Visual Timer
A classroom-friendly timer: a colour disk, hourglass or water that empties as time runs out.
ready
Quick answer
A visual timer shows the time remaining as a shrinking disk, an hourglass or draining water, so children and classrooms can see how long is left at a glance, without reading numbers.
- Choose Disk, Hourglass or Water under Picture.
- Set the Length in minutes, or type your own.
- Press Start (or Space).
- Press Reset to run it again.
Reviewed by the TimerHub team · Last reviewed November 4, 2026 · Data sources
Related tools
- Countdown TimerSet a custom duration and count down to zero. Perfect for cooking, meetings, and focus.
- Study TimerStructured study sessions with focused blocks and timed breaks for optimal learning.
- Pomodoro Timer25-minute focus sessions with breaks, plus today's sessions, a 26-week focus heatmap and your streak.
- StopwatchMeasure elapsed time with precision and record laps. Great for workouts and races.
- Reaction Time TestClick when the box turns green to measure your reaction time in milliseconds.
- Interval TimerAlternate between work and rest periods automatically. Perfect for HIIT and Tabata.
How to use it
- 1
Pick a length
Tap a preset or type any number of minutes.
- 2
Choose a picture
Disk, Hourglass or Water. Press M to switch; your choice is remembered.
- 3
Start
The disk shrinks, the sand runs or the water drains, in rose that turns amber as time runs low and green when it's done.
- 4
Go full screen
Project it for the whole class: the screen glows with the colour of the time left, and a bell rings at zero.
Perfect for every need
Classrooms
Show students exactly how much time is left for an activity.
- Independent work
- Tests
- Clean-up time
Kids at home
Make time visible for children who can't read a clock yet.
- Screen time
- Teeth brushing
- Homework
Meetings & focus
A calm, glanceable timer for talks, stand-ups and focus blocks.
- Presentations
- Timeboxing
- Workshops
Frequently asked questions
What is a visual timer?
A visual timer shows remaining time as a shape that shrinks, rather than only as numbers. It helps children, neurodivergent learners, and whole classes see at a glance how much time is left.
Does it keep time if I switch tabs?
Yes. It is based on the real clock, so it stays accurate in a background tab and rings when time is up. Closing the tab stops it. On a phone, the browser may pause a background tab or a locked screen: the time is still right when you come back, but the sound can't play while it's paused, so keep the screen on.
How do I show it on a projector?
Press “Full screen” (or F) to fill the display with the timer. The whole screen takes on a soft glow in the colour of the time left, rose, then amber, then green, changing slowly with no flashing. Press Esc or “Exit full screen” to return.
Can it look like an hourglass or water?
Yes. Under Picture, choose Disk, Hourglass or Water, or press M to switch. The hourglass sand and the water level follow the real clock. With reduced motion turned on in your device settings, the falling sand and the waves stay still.
What do the colours mean?
Rose means there is plenty of time, amber means time is running low (the last fifth), and green means time is up. The time left is always shown in numbers too.