2 Minute Timer
A two minute countdown. The length dentists recommend for brushing your teeth, and the length of the well-known two-minute rule.
No signup. Works in any browser. A clear sound when time is up.
Brushing for the full two minutes
The NHS and the American Dental Association both advise brushing for about two minutes, twice a day. Most people stop well short without noticing. Start the timer when you start brushing and give each quarter of your mouth about 30 seconds. For children, it helps to have the countdown where they can see it.
The two-minute rule
From David Allen's book Getting Things Done: if a task takes less than two minutes, do it now instead of writing it down. A timer keeps you honest about what really fits in two minutes. If it sounds and you are not finished, the task goes on the list.
Other two minute jobs
- Rest between heavy sets in the gym
- A plank hold, once 60 seconds feels easy
- Green tea, which turns bitter if it brews much longer than two or three minutes
How the timer works
- Press Start and it counts down. Change the hours, minutes or seconds first if you need a different length.
- It works from your device clock, so it stays right in a background tab, and the time left shows in the tab title.
- Pick an end sound (chime, bell, beep, gentle or silent). The full screen button puts the timer alone on the screen.
- Keeps working offline once the page has loaded. No account, nothing to install.
Frequently asked questions
How long should I brush my teeth?
About two minutes, twice a day, is the standard advice from dentists. This timer gives you exactly that.
Can kids use it?
Yes. Put it on full screen on a tablet in the bathroom so they can watch it count down.
What sound plays at the end?
A chime by default. You can switch to bell, beep, gentle or silent from the menu under the timer.
Do I need an app?
No. It runs in the browser. Add the page to your home screen if you want it one tap away.
Further reading
Other timers
Need to count up instead? Use the online stopwatch.