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4 Minute Timer

The 4 minute timer

Four minutes is an odd length until you need it — Tabata sets, medium-boiled eggs and the classic four-minute mile all live here.

Press start and the ring empties as the time runs down. The remaining time also appears in the tab title, so you can work in another window and still see it. When it reaches zero the tone plays until you stop it.

What 4 minute is good for

What people actually use this length for:

  • A full Tabata block of eight twenty-second efforts with ten seconds rest
  • Medium-boiled eggs with a set white and a soft centre
  • A four-minute warm-up on a rower or bike
  • Timed reading comprehension practice
  • Resting between heavy lifting sets

For interval work, start the timer as the first effort begins rather than during the count-in.

Other timers

Need a different length? Try 2 Minute Timer, 3 Minute Timer, 5 Minute Timer, 10 Minute Timer, or set any duration on the timer hub.

Questions people ask

Does the timer keep running if I open another tab?

Yes. It works from the finishing moment rather than counting ticks, so background throttling does not slow it down.

Can I change the sound?

Fifty tones are listed beside the timer, from a soft chime to a klaxon. Your choice is remembered on this device.

Will it start automatically?

Only if the site is set that way. Otherwise press start when you are ready — which is usually what you want for a preset timer.

Where to go next

This is the 4 minute timer — its own page, so you can bookmark it or send the link to someone rather than setting the duration again. If you need the time somewhere else rather than a timer, local time in every country has every country and city.