Skip to the content
Peabody TeachFor teachers and grown-ups

5 minute timer

A 5 minute countdown timer for the projector: big digits, a quiet chime, warning colours and full screen. Good for warm-ups and think-pair-share.

Ready

5:00

Keys: Space start or pause · R reset · ← → 30 seconds · 1–8 the presets · M sound · F full screen

How to use it

  1. The timer is already set to 5 minutes. Press Start, or tap the Space bar.
  2. Press F to fill the screen. The buttons fade away until you move the mouse; press Esc to come back.
  3. Add or take off 30 seconds with the arrow keys. If you need a different length, press a preset or choose Custom.

Ideas for class

  • Use five minutes for a bell-ringer so students begin the moment they sit down.
  • Run a five-minute think-pair-share: one minute to think, two to talk, two to share out.
  • Give a five-minute exit ticket and collect them at the door.
  • Time a five-minute independent practice before checking answers together.
  • Use it for a five-minute brain break with movement and a calm reset.
  • Set five minutes of tidy-up at the end of a messy project.
  • Split 5 minutes into 4 to work and 1 to share: press Start, and pause at 4:00 elapsed to switch.

Related

Questions

Why is a 5 minute timer the most searched classroom timer?

Five minutes is a natural unit: long enough to start and finish something small, short enough to fit between bigger parts of a lesson. It is also easy to adjust. Add 30 seconds if the class needs a little longer, or press the 3 minute preset.

Is 5 minutes enough for a warm-up or a quick write?

Many teachers pick 5 minutes for a bell-ringer or a short writing task because it is long enough for real thinking but short enough that the class is not waiting. If students finish early, give them a second question; if many are not finished, press the right arrow key to add 30 seconds without stopping the clock.

How do I change the 5 minute timer?

Press a preset button or choose Custom and type a length such as 7:30 or 90s. The page address updates to carry the new length, so you can bookmark it or share it. This page always opens at 5 minutes.

Will the 5 minute timer keep the right time if the tab is in the background?

Yes. The countdown compares the clock when you pressed Start with the clock now, so it stays right when a tab sleeps. When it reaches zero it plays a short, soft chime (press M to turn the sound off) and the page title in the tab says the time is up.

Nothing you do here is sent to us. Names, lists and settings stay in this browser. No sign-in, no ads.