How to study with the Pomodoro Technique
Study Timer is a free Pomodoro timer for students. Split your revision into focused 25-minute sessions with short breaks in between, and see how much you've studied today. There's nothing to sign up for or install.
- Pick one task. Add it to your task list. “Read chapter 4” or “20 practice questions” works better than “study biology”.
- Focus for 25 minutes. Work only on that task. If something else comes to mind, write it down and get back to work.
- Take a 5-minute break. Stand up, stretch, get some water. Try to stay off your phone.
- Every 4 sessions, take a longer break. Rest for 15–30 minutes. The timer switches to a long break automatically.
Why it works for studying
It makes starting easier. Committing to 25 minutes feels manageable, even when a whole chapter doesn't.
It protects your focus. Regular breaks help you stay sharp through a long revision day instead of fading after the first hour.
It shows your real study time. Counting sessions tells you how much focused work you actually did, which is often different from how long you sat at your desk.
Choosing your session lengths
The classic setup is 25 minutes of focus and a 5-minute break. For deep work like essays or problem sets, try the 50/10 timer, the 52/17 method or a 90-minute session. If you'd like a reward built in, the Animedoro timer leaves time for an anime episode after each session. On days when it's hard to get going, start with 15 minutes. You can change all of these in Settings.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Pomodoro Technique?
It's a time-management method developed by Francesco Cirillo in the late 1980s. You work in focused intervals, traditionally 25 minutes, each followed by a short break, with a longer break after every four. “Pomodoro” is Italian for tomato, after the tomato-shaped kitchen timer Cirillo used as a university student.
Can I change the length of the sessions?
Yes. Open Settings to set the length of focus sessions, short breaks and long breaks, and how many focus sessions come before a long break. You can also have breaks and focus sessions start automatically.
Does the timer keep running if I switch tabs?
Yes. The timer is based on the clock, so it stays accurate in a background tab. When a session ends it plays a chime and, on browsers that support it, shows a notification.
Why can't I hear the chime on my iPhone?
Your iPhone or iPad is probably on silent, which mutes sound from web pages. To hear the chime anyway, open Settings and turn on Ring even when my phone is on silent. It may pause music playing in another app when the chime rings.
Are my tasks and stats saved?
Yes. Your task list and study history are saved in this browser on this device, and there's no account. Clearing your browser data will reset them.
Are there keyboard shortcuts?
Press Space to start or pause, R to reset the current session, S to skip to the next one, and F to switch full screen on or off.
Can I make the timer full screen?
Yes. Press the full-screen button at the top of the page, or F on a keyboard. Everything except the timer is hidden and, on devices that support it, the screen stays on. Press Esc or the exit button to go back. On iPhone, where web pages can't go full screen, you still get the timer-only view; turn the phone sideways for the biggest timer.
Is Study Timer free?
Yes, it's completely free to use.