What this Pomodoro timer does
The Pomodoro Technique breaks work into short, focused sessions separated by breaks, so concentration doesn't have to stretch across an open-ended afternoon. This timer runs the whole cycle for you: it counts down a focus session, switches automatically to a short break, and after a set number of sessions gives you a longer long break before starting the pattern again. Every length is adjustable, and the timer keeps counting even if you switch tabs, as long as the page stays open.
How to use it
- Set your session lengths.Enter focus, short break, and long break minutes, or keep the classic 25/5/15 defaults already filled in.
- Choose your cycle.Set how many focus sessions happen before a long break — the classic technique uses four.
- Press Start.The timer counts down live. Pause at any point, or Skip to jump straight to the next phase.
- Work, break, repeat.The timer automatically switches between focus and break, and the session counter keeps track for you.
How the cycle is timed
Each focus session and break is just a plain countdown, ticking down one second at a time in the browser. What makes the pattern "Pomodoro" is the rule for when the long break arrives: after every N completed focus sessions (N is your "long break after" setting), the next break is the long one instead of the short one. Everything else — the short breaks in between, and the return to focus after every break — repeats on its own.
With the defaults — 25 min focus, 5 min short break, 15 min long break, long break every 4th session:
3 short breaks in between: 3 × 5m = 15m
1 long break at the end: 15m
Full round trip: 100 + 15 + 15 = 130m (2h 10m)
Quick example: one full round
The default schedule from the first focus session through the long break.
| Cycle | Phase | Length | Elapsed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Focus | 25m | 25m |
| 1 | Short break | 5m | 30m |
| 2 | Focus | 25m | 55m |
| 2 | Short break | 5m | 1h 00m |
| 3 | Focus | 25m | 1h 25m |
| 3 | Short break | 5m | 1h 30m |
| 4 | Focus | 25m | 1h 55m |
| 4 | Long break | 15m | 2h 10m |
Prefer a rigid single countdown instead of an auto-cycling timer — say, for a class period or a workout interval? The countdown timer and interval timer are built for that.
Who uses it, and for what
- Remote and hybrid workers who want built-in breaks instead of working straight through the day.
- Students studying in short, focused blocks between subjects.
- Writers, developers, and other deep-work jobs using a ticking timer to resist checking email or notifications mid-task.
- Anyone easing back from distraction who finds a 25-minute commitment easier to start than an open-ended one.
If you just need a single countdown with no auto-cycling, the plain online timer or countdown timer will do. For alternating equal-length work/rest blocks — like circuit training — the interval timer is the closer fit.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Pomodoro Technique?
It's a time-management method built around short, timed bursts of focused work separated by breaks — classically 25 minutes of focus followed by a 5 minute break, with a longer break after every four sessions. The idea is that a ticking timer and a guaranteed break make sustained concentration easier than an open-ended work block.
How long should a Pomodoro session be?
The classic length is 25 minutes, but there's nothing magic about that number. Many people use 30 or 50 minute focus blocks with longer breaks. This timer defaults to the classic 25/5/15 pattern and lets you change every length to fit your own attention span.
Can I change the timer lengths?
Yes. Focus length, short break, long break, and the number of sessions before a long break are all editable fields above the timer. Changes take effect the next time that phase starts, or immediately if the timer is paused.
What happens after four sessions?
By default, after every fourth completed focus session the timer switches to a longer break instead of the usual short one, then returns to focus afterward. You can change how many sessions trigger the long break in the settings.
Does the timer keep running if I close or switch tabs?
It keeps counting as long as the browser tab stays open, even in the background, but it will stop if you close the tab or the browser entirely. It does not run on a server, so there's nothing to keep it going once the page is gone.
Is there a sound when a session ends?
Yes, an optional short tone plays whenever a focus or break phase ends, controlled by the sound checkbox above the timer. Turn it off if you'd rather check the screen.
Is it free, and is my data private?
It's completely free with no sign-up. The timer runs entirely in your browser — nothing about your sessions is uploaded or stored on a server.
Accuracy & sources
The timer itself is plain second-by-second counting in the browser, and the cycle logic — when a short break happens, when the long break arrives — was checked by hand against the worked example and schedule table above.
The Pomodoro Technique is a productivity method popularized by Francesco Cirillo, not a formal technical standard, so there's no external specification to cite here the way there is for clock notation or time zones. This tool follows the widely used 25/5/15 pattern by default and lets you change every length if a different rhythm suits you better. Written and reviewed by Fletcher Langley, and re-checked whenever the tool changes — last reviewed August 2026.
About the author
Operations and workforce-systems specialist with 14+ years inside shift-based industries and payroll platforms, and a BS in Industrial Engineering. Fletcher writes and reviews the calculators, converters, and guides here — from overnight-shift math to decimal payroll hours — drawing on years spent translating between 12-hour, 24-hour, and military time for real timesheets.
Written & reviewed by Fletcher Langley · Last updated: August 2026