Presentation timer
A free online speech timer: the dial turns green, amber, then red, and counts overtime after zero, so a speaker can read it from across the room. Pick a format, press Start.
Alarm & notification settings
Sound needs one tap on the page first (a browser rule). Keep this tab open: closing it stops every timer’s alarm. Why timers stay accurate in background tabs.
How long will my speech take?
Paste your script or type a word count. The estimate uses your chosen speaking pace.
Timing signals that speakers actually notice
Speech clubs and conferences have used coloured cards for decades because a speaker in full flow reads colour faster than digits. Toastmasters International, for instance, shows green at the minimum time, yellow in the middle and red at the maximum for prepared speeches. Here, the colours count down to your end time instead: green while you have plenty, amber when it’s time to head for your conclusion, red for the last stretch.
Pecha Kucha is fixed at 20 slides × 20 seconds (6 minutes 40 seconds); if you rehearse with it, the interval timer can beep every 20 seconds to pace each slide.
Questions
What do the green, amber and red colours mean?
Green means you are on track, amber means you are into the warning window (by default the last 2 minutes), and red means one minute or less. Toastmasters uses the same green-yellow-red signals for timed speeches.
Can the speaker see it from the stage?
Put the page on a laptop or tablet facing the speaker and press Full screen. The whole disc changes colour, so it reads from a distance even if the numbers don’t.
Does it show how far over time the speaker went?
Yes. When the talk reaches zero the alarm sounds and the dial switches to red overtime, counting up (+0:12, +0:13…) until you press Reset, so a chair or coach can note the overrun exactly.
How many words is a 5-minute speech?
At a typical conversational pace of about 150 words per minute (the figure the National Center for Voice and Speech gives for English), a 5-minute speech is roughly 650–750 words. Slow, deliberate delivery at 120–130 words per minute brings that down to about 600–650. Use the speech length estimator on this page to check your own script.
How long is a TED talk?
TED talks are capped at 18 minutes. The “Conference slot” preset is 20 minutes; set the talk length to 18 to rehearse a TED-style talk.
Can I send the same timer settings to someone else?
Yes. Press “Copy link to these settings” and the link opens this page with the same talk length and amber and red points, ready to start.
Does it make a sound?
A soft double clap marks the amber and red points, and the alarm sounds at zero. Turn sound off in the settings for a silent, colour-only timer.