed tasks and look at today’s session total. Use what you learned when choosing the next task.

Using it as a study timer

Give each session a clear activity: work through three practice questions, recall the main ideas from a chapter, or revise one section of your notes. At the end, note what still needs attention before taking a break.

These are suggestions for organising a session, not a promise of better grades. Choose an interval that fits the work and adjust it if needed.

Adjust the rhythm to your day

Can I change the 25-minute interval?

Yes. Our timer supports 1–120 minutes for focus and each break. Open Settings to choose your durations. Custom intervals are an adaptation of the usual starting rhythm. Changes apply to the next interval; reset to apply them immediately.

What if I get interrupted?

If it can wait, add it to the task list and return to your current task. If it needs your attention now, pause or reset the timer. Resetting or changing modes does not count the unfinished interval as completed.

Do I need a physical timer or an app?

A physical timer and a browser timer can both mark a work interval. Use whichever fits your environment. This webpage needs no installation or account. The countdown and sound continue while you read this guide or use another tab. Keep this site open in a tab and your device awake. Closing the tab, navigating it to another website, or browser suspension can stop the alarm. After reloading, enable sound again.