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3 Minute Timer

Your 3:00 countdown is set: press Start (or Space) and the alarm rings after three minutes. Handy for black tea, instant noodles, boxing rounds and timed speaking practice.

3:00
Ready

Presets

Shortcuts: Space start / pause · R reset · F fullscreen. Add ?m=2 to the address for a custom length. Keep this tab open; the countdown stays accurate in the background.

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How to use the 3 Minute Timer

  1. Press Start or hit the Space bar. The 3:00 countdown begins immediately.
  2. Want a reminder midway? Tick Soft chime at the halfway mark to hear a gentle chime at 1:30 left.
  3. Fine-tune the length with the ± buttons or pick another preset.
  4. Choose an alarm sound and volume, then press Play test sound to check you can hear it.
  5. When time is up, press Stop alarm or Space. Press R to reset to 3:00.

How long is 3 minute?

Measure3 Minute equals
Minutes3 min
Seconds180 s
Milliseconds180,000 ms
Hours0.05 h
Share of a day0.208% (1/480 of a day)
Walking at 5 km/h (3.1 mph)about 0.25 km (0.16 mi)
Speaking at 130 words per minuteabout 390 words
Reading at 230 words per minuteabout 690 words

What you can do in 3 minute

ActivityWhy 3 minute works
Black teaMany black teas steep for 3 to 5 minutes
Instant noodlesThe usual cooking time on the packet
Boxing roundA standard professional round lasts 3 minutes
Speaking practiceAbout 390 spoken words, a typical short talk
Soft-boiled eggAround 3 minutes for a very runny yolk once the water boils
Quick tidyClear a desk or load the dishwasher before the alarm

How the countdown keeps exact time

When you press Start, the timer records the end moment as start time + 180,000 ms on the browser's monotonic clock (performance.now()). Every screen update subtracts the current time from that end moment instead of counting ticks, so a throttled background tab or a busy computer cannot make it fall behind. Pausing stores the time left, and Resume sets a new end moment that far in the future.

Frequently asked questions

How do I set a 3 minute timer?

It is already set to 3:00. Press Start or Space and it counts down to zero, then the alarm rings until you stop it.

How many seconds are in 3 minutes?

3 minutes is 180 seconds or 180,000 milliseconds, which is 0.05 hours (1/20 of an hour).

How long is a boxing round?

Professional boxing rounds are 3 minutes with 1 minute of rest; many amateur rounds are also 3 minutes. Use the interval timer if you need automatic rest periods.

Can I pause the timer?

Yes. Press Pause (or Space) and Resume to continue from the same time. Reset (R) returns to 3:00.

Does it work on my phone?

Yes. It works in any modern mobile browser. Keep the screen on, because some phones pause web pages when the screen locks.

Can I open it at another length?

Use the presets, the ±1 min buttons, or add ?m= with a number of minutes to the address, for example ?m=4.

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