# Pomodoro Timer

> Free Pomodoro timer with customizable focus, short break, and long break lengths, an audio chime, and a session counter. Keeps accurate time even in a background tab.

Work in focused 25-minute sessions with short breaks, and take a longer break every fourth session. A chime marks each change, and the timer stays accurate even when the tab is in the background.

*Interactive tool: enter your values at https://toollantern.win/pomodoro-timer/ and results update instantly in your browser.*

## What this timer does

The Pomodoro timer implements the Pomodoro Technique: you work in focused intervals (traditionally 25 minutes), take a short break (5 minutes), and after four focus sessions take a longer break (15 to 30 minutes). The timer counts down the current phase, plays a chime when a phase ends, and tracks how many focus sessions you have completed.

## Why it works

Fixed intervals make starting easier, because committing to 25 minutes feels small, and they make stopping easier too, because a break is always near. The technique was developed by Francesco Cirillo in the late 1980s and named after the tomato-shaped kitchen timer he used. Research on attention supports the underlying idea: brief, regular breaks help sustain concentration better than long unbroken stretches.

## Accurate in background tabs

Browsers slow down timers in background tabs to save battery, which makes naive countdown timers drift. This timer instead records the exact clock time when each phase should end and recomputes the remaining time from the system clock on every tick, so switching tabs or minimizing the browser does not lose time.

## Tips for good sessions

- Pick **one** task before starting the timer and put your phone face down.

- If a distraction pops up, jot it on paper and return to the task instead of switching.

- Use breaks to stand, stretch, and look away from the screen. Avoid starting a new task during a 5-minute break.

- After four sessions, take the full long break. Skipping it leads to the same fatigue the method prevents.

## Customizing

The defaults are 25 minutes of focus, 5-minute short breaks, a 15-minute long break every 4 sessions. Longer creative work often suits 50/10, and some people prefer 90-minute deep-work blocks. Change the numbers above and press Reset to apply them.

## Frequently asked questions
### What is the Pomodoro Technique?

A time-management method where you work in focused 25-minute intervals separated by 5-minute breaks, with a longer 15 to 30 minute break after every four intervals. It was created by Francesco Cirillo in the late 1980s.

### Why is it called Pomodoro?

Pomodoro is Italian for tomato. Cirillo named the technique after the tomato-shaped kitchen timer he used as a university student.

### Does the timer keep working if I switch tabs?

Yes. It computes remaining time from the system clock rather than counting ticks, so background tabs, minimized windows, and screen locks do not make it drift.

### Can I change the 25-minute default?

Yes. Set any focus, short break, and long break lengths above, plus how often the long break occurs, then press Reset to apply.

### Is there a sound when a session ends?

Yes, the timer plays a short chime through your device speakers using the Web Audio API. Make sure your volume is up and the tab is not muted.

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Interactive version: https://toollantern.win/pomodoro-timer/