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25 minute focus timer

Pomodoro timer with focus sounds

Focus
25:00
Cycle 1 of 4
How to use it

The Pomodoro technique, in short

25 minutes of focus, a 5 minute break, four rounds. No account needed.

How the Pomodoro technique works

Francesco Cirillo came up with the method in the late 1980s and named it after his tomato-shaped kitchen timer. It has four steps:

  • Pick one task.
  • Work on it for 25 minutes without switching.
  • Take a 5 minute break.
  • After four rounds, take a longer break of 15 to 30 minutes.

Why 25 minutes

Twenty-five minutes is long enough to get real work done and short enough that starting doesn't feel heavy. The break comes before your attention fades, so the fourth round feels closer to the first.

If 25 minutes cuts you off mid-thought, set a longer focus in the timer settings, or try the focus timer for 45 to 90 minute blocks.

Get more from each round

  • Silence your phone. A buzz breaks focus even if you don't look.
  • Close feeds and chats until the round ends.
  • Pick 1 to 3 tasks before you press Start, and keep only those in mind.
  • Leave the screen on breaks. Stand up and look at something far away.
  • Use a steady sound like brown noise or rain to cover noise around you.

Make it yours

Open the timer settings to change focus from 5 to 90 minutes, breaks from 1 to 30 minutes, and rounds from 1 to 8. Add a background sound: forest rain, waterfall, brown noise, storm at sea, fireplace, rapids or a quiet café. Your choices stay saved in this browser.

Need longer stretches? The focus timer runs 45 minute blocks, or up to 90, and repeats until you finish. Open the focus timer

Questions

Common questions

What is a Pomodoro timer?

A timer that splits work into short rounds of focus with breaks in between. The classic setup is 25 minutes of focus and a 5 minute break, repeated four times. This one runs that setup by default and tells you which round you're on.

How long should the long break be?

The method suggests 15 to 30 minutes after four rounds. When the last round ends, the timer shows how much you focused. Take your long break, then press Start again.

Does the timer play sounds?

A soft chime marks the end of each focus and break. You can also play a background sound while you work, like brown noise, rain or a quiet café, and choose whether it keeps playing on breaks.

Will it keep time if I switch tabs?

Yes. The timer counts from the clock, so it stays right while you work in other tabs. Keep this tab open so the chime can play. If you reload the page, the timer picks up where it was.

Do I need an account?

No. Your settings and today's focus time are saved in this browser. Create a Karter account when you want daily focus training and your progress on every device.

Beyond the timer

A timer helps you use your focus. Karter trains it.

Karter is an app that trains focus and concentration. Short daily exercises build the skill: breathing to settle your mind, reflection to see where attention drifts, and reaction drills for steady attention. Then this timer puts it to work.

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