A Stopwatch When You Need One
Your phone has a stopwatch buried in the clock app. Your computer probably doesn't have one at all. When you need to time something right now — a workout interval, a cooking step, a presentation practice run — hunting through menus wastes the seconds you're trying to count.
This online stopwatch opens instantly in your browser. Start timing with one click. Record laps, pause and resume, see milliseconds if you need them. Bookmark it and you're always one click away from accurate timing.
Key Features
Millisecond Precision
Displays hours, minutes, seconds, and milliseconds. Accurate enough for sports timing and precise measurements.
Lap Recording
Press lap to record split times without stopping. Review all laps with individual and cumulative times.
Pause & Resume
Stop the clock whenever needed and pick up exactly where you left off. Perfect for interrupted activities.
Keyboard Shortcuts
Space to start/stop, L for lap, R to reset. Keep your eyes on what you're timing, not the screen.
Common Uses
Workout Training
Time intervals for HIIT workouts, rest periods between sets, or running laps around a track. The lap feature tracks each interval so you can compare performance across your session.
Cooking
Searing steaks for exactly 3 minutes per side, steeping tea for the right duration, or timing multiple dishes to finish together. Having a visible timer prevents overcooked meals.
Presentations and Speeches
Practice talks with the stopwatch running to ensure you hit your time target. Record lap times at section transitions to identify which parts run long.
Games and Competitions
Time puzzle solving, speedrun attempts, or competitive activities where exact duration matters. Millisecond display catches close finishes.
Productivity
Track how long tasks actually take versus estimates. Time-boxing with a visible clock increases focus and helps calibrate future planning.
How Lap Timing Works
When you press the lap button, the stopwatch records the current total time and the interval since the last lap. Both appear in your lap list.
Split time: Total elapsed time when you pressed lap.
Lap time: Duration of just that lap (split minus previous split).
This dual display lets you see both individual segment performance and cumulative progress. Runners use split times to track pace; interval trainers focus on lap times to ensure consistent effort.
Tips for Accurate Timing
Use keyboard shortcuts — Clicking buttons introduces reaction time delay. Hitting spacebar while watching your subject is faster and more accurate.
Keep the tab visible — Background tabs may throttle JavaScript timing. For maximum accuracy, keep the stopwatch tab in the foreground.
Account for reaction time — Human reaction time is roughly 150-300ms. For precise measurements, consider this inherent delay in your start/stop actions.
FAQ
How accurate is the stopwatch?
Accuracy depends on your browser and system, but modern browsers maintain millisecond precision. For casual timing, it's more than sufficient.
Will it keep running if I switch tabs?
Yes, the timer continues in the background. However, the display may update less frequently until you return to the tab.
Can I export my lap times?
Lap times display on screen and can be copied manually. For extensive data collection, consider dedicated sports timing software.
Does it work offline?
Once loaded, the stopwatch runs entirely in your browser and doesn't require an internet connection to function.