2 minute timer, 120 seconds on a big clock.

A 2 minute timer counts down 120 seconds and rings at zero. This one has a chime at halfway so you know when a minute has passed, optional ticks for the last 10 seconds, a rounds setting for repeats, and a full screen mode you can read from across a room. It keeps time in a background tab and carries on after a reload.

How to use the 2 minute timer

1. Press Start or the space bar. The countdown begins at 2:00 and the line under the numbers shows the clock time it ends.
2. Pick a label under What is it for?, or type your own in Label. It shows above the countdown, in the tab title and in the alarm notification.
3. Choose Rounds if you want the 2 minutes to repeat. A single bell marks the end of each round and the next one starts at once.
4. Pick the alarm Sound and the Volume, and press Hear the sound to check it before you start.
5. Tick a soft cue if you want one: Soft chime at halfway or Tick the last 10 seconds.
6. Press Pause to hold the time and Resume to carry on. +1 min adds a minute. When it rings, press Stop the alarm, or Start again to run it once more.

Brushing teeth for two minutes

The American Dental Association recommends brushing teeth twice a day for two minutes with a fluoride toothpaste (see the ADA's toothbrush page, checked 24 Oct 2026). Two minutes feels long when you watch no clock, so a visible ring helps. Tick Soft chime at halfway: the chime when 1:00 is left is a natural moment to move from the top teeth to the bottom ones. This page only times; it is not dental advice, and your dentist can tell you what suits you.

Rest between sets

If your training plan gives a two minute rest, press Start the moment a set ends and let the bell tell you the rest is over. Rounds will not help here, because they run back to back and the timer cannot tell when each set is done. Press Start by hand after every set instead, and keep the label on Rest so the tab title says what you are waiting for.

The two minute rule

Some people follow a simple rule: if a task would take two minutes or less, do it at once rather than adding it to a list. A timer makes the rule real. Start it, do the job, and see whether you finish. If the bell rings first, the job is bigger than it looked, and you can move it to a proper slot with a longer timer such as the 5 minute timer.

Rounds of two minutes

2 minutes in other units

Not quite two minutes? Use +1 min to make it three, or type another time such as 150s under Any other time. Pressing +1 min while the alarm rings starts a new one minute countdown, like a snooze.

A two minute reset between tasks

Between two jobs, use two minutes to reset your desk: close the files you are done with, write the next step on a note, and stand up once. Pick the label Tidy sprint so the tab title tells you what the time is for. Because the ring is small and slow, glance at it rather than watch it. When the bell rings, you are ready for the next job without a cluttered start.

Two minute hold or interval

If you time a hold, such as a plank or a wall sit, two minutes is 120 seconds, and the chime when 1:00 is left tells you that you are halfway. Choose Beep or Digital watch for the alarm if you cannot look at the screen. Hold only what is safe for you, and stop whenever you need to; the timer does not coach or measure effort.

Which sound for a short timer

The bell is long and rings out for about a second and a half, which suits a quiet room. The beep is short and sharp and suits a noisy one. The chime is gentle. Press Hear the sound for each before you start, so the alarm does not surprise you.

Common problems

• The halfway chime did not play. Make sure Sound is not set to No sound. Ticking the box while the timer runs books the chime, as long as the halfway point is still ahead.
• You paused near halfway. When you resume, the halfway chime is booked again only if the halfway point is still ahead of you.
• No sound at all. Press Hear the sound, and check the volume on the computer as well as the slider.