Pomodoro Timer: 25-Minute Focus Timer
The classic Pomodoro Technique built into a clean web timer. 25 minutes of focused work, 5-minute breaks, with a longer 15-minute break after every 4 Pomodoros. Customisable durations, sound alert, auto-start option, browser tab title countdown so you can see the timer when working in another tab. Free, no signup, runs entirely in your browser.
About the Pomodoro Technique
The 25-minute rule
Developed by Francesco Cirillo in the late 1980s using a tomato-shaped kitchen timer (hence "pomodoro", Italian for tomato), the technique breaks work into 25-minute focused intervals separated by 5-minute breaks. The cadence is what makes it work: short enough that you can commit to one without dread, long enough to make meaningful progress on a task.
The four-block rhythm
After four Pomodoros (about 2 hours including short breaks), take a longer 15 to 30 minute break. This longer break is essential for resetting concentration and avoiding mental fatigue. Skipping it is the most common reason people burn out on the technique. Use the long break to do something completely different from your work: walk, eat, talk to someone, look out a window.
Why timed work beats untimed work
Without time pressure, work expands to fill all available time (Parkinson's Law). The Pomodoro creates artificial deadlines that focus attention. Knowing you only have 25 minutes makes you skip the email check, ignore the phone, and engage with the actual task. The break gives your brain time to process and rest.
What counts as focused work?
A Pomodoro should be uninterrupted by your phone, social media, email, or chat. Close non-essential tabs. Put your phone in another room or on silent face-down. If you remember something urgent, write it on paper to do during the break, not now. The discipline of protecting 25 minutes builds over time; the first few Pomodoros each day are usually the hardest.
Handling interruptions
Cirillo's original rule: if interrupted, pause and decide. Brief interruption (under 2 minutes): resume the Pomodoro. Longer interruption: stop the Pomodoro and restart from scratch later. This trains you to defend focus time and to set boundaries with people who interrupt frequently. Over time, the technique itself reduces interruptions because you communicate "I have a 25-minute block; can it wait?"
Customising the timer
The classic 25-5-15 rhythm is the default, but many people prefer 50-10 (longer focus blocks) for deep work, or 15-3 for shorter attention spans. The Settings panel lets you adjust. Experiment with what works for your task and energy levels. Programming and writing often benefit from longer blocks; admin work and study often work better with shorter ones.
The tab title trick
This timer updates the browser tab title with the current countdown, so you can keep the page open in a background tab and still see the time at a glance. Combined with the sound alert, you can switch to your actual work tab and trust the Pomodoro to tell you when to break.
Tracking pomodoros
The counter tracks completed pomodoros for the current session (until you reload the page). Use this as a daily productivity metric: many users aim for 8 to 12 Pomodoros (4 to 6 hours of focused work) in a working day. More is rarely realistic without sacrificing quality. The breaks are part of the productive day, not a deduction.
Combining with task lists
The Pomodoro pairs well with simple task lists. Before starting, write down what you will work on. Estimate how many Pomodoros each task will take. Compare estimates to actuals after a few days; you will discover you systematically underestimate. Adjusting future estimates is one of the biggest productivity wins from sustained Pomodoro use.
A time management method developed by Francesco Cirillo in the late 1980s. You work for 25 focused minutes (a "Pomodoro"), then take a 5-minute break. After 4 Pomodoros, you take a longer 15-30 minute break. The technique is widely used by students, writers, programmers, and anyone needing structured focus time.
Cirillo found 25 minutes was long enough to make real progress but short enough to avoid mental fatigue. Most adults can sustain deep focus for 20-40 minutes before attention starts to waver. The 25-minute Pomodoro hits the sweet spot for sustained productivity across most types of mental work.
Click Start to begin a 25-minute focus session. The browser counts down second by second, updating both the page and the browser tab title (so you can see the timer even when working in another tab). When the timer ends, a chime sounds and the next session (a 5-minute break) is queued.
Yes. Open the Settings panel below the timer to adjust focus, short break, and long break durations independently. You can also change how many Pomodoros count toward a long break (default 4). Settings apply immediately to the current timer if it is not running.
When enabled, the next timer (focus or break) starts automatically after the previous one ends. This is useful for keeping a steady rhythm without pressing buttons. Disable it if you want to manually approve each break or focus block.
After 4 Pomodoros (about 2 hours of focused work plus 3 short breaks), a longer 15-30 minute break helps reset your concentration. Use it to walk, eat, or do something completely different from your work. The long break is the most important and most often skipped part of the technique.
So you can step away from the screen during a break or focus session and still know when to switch. The default sound is a brief gentle chime. Disable it in Settings if you work in a quiet environment.
Stand up, stretch, walk around, drink water, look out a window, or do something physical. The break is for resting your eyes, brain, and posture, not for checking notifications. Doom-scrolling during breaks defeats the purpose.
The current tool lets you type one task at a time, which displays during the focus session. For multi-task tracking, write your task list on paper or in a notes app, and update the task field as you switch. The technique itself is task-agnostic.
Pause the timer. If the interruption is short (under a minute or two), resume. If it is longer, restart the Pomodoro from scratch. The technique is most effective when you commit to the full 25 minutes; partial Pomodoros are not counted. This trains you to defend your focus time from interruptions.
No. The timer stops when the tab closes. To keep it running, leave the tab open. The browser tab title updates with the countdown so you can keep it in a background window and still see the time.
Studies on the Pomodoro Technique specifically are limited but supportive. Broader research on time-boxing, task switching, and break-taking shows that scheduled rest improves performance, reduces fatigue, and helps focus across long work sessions. The Pomodoro Technique applies these findings in a simple structured way.
Yes. The timer runs in your browser. No data is uploaded, no account is needed, and your task name and settings are not stored beyond the current session. Reload the page to start fresh.