How to use the stopwatch
Press Start to begin timing and Stop to pause. Press Start again to carry on from where you stopped. Lap records the time since the last lap, which is handy for running laps, swimming lengths or timing each question in a practice paper. Reset clears everything.
The stopwatch works from your device’s clock, so it stays accurate even if you switch tabs. On a computer, the space bar starts and stops it and the L key records a lap.
Stopwatch or timer?
A stopwatch counts up from zero, so you find out how long something took. A timer counts down from a time you set and rings at the end, so you know when to stop. For a fixed clock time use the alarm clock, and to see how long is left until a date use a custom countdown.
Frequently asked questions
How accurate is this stopwatch?
It reads your device’s clock and shows hundredths of a second. The real limit is how fast you press the button, which is usually about a tenth of a second.
Does it keep running in the background?
Yes. It is based on the clock time when you pressed Start, so switching tabs doesn’t affect it.
What is a lap time?
The time since the previous lap. The total column shows the time since you started.