2 minute timer
Two minutes is the length dentists recommend for brushing teeth, and a handy unit for short drills.
A two minute countdown, ready to start.
Ready. Press Start.
Other timers
When a 2 minute timer is useful
The best-known two minute job is brushing teeth: dental associations recommend brushing for two minutes, twice a day, and most people stop well short without a clock. Stand a phone on the shelf, press Start and keep going until the beeps.
The same length works for a speed round in a board game, a rest between sets at the gym, steeping green tea, or the "two minute rule" for small chores: if a job will take less than two minutes, do it now rather than add it to a list. In classrooms it is a common length for a think-pair-share or a quick tidy before the bell.
If the screen locks during the two minutes the beep may be held back until you wake the device, so on a phone it helps to keep the screen awake while it runs.
How this timer works
- Press Start. The time left also shows in the browser tab, so you can switch tabs.
- Three short beeps play at zero. Sound is only possible after you click, which is why it is armed by the Start button. Check your volume.
- Pause holds the time; Reset returns to the full duration. Change the minutes or seconds boxes for any other length.