Typical Use Cases

Boiling a soft-boiled egg takes exactly 7 minutes and 30 seconds. Or maybe you're doing interval running training, running for 3 minutes and resting for 1 minute per set, requiring precise time control. Or perhaps you're taking an online exam with a strict 2-minute limit per question, and you need a stopwatch to keep track. In these scenarios, a web-based stopwatch that works right in your browser is more convenient than your phone's built-in timer—no need to unlock your screen or switch between apps.

How to Use This Online Stopwatch

When you open our page, you will see a large digital display area with three buttons below it: Start, Stop, and Reset. There is also a Lap button on the right. The operation is simple:

Click the Start button to begin timing. The numbers will start ticking from 00:00.00.
When you need to pause, click Stop. The time will freeze so you can clearly see the elapsed time.
If you want to start over, click Reset to return the numbers to zero.
For running or split timing, click Lap every time you complete a lap. The list below will record the current time for easy comparison later.
To copy a specific lap time, simply click on that record row, and it will automatically copy to your clipboard.

Step-by-Step Example: Boiling a Soft-Boiled Egg

Let's walk through the actual process using boiling an egg as an example. Suppose you want to make a soft-boiled egg, and the ideal time is 6 minutes and 50 seconds (medium-sized egg, dropped into boiling water).

Open our stopwatch and click Reset to ensure it's at zero.
The moment the egg enters the pot, click Start.
Keep your eyes on the screen. When the numbers hit 06:50.00, immediately click Stop.
The stopwatch might stop at 06:50.03 (due to a fraction of a second reaction delay), but this tiny difference won't affect the taste.
You can read the result: 6 minutes, 50 seconds, and 3 hundredths of a second. Once you reach the ideal time, turn off the heat and take the egg out.

How to Read the Results

The stopwatch displays the total elapsed time from when you click "Start" to when you click "Stop", in the format MM:SS.DD (Minutes:Seconds.Hundredths). For example:

01:23.45 = 1 minute, 23 seconds, and 45 hundredths
00:30.00 = Exactly 30 seconds
10:00.00 = Exactly 10 minutes

If you use the lap tracking feature, each row in the list represents a specific time point (the cumulative time from the start to that lap). Subtracting one lap time from the next gives you the duration of that specific lap.

Common Mistakes & Pitfalls

Starting again without resetting: If you don't click Reset first, clicking Start again will resume accumulating time from where it previously stopped, rather than starting fresh. Always remember to reset before a new timing session.
Timing continues but is invisible after phone screen locks: This web stopwatch runs in the browser's foreground. If you lock your screen or switch to another app, the timer keeps running in the background, but the screen won't update, which might cause you to miss your target time. We recommend keeping your screen awake or using your device's built-in stopwatch for background timing.
Accidentally tapping the wrong button: On mobile browsers, the "Lap" button might be small and easily mistaken for the Stop button. Be precise with your taps, or pause first before recording a lap.
Slight deviations during long timing sessions: Browser timing is based on JavaScript's setInterval. When running for long periods (over 1 hour), there might be a drift of a few dozen milliseconds due to system energy-saving features. For professional sports, please use a dedicated hardware stopwatch.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q: Can this stopwatch track laps?
Yes. Click the "Lap" button on the right. Each click will record the cumulative time from the start to that exact moment, and the list will display the lap number and time. You can click it every time you complete a lap during your workout.

Q: Will the stopwatch pause if my phone is in portrait mode?
No. As long as you don't close the browser tab, the timing continues. However, if you switch to another app, the browser might be suspended by the operating system, causing the timer to pause (common in iOS Safari). We recommend keeping the page in the foreground.

Q: What is the maximum time it can track?
There is no hard limit. Theoretically, it can run indefinitely, but after 99 hours, 59 minutes, and 59 seconds, the display will cap at "99:59:59.99" and stop increasing (because of our display format limits).

Q: Is there a noticeable delay when starting or stopping?
It's typically just a few dozen milliseconds, which is almost imperceptible to the human eye. If you need precision down to 10 milliseconds, we recommend using professional sports timing equipment.

Q: Can I copy the lap time records?
Yes. Click on any row in the lap list, and the time text for that row will automatically be copied to your clipboard. You can then paste it into your notes or spreadsheets.

Q: Does this stopwatch collect privacy data?
No. All timing data runs locally in your browser, and no information is uploaded to our servers.

Important Notes

This online stopwatch is built with browser-based JavaScript, meaning its accuracy is subject to your system clock and device performance. It is perfectly adequate for everyday tasks like cooking, workouts, and office timing, but it is not suitable for official sports competitions, scientific experiments, legal evidence, or any scenario requiring certified precision. Long-duration timing may accumulate slight errors (about 0.1 seconds every few hours). Recommendation: For critical timing tasks, keep a physical stopwatch handy as a backup. If you find the stopwatch freezing or not running, please refresh the page and ensure your browser allows scripts to run.

Now you can try it out in the tool above—time an egg, track your run, or monitor your child's homework time.