How to use the Pomodoro timer
Type your task and press Start Focus to begin a 25-minute focus session. When it ends, a gentle sound plays and a 5-minute break starts automatically; when the break ends, start the next focus session. Every fourth completed session earns a 15-minute long break, and the dots inside the ring show where you are in the cycle.
- Switch phases with the Focus / Short break / Long break buttons. Skip (S) moves to the next phase and Reset (R) restarts the current one.
- Color-coded: red for focus, green for a short break, blue for a long break. The tab title shows 🍅 or ☕ with the time left.
- Full screen (F) fills the screen with the ring and digits.
What is the Pomodoro Technique?
The Pomodoro Technique was created by Francesco Cirillo in the late 1980s, when he was a university student experimenting with a tomato-shaped kitchen timer ("pomodoro" is Italian for tomato). You work on a single task for 25 minutes, then take a short break, and repeat.
The commonly described routine is 25 minutes of focus, a break of about 5 minutes, and a longer break of roughly 15–30 minutes after every four pomodoros. This timer’s defaults (25/5/15, long break every 4) follow that routine. Knowing you only have to focus until the timer rings makes it easier to start, and regular breaks help you keep going through long study or work sessions.
Customize the rhythm
In Durations, auto-start & sound you can set focus, short and long break lengths and how often the long break comes, or pick a preset.
- 25/5 (classic): great for getting started or for tasks you can split into small chunks.
- 50/10: for deep work such as writing, coding or long reading that takes time to get into. Open with 50/10
- 15/3: a "just 15 minutes" nudge for tasks you have been putting off.
- Auto-start: by default breaks start automatically and the next focus waits for you. Turn on "Start focus automatically after a break" to run continuously.
Today’s focus log
Each completed focus session adds a line with start and end time, minutes and your task. The summary shows today’s pomodoros, today’s focus time and the last 7 days. Skipped sessions are not counted, so the log only shows focus you actually finished. Copy today’s log to paste it into a study group or work journal. The last 31 days are kept in this browser only.
Alerts in the background
The end-of-phase sound is scheduled ahead on the browser’s audio clock, including upcoming phases when auto-start is on, so it rings on time while you work in another tab or app. On a computer you can also turn on desktop notifications. Phones may pause web pages when the screen is off (and iPhone Safari tabs cannot show web notifications), so keep the screen on when using a phone; the timer asks the browser to keep it awake while running.
FAQ
Can I change the 25-minute length?
Yes. Set focus (1–180 min), short break, long break and the long-break interval in settings, or pick 25/5, 50/10, 30/5 or 15/3 with one tap. Settings are saved in this browser.
Why doesn’t focus start automatically after a break?
By default the break-end sound plays and you press Start when you are ready. Turn on "Start focus automatically after a break" for a continuous cycle.
Are skipped sessions logged?
No. Only focus sessions that run to the end are logged. Paused sessions count once you finish them.
When does the long break come?
After every 4 completed focus sessions by default. The dots inside the ring show your progress, and "Start over" next to today’s log resets the count.
What happens if I reload or close the page?
The running timer, task and log are saved in your browser and continue after a reload. If the page was closed for a long time, the timer finishes the phase that was running and then waits instead of inventing sessions you did not do.