---
title: "Getting Started with Focus Timer"
source: https://fieldbw.com/docs/focus-timer/getting-started
---

# Getting Started with Focus Timer

## What It Is

[Focus Timer](/focus-timer) is a minimal, single-purpose timer for focused work sessions. Inspired by Dieter Rams' principle of "less, but better" — it does one thing: count down.

No task lists, no stats, no gamification. Just a timer.

## How to Use It

1. **Pick a duration** — choose 15, 25, or 45 minutes
2. **The timer starts immediately** — a green wedge shows remaining time, shrinking as you work
3. **When time is up**, a gentle tone plays

That's it. No configuration needed.

## Pop Out Window

Click the pop-out button to open the timer in its own browser window. Resize it, tuck it in a corner of your screen. The main tab and pop-out window stay in sync — controls in either window update the other.

The browser tab title also counts down, so you can see remaining time at a glance even when the tab is in the background.

## Light and Dark Mode

Toggle between light and dark themes. The timer remembers your preference between sessions.

## Install as a Web App

Focus Timer works as a Progressive Web App (PWA). On supported browsers, you can install it to your dock or home screen for quick access without opening a browser tab.

On macOS Safari or Chrome, look for the install option in the browser's address bar or menu.

## The Design

The circular dial with a shrinking green wedge is deliberately simple — visible at a glance from across the room, without demanding attention. The interface avoids clutter so you can focus on the work, not the tool.