Productivity tool

Pomodoro timer.

The Pomodoro Technique splits work into 25-minute focused intervals separated by short breaks, with a longer reset every fourth round. This timer runs the 25/5/15 cycle out of the box, plays a chime at every interval boundary, fires a system notification if you grant permission, and updates the tab title with the remaining time so you can pin it in a background tab. Press space to start or pause, R to reset the current interval, and adjust durations in the settings panel — your count and preferences persist across reloads on this device.

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Focus

Press Space to start or pause, R to reset.

Today

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pomodoros completed today

Long break after every 4 focus sessions. Resets at local midnight.

Cycle

— / 4

How to use the Pomodoro timer

A five-step walkthrough for running the classic 25/5/15 Pomodoro cycle: focused work, short breaks, and a long reset every fourth round.

Pick the task you want to focus on
Choose one specific task to work on for the next 25 minutes. The Pomodoro Technique is a single-task discipline; queueing more than one thing for a single interval defeats the purpose.
Press Start (or hit Space) to begin a 25-minute focus session
Click the Start button or press the Space key to begin the focus interval. The timer counts down on screen and the tab title updates with the remaining time so you can pin it in a background tab.
Work without switching until the chime sounds
Stay on the chosen task until the timer reaches zero and the chime plays. If a notification permission was granted, a system notification fires too. Interruptions reset the discipline — restart the interval if you context-switch.
Take a 5-minute short break when the focus interval ends
Step away from the screen, stretch, drink water, or look out a window. The timer auto-switches to a 5-minute break and starts counting down; press Start again when you are ready to resume.
After four completed pomodoros, take a 15-minute long break
On the 4th, 8th, 12th... pomodoro the timer announces a long break (15 minutes by default). Use it to fully reset — eat, walk, or let an idea incubate — before starting the next cycle.

Questions

Frequently asked questions

What is the Pomodoro Technique?

The Pomodoro Technique is a time-management method developed by Francesco Cirillo in the late 1980s. You break work into focused intervals — traditionally 25 minutes long — separated by short breaks. Each interval is called a 'pomodoro' (Italian for tomato, after the tomato-shaped kitchen timer Cirillo originally used). The structure forces a single-task discipline that pushes back against context-switching, and the regular breaks keep mental fatigue from compounding through the day.

How long is a Pomodoro session?

A standard pomodoro is 25 minutes of focused work followed by a 5-minute short break. After every 4 completed pomodoros you take a longer 15- to 30-minute break to fully reset. This timer uses 25/5/15 by default, but you can change any of the three durations from the settings panel and your preferences will persist across reloads.

When should I take a long break?

After every 4 completed focus sessions. The short 5-minute breaks are designed to keep blood flowing and reset attention without breaking flow; the long break (15 minutes by default) is your chance to step away from the desk, eat something, or let an idea incubate. The timer auto-switches to a long break on the 4th, 8th, 12th... pomodoro and announces it on screen.

Does the timer keep going if I close the tab?

No. Browser timers pause when a tab is fully closed, so the countdown stops if you close this page. The tab title also updates with the remaining time so you can keep it pinned in the background and check at a glance. If you grant notification permission, you will get a system notification when each interval ends — even if the tab is in the background — so you don't need to keep it visible.

Can I customize the focus and break durations?

Yes. Open the settings panel below the timer and set your own focus, short-break, and long-break durations in minutes. Common variations include 50/10 (deeper work with longer breaks) or 90/20 (aligned with ultradian rhythms). Your custom durations are saved to localStorage on this device, so they persist across sessions.

The Pomodoro Technique

History, structure, and the variations worth trying

The timer above runs the classic cycle, but the method behind it has a clear origin and a small family of variations. These notes explain where the technique came from, why its intervals are shaped the way they are, and how to adapt it to your own work.

Where the technique came from

The Pomodoro Technique was created by Francesco Cirillo, an Italian developer and consultant, in the late 1980s — he traces it to his time as a university student around 1987, struggling to study without losing focus. He grabbed a tomato-shaped kitchen timer, committed to a short fixed block of concentration, and the method grew from there. 'Pomodoro' is simply Italian for tomato, after that timer. Cirillo later published the technique formally and it is now one of the most widely used time-management methods in the world.

Why 25 minutes

Cirillo experimented with intervals from two minutes up to an hour before settling on 25 minutes. Shorter blocks felt too fragmented; longer ones let attention drift. Twenty-five minutes proved long enough to make real progress yet short enough that committing to it feels easy — the low barrier to starting is part of the design. The exact number matters less than the principle: one fixed, protected, single-task block followed by a deliberate pause.

The 25 / 5 / 15 structure

A standard cycle is a 25-minute focus interval (one 'pomodoro') followed by a 5-minute short break. After four completed pomodoros you take a longer break — typically 15 to 30 minutes. The short breaks keep mental fatigue from compounding; the long break is a full reset. The rhythm is the whole point: work and recovery alternate on a predictable schedule rather than being left to willpower.

Why fixed intervals help focus

A timed block externalises the commitment to concentrate, which lowers the friction of starting and creates a clear, visible boundary against interruptions. Deciding in advance to ignore distractions for one interval is easier than resisting them moment by moment. The scheduled breaks matter too: stepping away briefly lets attention recover, so the next interval starts fresh rather than on a depleted reserve. The technique turns focus into a repeatable routine instead of a daily act of willpower.

Common variations

The classic 25/5 split is a starting point, not a rule. The widely cited 52/17 pattern pairs longer focus blocks with longer breaks and suits deep work. The 90-minute pattern is built around ultradian rhythms — the roughly 90-minute cycles of higher and lower alertness that run through the day — pairing a long focus block with a substantial rest. Many people simply lengthen the focus interval to 45 or 50 minutes. This timer lets you set focus, short-break, and long-break durations yourself so you can match whichever pattern fits your work.

Where it works best — and its limits

The technique is strongest for tasks that can be sliced into discrete chunks: studying, writing, coding, admin, email. It is a weaker fit for work that depends on uninterrupted long-form flow, or for collaborative sessions where a timer cutting in would be disruptive. Treat the interval length as a dial, not a doctrine — the durable ideas are single-tasking, protected focus, and scheduled recovery.

The durable ideas are simpler than any specific number: single-task within a protected block, and follow it with a deliberate pause. The 25/5/15 split is the well-known default — adjust the durations until the rhythm fits your work.

About this timer

How we calculate this: The timer counts down the configured focus, short-break, and long-break durations and auto-advances between them, switching to a long break after every fourth completed pomodoro. The default 25 / 5 / 15-minute cycle follows the classic Pomodoro Technique; all three durations are adjustable and, with your daily session count, persist in your browser's localStorage.
Data sources: The history and structure of the technique follow Francesco Cirillo's published Pomodoro Technique. The 52/17 and 90-minute (ultradian-rhythm) patterns are widely documented productivity variations. No external data or network requests are involved — the chime is generated with the Web Audio API.
Update cadence: The technique itself is stable and the timer logic is evergreen; the countdown runs live in your browser. The explanatory content is reviewed when the described method or variations change.

Reference data for the Pomodoro timer

Reference fields include the Pomodoro Technique and its originator Francesco Cirillo, the 25 / 5 / 15-minute structure, focused-work and break terminology, and the 52/17 and ultradian-rhythm variations.

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Pomodoro timer.

How to use the Pomodoro timer

A five-step walkthrough for running the classic 25/5/15 Pomodoro cycle: focused work, short breaks, and a long reset every fourth round.

Pick the task you want to focus on

Choose one specific task to work on for the next 25 minutes. The Pomodoro Technique is a single-task discipline; queueing more than one thing for a single interval defeats the purpose.

Press Start (or hit Space) to begin a 25-minute focus session

Click the Start button or press the Space key to begin the focus interval. The timer counts down on screen and the tab title updates with the remaining time so you can pin it in a background tab.

Work without switching until the chime sounds

Stay on the chosen task until the timer reaches zero and the chime plays. If a notification permission was granted, a system notification fires too. Interruptions reset the discipline — restart the interval if you context-switch.

Take a 5-minute short break when the focus interval ends

Step away from the screen, stretch, drink water, or look out a window. The timer auto-switches to a 5-minute break and starts counting down; press Start again when you are ready to resume.

After four completed pomodoros, take a 15-minute long break

On the 4th, 8th, 12th... pomodoro the timer announces a long break (15 minutes by default). Use it to fully reset — eat, walk, or let an idea incubate — before starting the next cycle.

Frequently asked questions

What is the Pomodoro Technique?

How long is a Pomodoro session?

When should I take a long break?

Does the timer keep going if I close the tab?

Can I customize the focus and break durations?

History, structure, and the variations worth trying

Pomodoro timer.

How to use the Pomodoro timer

Pick the task you want to focus on

Press Start (or hit Space) to begin a 25-minute focus session

Work without switching until the chime sounds

Take a 5-minute short break when the focus interval ends

After four completed pomodoros, take a 15-minute long break

Frequently asked questions

History, structure, and the variations worth trying

Where the technique came from

Why 25 minutes

The 25 / 5 / 15 structure

Why fixed intervals help focus

Common variations

Where it works best — and its limits

Never miss a launch, finale, or eclipse.

Pomodoro timer.

How to use the Pomodoro timer

Pick the task you want to focus on

Press Start (or hit Space) to begin a 25-minute focus session

Work without switching until the chime sounds

Take a 5-minute short break when the focus interval ends

After four completed pomodoros, take a 15-minute long break

Frequently asked questions

History, structure, and the variations worth trying

Where the technique came from

Why 25 minutes

The 25 / 5 / 15 structure

Why fixed intervals help focus

Common variations

Where it works best — and its limits