FREE · ONE TAP · ALARM
2 Minute Timer
A free 2 minute timer with an alarm, already set. Press Start and it counts down, full screen if you like, and rings at zero.
2 minute timer
Press Start or the space bar.
Space start or pause · R reset · F full screen · Esc exit
The short answer
A 2 minute timer counts down 120 seconds and rings at zero. Press Start above and it runs right away, with a kids view and full screen. Two minutes is how long dentists recommend brushing your teeth, and the size of a habit start in the two-minute rule: begin with a version that short.
What fits in 2 minutes?
Two minutes is long enough to finish a small job and short enough that you rarely talk yourself out of it.
- Brush your teeth. The American Dental Association recommends two minutes, twice a day, with a soft-bristled brush. Turn on the kids view so children can watch the disk shrink.
- Start the task you keep avoiding. Open the document and write the first line. Starting is often the hard part; see the two-minute rule.
- A two-minute tidy. Put away ten things, or clear the kitchen counter. Stop when the alarm rings, even if you are not finished.
- Stand up and stretch. Reach up, roll your shoulders, touch your toes. A small break from the chair between tasks.
- Plan tomorrow's top three. Write the three things that would make tomorrow a good day, then close the notebook.
How to use the 2 minute timer
- Press Start. The timer is already set to 2 minutes. The space bar starts and pauses it too.
- Need a different time? Type it in the box, such as 7, 7m 30s or 7:30, and press Set. Or tap another preset.
- Make it big. Full screen (or F) shows only the countdown. Kids view shows a big colored disk that shrinks as time runs out.
- When it rings, press Stop alarm or the space bar. Restart runs the same 2 minutes again; +1 min snoozes for a minute.
The timer saves the moment it will end on your device, so it stays accurate in a background tab and after a reload, and the time left shows in the tab title. The page has to stay open for the alarm to play.
Frequently asked questions
How long should you brush your teeth?
Two minutes, twice a day, with a soft-bristled toothbrush, according to the American Dental Association. A 2 minute timer with the kids view turned on shows children how much brushing is left.
What is the two-minute rule for habits?
It means scaling a new habit down to a version that takes two minutes or less, such as reading one page instead of a chapter. Once starting is automatic, you make it longer.
Can the alarm keep ringing until I stop it?
Yes. With Repeat until I stop it switched on, the sound plays again every few seconds until you press Stop or the space bar, for up to two minutes. Switch it off for a single ring.
How do I set 2 minutes 30 seconds?
Type 2:30 or 150s in the box and press Set. The timer accepts minutes and seconds with a colon, units such as 2m 30s, or a plain number of minutes.
Sources and evidence
- American Dental Association: Toothbrushes — The consensus recommendation is to brush for two minutes twice a day with a soft-bristled toothbrush.
Updated .