How the Pomodoro Technique works
The Pomodoro Technique is a time-management method created by Francesco Cirillo in Italy. The first timer he used was a kitchen timer shaped like a tomato — pomodoro in Italian — which gave the method its name. His book, The Pomodoro Technique, says to work on a single task for 25 minutes, take a 3–5 minute break, and take a longer 15–30 minute break after every four Pomodoros.
This timer starts with 25 minutes of focus, a 5-minute break and a 15-minute long break after every four focus sessions. To use a different rhythm, such as 50 minutes of focus and 10 minutes of rest, type the lengths into the boxes. When a step ends, the alarm sounds and the next step is ready. Turn on “Start the next step automatically” under More options to keep going without pressing Start.
How focus time is counted
In Pomodoro mode, only the time spent in focus sessions is added to the total; breaks are left out. If you press Reset or Skip partway through a session, the focus time up to that point stays in the total. The dots under the ring show how many focus sessions are left before the long break.
The total lasts only while this tab is open and is not saved anywhere. Closing or reloading the tab clears it, so take a screenshot if you want to keep a record.
How long a study goal takes
To reach 3 hours of focused study you need eight 25-minute pomodoros, the last one only 5 minutes long. Six short breaks and one long break fall in between, so with breaks the plan takes 3 hours 45 minutes. Here are common goals, using 25-minute focus sessions, 5-minute breaks and a 15-minute break after every four.
| Study goal | Pomodoros | Breaks | Total with breaks |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 h | 3 | 10 min | 1 h 10 min |
| 2 h | 5 | 30 min | 2 h 30 min |
| 3 h | 8 | 45 min | 3 h 45 min |
| 4 h | 10 | 1 h 5 min | 5 h 5 min |
| 5 h | 12 | 1 h 15 min | 6 h 15 min |
| 6 h | 15 | 1 h 40 min | 7 h 40 min |
| 8 h | 20 | 2 h 15 min | 10 h 15 min |
| 10 h | 24 | 2 h 45 min | 12 h 45 min |
Breaks are counted only between focus sessions, not after the last one. Enter your own goal in the calculator above to see the finish time if you start now.
Why it stays accurate in a background tab
A timer that subtracts one second on every tick falls behind once its tab is in the background, because Chrome wakes the scripts of a tab that has been hidden for more than five minutes only once a minute. This timer remembers the clock time when you pressed Start and works out the time left from the difference to the current time, so switching tabs never makes it drift. The alarm is scheduled in advance when the timer starts, so it rings on time as well.
It cannot make a sound if your computer goes to sleep or the browser is closed. On phones the alarm may not play while the screen is off, so the page asks the browser to keep the screen on while the timer runs, where supported. A muted phone may also stay silent — press Test sound first to check.
A simple countdown and classroom timer
In Timer mode, tap 1, 3, 5, 10 or 30 minutes or 1 hour to start at once. For any other length, type 30 (30 minutes), 1:30 (1 minute 30 seconds) or 1:00:00 (1 hour). The ring shrinks as time runs out, so a whole room can see at a glance how much is left; press Full screen to show it large on a classroom or meeting-room display. The time left also appears in the tab title, and the space bar starts and pauses the timer.
Copy timer link copies a link with your current settings (mode, time and study goal). Whoever opens it gets the same setup and presses Start themselves.
Pomodoro® and Pomodoro Technique® are trademarks of Francesco Cirillo. CalcLab is not affiliated with him.
Frequently asked questions
How long is a Pomodoro?
The default is 25 minutes of focus, a 5-minute break and a 15-minute long break after every four focus sessions. Francesco Cirillo's book, which introduced the technique, describes 25 minutes of work, a 3–5 minute break and a longer 15–30 minute break every four Pomodoros. You can type other lengths, such as 50 and 10.
How is my focus time counted?
In Pomodoro mode only the time spent in focus sessions is added up; breaks are not counted. If you press Reset or Skip partway through, the focus time up to that point stays in the total. The total lasts only while this tab is open and is not saved anywhere.
How many pomodoros is 3 hours of study?
Eight 25-minute pomodoros: seven full ones and a final 5-minute one. With six short breaks and one long break in between, the breaks add up to 45 minutes, so the whole plan takes 3 hours 45 minutes.
Does the timer fall behind in a background tab?
No. It remembers the clock time when you pressed Start and works out the time left from the current time, and the alarm is scheduled in advance when the timer starts. It cannot sound if your computer goes to sleep or the browser is closed.
What happens when my phone screen turns off?
The time left stays exact, but the alarm may not play while the screen is off. While the timer runs, the page asks the browser to keep the screen on, where supported. The alarm may also be silent when the phone is muted.