How to use the online alarm clock
An afternoon alarm at 4:57 pm works well for anyone who's ducked away for a quick rest and doesn't trust themselves to wake up on their own. Set the time, choose a tone, and leave the tab open. It'll ring at 4:57 pm through your laptop or desktop speakers.
Select a sound, hit Start, and that's the whole setup. The countdown runs inside this browser tab rather than on your device's operating system, so it needs to remain open, on a phone or laptop, until the alarm actually goes off.
The advantage of a browser alarm is volume and reliability at a desk: laptop speakers are often louder and easier to hear across a room than a phone left in a bag. The catch is that it depends entirely on the tab staying open; if the browser closes or the laptop sleeps, the alarm won't fire. On a 24-hour clock 4:57 pm is written 16:57, and spoken aloud it's three minutes to five in the evening. Written the Australian way that's 4.57 pm, and typed in a hurry it's often 4:57pm. Set an alarm for 4:57 pm, set the alarm to 4:57 pm, set my alarm for 4:57 pm — all of it lands on this page and does the same thing.
Common questions
Will the alarm still ring if I close the browser tab?
No. The alarm only runs while this tab stays open — closing it, or closing the browser entirely, stops the countdown before it can ring. Keep the tab open in the background if you need it to go off later.
Does the alarm work if my laptop goes to sleep?
Not reliably. If the device sleeps or the screen locks, the browser tab pauses along with it, so the alarm may not fire on time or at all. Adjust your power settings if you're relying on this over a longer stretch.
Do I need to create an account or download anything?
No, there's nothing to sign up for and nothing to install. Pick a time and a sound, press Start, and it runs entirely in this browser tab.
Can I change the alarm sound?
Yes, there's a short list of tones to choose from before you press Start. Pick whichever one you're most likely to actually hear — softer sounds are easier to sleep through than a firm chime or bell.