Sand Timer
An online hourglass that drains in real time, at any duration you choose.
A physical egg timer runs for exactly as long as it runs. This one takes any duration you set and drains the top chamber over that time, so a three minute sand timer and a twenty minute one look the same and behave differently. Pick a length below or type your own, then fullscreen it for the room.
Quick Timers
More ways to run this timer
Proven Timer Pages
Name, share, or schedule a custom countdown →Related Timers
Embed this timer
Paste this into any page — a class blog, a lesson plan, a meeting agenda — and visitors get a working sand timer with no script tag, no account and no tracking. Please keep the credit link.
About the Sand Timer
A free online sand timer. The hourglass drains in real time for any duration from one minute upward, big enough to read across a classroom, with an alarm when the last grain falls.
TimerHub calculates remaining time from an absolute finish timestamp, so missed browser callbacks do not create drift. Read the timing accuracy methodology and reproducible tests.
Common Uses
- Turn-taking in group work
- Board game moves
- Transitions between activities
- Timed writing bursts
- Waiting-turn support for younger children
How to Use the Sand Timer
- Click Start (or press Space) to begin your 3 minute countdown
- Press Space again to pause and resume, or R to reset the timer
- Tap a duration chip, or click the countdown to type any time you need
- Use the Fullscreen control below the timer for a large full-screen countdown (Esc to exit)
- Choose or mute the alarm sound from the sound settings in the header
- Add
?autostart=1to the link to start the countdown on load - Enable notifications for alerts when your sand timer finishes, even in a background tab
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the sand drain at a constant rate?▾
Yes. The top chamber empties linearly over whatever duration you set, so half the sand has fallen at the halfway point regardless of whether you chose two minutes or twenty.
Is this good for children who cannot read a clock yet?▾
That is exactly what it is for. The amount of sand left is readable at a glance with no numbers involved, which is why sand timers are still standard in early-years classrooms.
Can I put this on a projector or smart board?▾
Yes. Press Fullscreen under the timer and the drawing fills the display at whatever size the screen allows. Esc exits. For a Chromecast or AirPlay setup, cast the browser tab and then go fullscreen on the source machine.
Can I embed this timer in my own page?▾
Yes. Every timer here has a copy-and-paste embed code that drops a working countdown into a class blog, a lesson page or a school site, with no account and no script tag.
Does it need an account or an app?▾
No. It runs in the browser with no signup, no install and no ads, which is what makes it usable on a locked-down school machine.