Timer
Run a countdown with presets and a sound at zero, or a chronometer that logs a labelled lap every time you pause.
Last reviewed October 11, 2026
The Timer has two faces: a countdown for turn limits and demo slots, and a Chronometer that counts up and records how long each turn or round took. Both are handy when you test whether a game really plays in 45 minutes.
What this page helps you do
- Count down from a preset or a custom time, with a sound at zero.
- Time a session or individual turns with the chronometer.
- Keep a labelled history of laps.
You'll start from Tools, under the Playtesting chip.
Open the tool
In the sidebar, open Tools, click Playtesting, then click Timer.
Helpful details
- Key areas: two tabs, Timer and Chronometer.
- What you can do: switch tabs at any time; each keeps its own state while the page is open.
- Good to know: the card is listed under Playtesting only.
Run a countdown
On the Timer tab, type a number, choose Seconds, Minutes or Hours, and press the play button.
Helpful details
- Key areas: preset buttons for 30s, 45s, 1m, 5m, 10m, 15m, 30m and 1h, plus pause and reset buttons.
- What you can do: pause and resume, or reset to the time you set.
- Good to know: a sound plays when the timer reaches zero. Keep the tab's sound on and the volume up.
Time turns with the chronometer
On the Chronometer tab, press play to start counting up.
Helpful details
- Key areas: every press of pause adds a line to History with the elapsed time and a label (#1, #2, ...). Click a label to rename it ("Ana turn 1", "Setup").
- What you can do: pause at the end of each turn to log it, then play again. Reset puts the clock back to zero without clearing the history.
- Good to know: the history is stored in your browser until you clear it with the trash button, so it survives a reload on the same device.
Tips & common questions
Can I run several timers in a sequence (60 seconds to act, then 30 to discuss)? Not in one go. Set the next time after each countdown ends, or open the tool in two tabs.
Does the timer keep running in the background? Browsers slow down hidden tabs. Keep the timer tab visible during a session.
Can each player have their own clock? Use the chronometer and label each lap with the player's name. For a shared clock on an online table, the Virtual Table (Prototypes, beta) has a Timer widget.
Where did my history go? It lives in the browser you used. A different device or a cleared browser starts empty.