Pomodoro Timer
Work in focused 25-minute sprints with timed breaks. Start a session, let the timer advance through focus and break phases automatically, and watch your completed pomodoros add up.
Reviewed by the CalcCafe editorial team · Last updated 18 July 2026 · How we test our tools
Example
Say you sit down at 9:00 to clear a report. Press Start and work until the 25-minute focus session hits 00:00 — the timer switches itself to a 5-minute short break and keeps running. After the break it returns to focus automatically. Repeat, and when your fourth pomodoro completes (around 11:00 with standard settings), the timer gives you a 15-minute long break instead. In one morning cycle you get roughly 100 minutes of deep work plus scheduled recovery, and the Completed pomodoros counter shows exactly how many sessions you finished. Prefer longer sprints? Set focus to 50 and breaks to 10, then press Reset to apply.
How it works
The timer counts down once per second from your focus length (default 25:00). When it reaches zero it advances the phase on its own: after a focus session it starts a short break, and after every fourth focus session it starts a long break; after any break it returns to focus. Pause freezes the countdown, and Reset returns to a fresh focus session using the minute values in the three inputs. Everything runs locally in your browser tab — there is no server clock involved.
Good to know
The technique comes from Francesco Cirillo, who timed his university study sessions with a tomato-shaped kitchen timer (pomodoro is Italian for tomato) in the late 1980s. The classic rhythm is 25 minutes of single-task focus, a 5-minute break, and a longer 15–30 minute break after every fourth session. The short interval matters: 25 minutes is long enough to get real work done but short enough that starting never feels daunting, which is exactly where procrastination usually wins.
Timeboxing beats willpower because it changes the question you ask yourself. Instead of “can I finish this whole project?” the commitment is only “can I work on it for one pomodoro?” — a promise almost anyone can keep. The visible countdown also creates mild, useful urgency, and the enforced breaks prevent the slow attention fade that turns hour three of “focus” into unproductive browsing.
Interruptions are part of the method, not a failure of it. Cirillo's rule: when a thought or request intrudes, jot it on a list, then return to the task immediately — handle the list during a break. If an interruption genuinely cannot wait, void the pomodoro and start a fresh one afterwards rather than resuming a broken session. The standard lengths are also just defaults: popular adaptations include 52/17 (from workplace time-tracking data) and 90-minute blocks aligned with the body's ultradian rest–activity cycle. This timer accepts any minute values you like.
One technical caveat: browsers deliberately slow JavaScript timers in background tabs to save battery, so if you switch away for a long stretch the countdown can drift by a few seconds (occasionally more on mobile). For second-accurate sessions, keep the tab visible — for example in a small pinned window beside your work.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Pomodoro Technique?
It is a time-management method created by Francesco Cirillo: work in focused 25-minute sessions separated by 5-minute breaks, with a longer 15-30 minute break after every fourth session. Each focus session is called a pomodoro.
Can I change the focus and break lengths?
Yes. Enter any minute values in the focus, short-break and long-break fields, then press Reset to apply them. Common variations include 50/10 for deep work and 15/3 for tasks you are dreading.
Is my data uploaded anywhere?
No - this timer runs entirely in your browser and keeps working offline once the page has loaded. Nothing you do here is sent to a server.
Why does the timer drift when the tab is in the background?
Browsers throttle JavaScript timers in inactive tabs to save power, so a backgrounded countdown can lose a few seconds. Keep the tab visible, or expect small drift and treat the timer as approximate when it runs in the background.
People also ask
Why is it called a pomodoro?
Pomodoro is Italian for tomato. Francesco Cirillo used a tomato-shaped kitchen timer as a student, and the name stuck to both the 25-minute work session and the technique itself.
What should I do if I get interrupted mid-pomodoro?
Write the interrupting thought or request on a list and return to your task immediately, then deal with the list during a break. If the interruption truly cannot wait, abandon the session and start a fresh pomodoro afterwards.
How many pomodoros should I aim for in a day?
Most people manage 8-12 genuine pomodoros (about 3.5-5 hours of deep focus) in a full workday once meetings and admin are subtracted. Start by tracking a normal day, then set a realistic daily target from that baseline.
Is Pomodoro good for ADHD?
Many people with ADHD find the Pomodoro Technique helpful because it replaces an open-ended task with a short, external deadline, builds in breaks before attention runs out, and makes starting feel manageable. It works best when you adjust the intervals to what you can actually sustain, for example 15 minutes of focus if 25 feels too long, and use the timer's automatic phase changes so you do not have to remember to stop. It is a productivity tool rather than a treatment, so this is general information, not medical advice.
Is Pomodoro 20 or 25 minutes?
The classic pomodoro is 25 minutes of focus followed by a 5-minute break, which is what Francesco Cirillo settled on and what this timer uses by default. Twenty minutes is a common variation for people who find 25 too long to start, and nothing breaks if you shorten it. Change the focus input to 20 and press Reset to run that version.
Is 25/5 or 50/10 Pomodoro better?
Both keep the same 5-to-1 work-to-break ratio, so the choice depends on the work. 25/5 suits tasks you are avoiding, shallow work, and anyone new to the technique, because a short sprint is easy to start and the frequent breaks limit fatigue. 50/10 suits deep work like coding or writing, where getting into a flow state takes time and a break every 25 minutes would interrupt it. Try 25/5 for a week, then switch this timer to 50 and 10 and see which leaves you with more finished work.
Related calculators
Sources & references
These tools follow our methodology and provide educational estimates only — verify important figures with a qualified professional.