Free Online Stopwatch

Precise stopwatch with lap timer — free, instant, no signup required.

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How to Use the Stopwatch

1

Start the stopwatch

Click Start to begin timing. The display updates in real time showing minutes, seconds, and hundredths of a second.

2

Record laps

Click Lap while running to record split times. Each lap is listed below the timer with its individual and cumulative time.

3

Reset when done

Click Reset to clear the timer and all laps. You can pause and resume without losing your time.

Frequently Asked Questions

How accurate is this stopwatch?

It uses the browser's high-resolution timer and updates every 10ms, giving hundredths-of-a-second precision — accurate enough for most timing needs.

Does it work in the background?

Yes. The timer continues running even if you switch tabs. The elapsed time is calculated from the start timestamp, not from frame updates.

How many laps can I record?

Unlimited. All laps are listed in the scrollable panel below the buttons.

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What this online stopwatch does

A stopwatch measures elapsed time counting up from zero — press Start, and it tracks hours, minutes, seconds and hundredths until you press Stop. This one runs entirely in your browser: nothing to install, no signup, and it keeps counting accurately even if you switch tabs, because it measures real clock time rather than counting screen refreshes.

Use the Lap button to record split times without interrupting the count — handy for interval training, timing laps in sports, tracking how long each step of a task takes, or timing multiple attempts in a row. Reset clears everything for a fresh start.

Stopwatch vs timer: which one do you need?

People mix these up constantly. A stopwatch counts up from 0:00 and answers "how long did this take?" A timer counts down from a value you set and answers "tell me when the time is up." If you want an alarm after a fixed period — say 25 minutes of focused work — use our countdown timer or the Pomodoro timer instead.

Common uses

Frequently asked questions

How accurate is this stopwatch?

It reads your device's system clock, so displayed time stays accurate to within a few hundredths of a second — even when the tab is in the background.

Does it keep running if I close the tab?

No. Closing the tab ends the session. Keep the tab open (it can be in the background) while timing something important.

Is anything uploaded?

No — the stopwatch runs 100% locally in your browser. Nothing you time is sent anywhere.

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