Stopwatch
A free online stopwatch with lap and split times, eight face designs, your own accent colour and fifty-one alert tones.
Using the stopwatch
Press start, or tap the space bar. L records a lap and R resets. Laps are listed newest first, showing both the split for that lap and the total elapsed time.
The stopwatch measures elapsed time from a monotonic browser clock, so it stays accurate even if your system clock is adjusted while it runs.
When laps matter
Laps are the difference between timing something and understanding it. Running intervals, swimming sets, timed drills, rehearsal run-throughs, cooking stages and speed tests all get more useful when each segment is recorded rather than only the total.
If you need to count down instead of up, use a countdown timer. If you want fixed work and break cycles, the Pomodoro timer handles the switching for you.
Questions people ask
How accurate is the stopwatch?
It reads a monotonic browser clock, accurate to the hundredth of a second and unaffected by your system clock being adjusted while it runs.
Does it keep running if I switch tabs?
Yes. Elapsed time is measured rather than counted, so nothing is lost in the background.
What are the keyboard shortcuts?
Space starts and stops, L records a lap, R resets.
What is the difference between a lap and a split?
A lap is the time for that segment alone. A split is the total elapsed at that point. Both are listed for every lap you record.
Can I save my laps?
They stay while the page is open. Reloading clears them, so copy anything you want to keep.
How many laps can I record?
There is no fixed limit — the list grows as you record, newest first.
Can I change how the stopwatch looks?
Eight faces and a full colour picker sit beside it, and your choice is remembered on this device.
Why does the ring go round once a minute?
It shows the seconds within the current minute, so you can read progress at a glance without focusing on the digits.
Is this suitable for timing races?
For training and club use, yes. Official competition needs certified equipment with a hardware trigger.
Can I run a stopwatch and a timer at the same time?
Open them in two tabs. Each keeps its own state.
Why does the display show hundredths and not thousandths?
Because hundredths are as fine as a human hand on a button can meaningfully resolve. Anything smaller is measuring your reaction, not the event.
Does it work on a phone?
Yes. Keep the screen on if you need to watch it, since a locked screen suspends the page.
Where to go next
This page is stopwatch. The rest of the site starts from world time, where you can read the time in any country, territory or US state.
- Countdown timer — count down from any length you set
- Pomodoro timer — work and break cycles counted for you
- Chess timer — two clocks, increments and the usual time controls
- Alarm clock — ring at a set time while the tab stays open
- current time around the world — the current time in every country, territory and US state