Online Stopwatch
FreeFree online stopwatch with lap times, split recording, and keyboard shortcuts. Runs in your browser tab — no app, no download needed.
What's next
Settings guide
Keyboard shortcuts:
| Key | Action |
|---|---|
| Space | Start / Stop |
| L | Record lap |
| R | Reset |
Lap vs split: A lap records the time for that specific interval (the time since the previous lap). A split records cumulative elapsed time. This stopwatch records both for each lap press.
Background accuracy: The stopwatch uses performance.now() for high-resolution timing and Date.now() as an anchor to maintain accuracy when the tab is backgrounded. Modern browsers throttle setInterval in background tabs, but the displayed time on return is always computed from the anchor timestamp, not from interval tick count — so the displayed time remains accurate.
Printing lap records: After recording laps, use your browser's Print function (Ctrl/Cmd + P) to print the lap table, or select all and copy to paste into a spreadsheet.
Format comparison
vs your phone's stopwatch app: A phone stopwatch is always accessible if your phone is in reach. An online stopwatch is better when you are already at a computer and switching to your phone would break your workflow. It is also useful in settings where phones are restricted (exam rooms, lab environments, some workplaces).
vs a physical stopwatch: Physical stopwatches are required in some athletic and scientific contexts (official timing, anti-radio environments). For everyday use, a browser stopwatch is more convenient: always synced, always charged, and the lap data can be copied to a document.
vs a countdown timer: A stopwatch measures elapsed time from zero upward; a countdown timer measures remaining time from a set duration downward. Use a stopwatch when you want to know how long something took. Use a countdown when you need to be alerted when a specific duration has passed.
How it works
Press Start or hit Space
The timer begins counting from 00:00:00.00 with millisecond precision.
Record laps
Press L or the Lap button to record split times without stopping the main clock.
Stop and review
Press Stop when finished. Review lap times in the table below the timer. Copy or print the results.
About this format
An online stopwatch is the fastest timing tool you have access to right now. Open a browser tab, navigate here, and you are timing. No app install, no account, no loading screen. The stopwatch starts the moment you press the button.
Browser-based stopwatches have one important advantage over phone stopwatch apps: they run in the background across tabs. Start the timer on this tab, switch to your work, and the clock keeps running. Come back ten minutes later and the elapsed time is exactly right. Phone apps can be paused by the OS when they go to background; a browser timer running JavaScript is not subject to the same suspension in the same way.
This stopwatch is useful for any timed activity: cooking intervals, workout sets, coding sessions, meeting durations, reading time checks, exam practice, lab timing, or any other activity where you need elapsed time without the friction of finding and launching an app.
Lap recording captures split times without stopping — press the lap button to mark intervals while the main timer continues. Keyboard shortcuts let you control the stopwatch without taking your hands off your keyboard: Space to start/stop, L to record a lap, R to reset.