18 Minute Timer
Free online 18 minute timer. Perfect for TED-talk-length presentations and practice.
⏱️ 18 Minute Timer: Start a free 18-minute countdown timer instantly — no downloads, no sign-up. Just click Start.
Why use a 18-minute timer?
A 18-minute timer is useful when standard intervals (Pomodoro 25, ultradian 90, NASA nap 26) don't quite match your task. Sits between the 15-minute (3 min above) and 20-minute (2 min below) standards.
What people use a 18-minute timer for
Email triage
A capped 18-minute email session prevents inbox-creep from consuming the day.
Reading session
18-minute of focused reading delivers ~6-15 pages depending on density.
Walking break
A 18-minute walk re-energises better than another coffee for most people.
Mid-length workout
A 18-minute bodyweight circuit covers the essentials on rest days.
Long power nap
Sleep researchers note 18-minute sits between optimal nap and risking sleep inertia.
The 18-minute interval, in context
18-minute sits in the optimal-nap, optimal-task, and optimal-reading zone identified by multiple sleep and productivity research streams.
Sits between the 15-minute (3 min above) and 20-minute (2 min below) standards.
About the 18 Minute Timer
Free online 18 minute timer. Perfect for TED-talk-length presentations and practice.
Related
Frequently asked questions
Why use a 18-minute timer specifically?
18-minute blocks fit the canonical Pomodoro pattern, single test sections (most AP and SAT subsections fall here), guided meditation cycles, and sustained-work blocks for older students or focused adults. Long enough for deep work, short enough to maintain attention.
Does the 18-minute timer keep accurate time?
Yes. The 18-minute countdown uses monotonic time, so DST transitions, system clock changes, or tab backgrounding do not throw it off. End-of-window accuracy is within a fraction of a second across the full interval.
Should I take a break after each 18-minute session?
Yes. Research on the Pomodoro Technique and ultradian-rhythm work (Sonnentag, 2018) shows that breaks after 18-minute blocks restore the same prefrontal-cortex resources that sustained focus depletes. Skip the break and your next block performs measurably worse.
What happens when the 18-minute timer reaches zero?
The alarm plays and the page flashes. For 18-minute sessions you have likely shifted attention to other work — that audio cue is what brings you back. The alarm is loud enough to be noticeable across a room without being startling.