60 Second Timer
A ready-to-go 01:00 countdown -- press Start, or set a different duration below if you need one.
Keyboard: Space start/pause, R reset, Esc stop alarm.
What a 60 second timer is used for
- the reliable "exactly one minute" building block behind every longer timer on this site
- a classic "sixty-second update" radio or TV news segment format
- a speed round in many trivia and game shows
- a quick reheat check for a cup of coffee or tea
- a one-minute plank or wall-sit fitness benchmark
Why 60 seconds
Sixty seconds is, of course, one minute -- but as its own standalone timer it's useful for exactly the things that benefit from a hard, precise minute: a speed round, a "sixty-second update" news-segment format long used by broadcasters, or a one-minute fitness hold used as a benchmark test.
60 seconds = 1 minute = 1/60 hour
How it stays accurate
Like every timer on this site, this one never counts down by subtracting one second at a time -- it records the exact target end timestamp the moment you press Start, then recomputes the time left from that fixed target on every screen update. Switching tabs, minimizing the window, or letting the browser throttle a background tab doesn't cost any accuracy, because the next update still does the subtraction fresh rather than trying to catch up on missed ticks. The alarm itself is synthesized with the Web Audio API -- no audio file, nothing an ad blocker could interfere with -- and repeats until you stop it with the Escape key, the Stop alarm button, or by starting a new countdown.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a 60 second timer good for?
A few common uses: the reliable "exactly one minute" building block behind every longer timer on this site; a classic "sixty-second update" radio or TV news segment format; a speed round in many trivia and game shows.
How long is 60 seconds in other units?
60 seconds = 1 minute = 1/60 hour.
Does this 60 second timer stay accurate if I switch tabs?
Yes -- it stores the exact moment the countdown should end and recomputes the time left from that fixed target on every update, rather than counting ticks, so a background tab that gets throttled for a while doesn't cost any accuracy.
Why is 60 seconds a notable duration?
Sixty seconds is, of course, one minute -- but as its own standalone timer it's useful for exactly the things that benefit from a hard, precise minute: a speed round, a "sixty-second update" news-segment format long used by broadcasters, or a one-minute fitness hold used as a benchmark test.