What is Meditation Timer?

A simple countdown timer with ambient sounds like rain, ocean waves, and forest. Set a duration, pick a sound, and meditate. Free and private — nothing leaves your device.

Pick from seven preset lengths or set a custom timer up to three hours. Each ambient track is generated live with the Web Audio API rather than streamed, so the sound starts instantly and works offline. Layer a warm-up countdown, add interval bells to mark progress, slide volume to taste, mute without breaking the timer, or follow box and 4-7-8 breathing prompts when you want pacing. Completed sessions stay on your device as a small streak and total-minutes log, useful for keeping a habit alive and never shared.

How to use

1. Pick how long you want to meditate
2. Choose a background sound if you want one
3. Press start and focus on your meditation. A soft bell rings when time is up.

When to use

• A 5-minute pause between back-to-back meetings to reset breath and posture.
• Falling asleep with 30 minutes of rain or wind in a noisy apartment or hotel room.
• Holding a focused 25-minute Pomodoro block with forest sound in the background.

Result

Set a 10-minute meditation with rain sounds in the background, then hear a soft bell when your session is complete.

FAQ

Where do the ambient sounds come from?

They are generated in real time with the Web Audio API. Rain layers filtered pink noise with random high-pitched droplets, ocean and wind use looping brown noise with slow gain modulation, and forest combines pink noise with quiet pitched textures. Nothing is downloaded or streamed.

Can I run the timer offline or with the screen off?

Offline yes, once the page has loaded. Phones often pause audio when the screen locks, especially with the browser in the background, so the timer is most reliable with the tab visible. Keep the device plugged in for longer sessions to avoid CPU throttling.

Why is the sound generated rather than a recorded loop?

Synthesized noise never repeats, so you don't get the looped seam that real recordings have. It also keeps the page tiny: no audio file download, no licensing limits, and the same loop can play for hours without sounding repetitive.

Does the bell at the end ring through silent mode?

On iOS, audio from a browser usually respects the silent switch and won't ring. On Android and desktop, the bell plays at the current media volume. For reliable session-end alerts on iOS, keep the ringer on or use a vibration-capable phone.

Why does my timer pause when I switch apps?

Modern browsers throttle background tabs to save battery. The countdown stays accurate because it tracks real time rather than tick counts, but audio may pause. Use a longer preset and let the bell wake you, or keep the tab visible while you sit.

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