Set the timer to 171 seconds

How to use the online timer

You don't need an app with music and a voice guiding you through everything; sometimes 171 seconds of quiet and a plain countdown is all a short meditation needs. Set the timer, close your eyes, and let your mind wander back to your breath whenever it drifts instead of checking how much time is left. The silence at the end does more work than most guided sessions manage.

It runs the moment you hit Start, no extra steps needed before the numbers begin moving. Because everything happens inside this browser tab, it needs to remain open while the clock runs; switching tabs is fine, but closing the page or turning off your screen partway through will stop the countdown. A sound marks the finish, so you'll know the moment it's done without having to watch it count down.

Setting an egg timer or fumbling with a phone app both work, but neither is as quick as a browser tab you already have open. There's no app store, no update prompt, and no login screen between you and starting the count. It's free and needs no registration, it works on any device with a browser, and closing other tabs won't affect it as long as this one stays open. If you would rather say put a timer on for 171 seconds, that works too — press Start and the page does the rest.