Do you work long hours in Windows 10? Do you know that your operating system has a timer and can notify you of an event or an appointment?
Although there is no official timer application in Windows 10, you can use the built-in timer in Alarms & Clock application. If you have put the food in the oven and want to play a video game or have fun on YouTube until it is cooked, the Windows 10 timer may come in handy.
It is easy to use and is a useful tool that many are not even aware of. Let's see how it works.
NOTE: The features shown are available in Windows 10 that have downloaded the November 2019 update or later. If you are using an older version of Windows 10, you may not have access to all features.
How to access the Windows 10 timer?
The Windows 10 timer is included in the Alarms and Clock application. To find it you just have to enter the word Clock. If you have Windows English try the word Alarms.
The Alarms and Clock application
The application opens, displaying four tabs at the top of the window. Click or tap the tab Timer to access the timer function.
If you like and use the Windows 10 timer frequently, you can easily create a start-up tile for this menu. Press the pushpin at the bottom right of the window.
A pop-up prompts you to confirm your selection. Click or click Yes. The tile timer will be added to the start menu and you can use it directly to open the program.
How to add times to the Windows 10 timer
In Windows 10, you can set timers for any duration, from one second to 23 hours, 59 minutes and 59 seconds. While your device is on and awake, it notifies you when the countdown reaches zero, even if your computer is locked. You can store up to twenty timers that can count at the same time.
Adding a new timer is simple. Click or click the "Add new timer" button (with the + symbol) in the lower right part of the window.
In the new timer setting window, scroll and click or tap the desired values for hours, minutes and seconds to set a duration for the timer.
You can click the name of the timer switch to change it (if you want). If you do not want to name your timers, Windows 10 makes sure they are numbered. When you have finished entering your preferences, press the Start button at the bottom to start the timer (the right arrow).
The timer is now set and starts counting to zero. No need to watch the timer, you can turn off the Alarms and Clock app when you're done. Windows 10 will let you know when the time you selected expires.
The default behavior when a timer finishes counting is to alert you by playing a tone and displaying a banner in the lower right corner of your screen. The volume of any other sound played by your computer or device is lowered to make sure you hear the alarm sound. Press or select "Reject" to stop the alert and hide the banner.
When your timers reach zero, they are not removed from the timer tool. They are stored in case you need them again. However, if you want to remove them, just press the "delete" key or the X symbol at the bottom right of the timer window.
Why use timers?
Setting up timers in Windows 10 is useful, especially if you spend a lot of time on your computer. You do not need to rely on third-party programs since Microsoft with its 20 timers logically covers even the most demanding user.