30 Second Timer
Press Start and it counts down 30 seconds on a big display, then rings with the sound you pick. Space starts and pauses.
30 seconds
Alarm: Bell
Spacestart or pauseRreset+ / −a minuteFfull screenMmute
Sound and moreBell
A different length
How this works: 2 sources, Checked against 1 worked example,
How this works
Sources
How it’s tested
One worked example for this page is checked by automated tests before every release: given the inputs, the tool must show the expected answer.
Changes
- Added 10, 20, 30, 45 and 90 second timer pages, each with its own uses, a table and cited facts.
- A timer opened from a link no longer resets on reload, a tap brings the sound back after one, and on phones Start is on the first screen.
- First published.
Half a minute, well spent
Thirty seconds is a common hold for stretching. The American College of Sports Medicine’s advice for adults is about 60 seconds of stretching in total for each major muscle group, on at least two days a week, and two holds of thirty seconds is an easy way to get there. Start the timer once you feel the stretch, breathe slowly, and swap sides at the ring. The same half minute suits a beginner’s plank, a wall sit or a calf-raise hold.
It is also the length the British Heart Foundation suggests for a quick pulse: count the beats you feel at your wrist for thirty seconds and double the number. In circuits, thirty seconds of work with ten, fifteen or thirty seconds of rest is a common pattern for beginners, and the table shows how long each block lasts. Outside the gym, half a minute is a speed round in a quiz, a stand-in for a board game’s lost sand timer, or a short pause for everyone to write down an answer.
- The ACSM recommends flexibility exercises for each major muscle-tendon group, about 60 seconds per exercise, on at least two days a week. Source: Garber et al., ACSM position stand on the quantity and quality of exercise for adults (Med Sci Sports Exerc, 2011).
- To check your pulse, the British Heart Foundation suggests counting the beats for 30 seconds and doubling the number, or counting for a full minute. Source: British Heart Foundation, Checking your pulse.
Rounds of 30 seconds on, with 10, 15 or 30 seconds of rest
Total time for a block of 30-second rounds, counting the rest after each one.
| Rounds | 30 on, 10 off | 30 on, 15 off | 30 on, 30 off |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | 2:40 | 3:00 | 4:00 |
| 5 | 3:20 | 3:45 | 5:00 |
| 6 | 4:00 | 4:30 | 6:00 |
| 8 | 5:20 | 6:00 | 8:00 |
| 10 | 6:40 | 7:30 | 10:00 |
| 12 | 8:00 | 9:00 | 12:00 |
| 15 | 10:00 | 11:15 | 15:00 |
| 20 | 13:20 | 15:00 | 20:00 |
30 seconds in other units
| Unit | Value |
|---|---|
| Milliseconds | 30,000 |
| Minutes | 0.5 |
| Share of an hour | 0.833% |
| Times it fits in an hour | 120 |
| Times it fits in a day | 2,880 |
Frequently Asked Questions
How long should I hold a stretch?
Thirty seconds is a common hold. The American College of Sports Medicine suggests about 60 seconds in total per muscle group, so two 30-second holds, or a few shorter ones, both get you there. Stretch to mild tension, never pain, and breathe normally.
How do I take my pulse in 30 seconds?
Sit quietly for a few minutes, then find the pulse at your wrist, below the thumb, with two fingers. Start the timer, count each beat until it rings, and double the count to get beats per minute. Count for a full minute if the beat feels irregular.
How do I repeat a 30-second timer?
When it rings, press Space (or the button) to stop the alarm, then Space again to start the next 30 seconds. For rounds that run on their own, with rest in between, the interval timer repeats them for you.