Pomodoro Timer
Work in focused 25-minute sessions with 5-minute breaks and a longer one after every fourth. Name your task, press Start, and the timer carries you from focus to break and back.
Tap anywhere to turn the alarm sound back on.
Settings
No focus sessions yet today
What is the Pomodoro Technique?
The Pomodoro Technique is a time-management method developed by Francesco Cirillo in the late 1980s. You work in focused 25-minute blocks called pomodoros — Italian for tomato, after the tomato-shaped kitchen timer Cirillo used as a student — separated by 5-minute breaks, and take a longer 15–30-minute break after every four.
It works because it turns an open-ended task into a short, finite one. A deadline 25 minutes away is easier to start on than one next week, the break is always in sight, and counting pomodoros shows you how long work really takes.
How to use the Pomodoro Technique
Pick one task
Write what you are working on in the box above the timer — one task, specific enough to start right away.
Focus for 25 minutes
Press Start. Work on that task only until the alarm rings. If a distraction pops up, note it down and carry on.
Take a 5-minute break
Stand up, stretch, get water, look out of a window — anything but more screen work. The break starts on its own if you leave auto-start on.
Repeat, then rest longer
After every four focus sessions, take a longer 15–30 minute break. The dots under the timer show where you are in the set.
Popular Pomodoro variations
| Style | Focus | Short break | Long break | Good for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Classic | 25 min | 5 min | 15–30 min | Most work and study |
| Deep work | 50 min | 10 min | 30 min | Writing, coding, design |
| Starter | 15 min | 3 min | 15 min | Getting going on a task you are avoiding |
| Long block | 90 min | 20 min | — | One big focused push per morning |
Set any of these in Settings; your choice is remembered next time.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Pomodoro Technique?
A time-management method developed by Francesco Cirillo in the late 1980s. You work in focused 25-minute intervals called “pomodoros”, separated by 5-minute breaks, and take a longer break of 15–30 minutes after every four. The name is Italian for tomato, after the tomato-shaped kitchen timer Cirillo used as a university student.
Why is a Pomodoro 25 minutes?
Twenty-five minutes is long enough to make real progress and short enough that staying focused feels achievable, with a break always in sight. It is a starting point, not a rule: many people prefer 50 minutes of focus and a 10-minute break for deep work, or 15 and 3 when they are struggling to get going. Change the lengths in Settings.
What should I do during a Pomodoro break?
Step away from the task and, ideally, the screen: stretch, walk, refill your water, rest your eyes on something far away. Avoid email and social media — they tend to swallow the break and the next session with it.
Does the Pomodoro timer work in a background tab?
Yes. Each session’s alarm is scheduled ahead on the browser’s audio clock, so it rings on time while you work in another tab, and with notifications on you also get a pop-up. With auto-start on, the break begins by itself when a focus session ends.
Does it keep track of my sessions?
Yes. The tally under the settings counts today’s completed focus sessions and minutes, and resets at midnight. It is stored only in your browser — there is no account and nothing is uploaded.
What happens if I reload the page in the middle of a session?
The session carries on. The end time is saved in your browser, so the timer shows the right time left when the page comes back, along with your task and your place in the set.
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Last reviewed October 31, 2026