Track time with precision
Our free online stopwatch provides precision time tracking with millisecond accuracy. Perfect for athletes, students, professionals, and anyone who needs to measure time intervals accurately. This digital stopwatch works in your browser without installation and includes lap timing functionality for tracking multiple segments.
Millisecond Precision: Track time with 10-millisecond accuracy displayed in a clear MM:SS.CS format. This precision is essential for sports timing, scientific experiments, and competitive activities where fractions of a second matter.
Lap Timing: Record multiple lap times while the stopwatch continues running. Perfect for track practice, interval training, or any activity requiring segment timing without stopping the overall timer.
Simple Controls: Large, clearly labeled Start/Stop, Lap, and Reset buttons make the stopwatch easy to use even during physical activities. Color-coded buttons (green for start, red for stop) provide instant visual feedback.
Continuous Operation: The stopwatch continues running even if you switch browser tabs, ensuring accurate timing regardless of your browsing activity. Time tracking never pauses unless you explicitly stop it.
Click the green "Start" button to begin timing. The stopwatch immediately starts counting from 00:00.00, displaying minutes, seconds, and hundredths of seconds. Time updates continuously in real-time with smooth visual updates.
While running, click "Lap" to record a lap time without stopping the stopwatch. Each lap appears in the lap list below with a sequential number and timestamp. This is useful for tracking intervals in workouts or measuring repetitive tasks.
Click "Stop" (red button) to pause timing. The stopwatch freezes at the current time but doesn't reset. Click "Start" again to resume from where you stopped. Use "Reset" to clear the time back to 00:00.00 and erase all lap records.
Athletic Training: Runners, swimmers, and cyclists use stopwatches to time workouts, track intervals, and measure performance improvements. Lap timing helps analyze split times for each segment of training sessions.
Cooking & Baking: Time precise cooking steps like blanching vegetables (2 minutes) or proofing dough (specific intervals). Unlike countdown timers, stopwatches let you see elapsed time for recipes without exact timing.
Study Sessions: Track study time using the Pomodoro Technique or similar time management methods. Record lap times for each study block to analyze productivity patterns and maintain focus.
Work Time Tracking: Freelancers and consultants can time tasks for billing purposes. Track how long specific activities take to improve time estimates and productivity insights.
Presentations & Speeches: Practice presentations and track speaking time. Use laps to time individual sections or slides, helping you stay within time limits during actual presentations.
Games & Competitions: Time board game turns, competition rounds, or challenge activities. The precise timing adds fairness and excitement to competitive activities.
A stopwatch measures elapsed time forward from zero, while a countdown timer counts down from a set time to zero. Use a stopwatch when you want to see how long something takes, without knowing the duration in advance. Use a countdown timer when you need an alert after a specific time period.
For example, use a stopwatch to time how long it takes to complete a workout or task. Use a countdown timer to ensure you stop working after exactly 25 minutes. Both tools serve different timing needs and are useful in different scenarios.
Lap times record the total elapsed time at the moment you press the Lap button. Each lap shows the cumulative time, not the interval between laps. To calculate interval times, subtract the previous lap time from the current lap time.
For example, if Lap 1 shows 1:30.00 and Lap 2 shows 3:15.00, the second interval took 1:45.00 (3:15.00 - 1:30.00). This cumulative approach lets you see both overall progress and individual segment performance.
Start the stopwatch slightly before the activity begins if you need to include preparation time. Reaction time between seeing the start signal and clicking the button can affect accuracy for very short durations.
For repetitive activities, use lap times instead of stopping and restarting. This maintains continuous timing and provides better data about total session duration while still tracking individual intervals.
Keep the browser tab active for the most reliable timing. While the stopwatch continues in background tabs, browser performance optimizations might occasionally affect update smoothness.
Record important times externally if needed for permanent records. The stopwatch stores lap times only for the current session - refreshing the page clears all data.
Science students can time experiments like chemical reactions, pendulum swings, or ball drop tests. The millisecond precision is sufficient for most school-level physics and chemistry timing requirements.
Teachers use stopwatches for timed activities, quizzes, and classroom games. The large, clear display is visible when projecting for whole-class activities and competitions.
Always Available: No need to find a physical stopwatch or install apps. Access from any device with a web browser - phone, tablet, or computer. Perfect for unexpected timing needs.
Large Display: The digital display is larger and easier to read than most physical stopwatches or phone apps. Ideal for viewing from a distance during exercise or group activities.
Free Forever: Unlike premium stopwatch apps, this tool is completely free with no subscriptions, ads, or feature limits. Full functionality available to everyone instantly.
No Registration: Start timing immediately without creating accounts or providing personal information. Simple, fast, and privacy-focused time tracking.