> ## Documentation Index > Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.ahaslides.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further. # Use the Timer slide > Put a shared countdown on your screen and every phone, in four styles with music. Add a minute, pause or reset live, and see who has finished. ![AhaSlides Timer in preview: the presenter screen shows a ring countdown at 4:57 with Pause, Add 1 minute and Reset buttons and a count of people done, beside a phone showing the same countdown and an I'm done button](https://mintcdn.com/ahaslides/c-jYYHQvizxUfw00/images/timer-preview.png?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=c-jYYHQvizxUfw00\&q=85\&s=8d8a03031b8c2d12bfd6116f01a75b32) Group tasks, breaks and quick writing exercises all need a clock that everyone can see. Timer is an unscored slide that puts one shared countdown on your screen and on every participant's phone, in four styles with their own music and sounds. You start it, pause it or add a minute as you go, and see how many people tap **I'm done**. To add one, click **New slide** and search for **Timer**. ## Timer at a glance | | | | - | - | | Type | Unscored, no correct answer, points or leaderboard | | Find it | **New slide**, then search for **Timer** or look in the **Content** group, where it has a **Beta** tag | | Length | 1 second to 60 minutes | | Styles | Ring, Hourglass, Rocket race and Flip clock | | Audience | Sees the countdown on their phone; optional **I'm done** button | ## How to run Timer **1. Add the slide** In the editor, click **New slide**, then search for **Timer** or find it in the **Content** group. See [Add a slide with the slide type picker](https://docs.ahaslides.com/features-and-functions/using-the-slide-type-picker.md) if you haven't used the picker before. **2. Name the activity** Type what people should do in **Your question**, for example "Quick warm-up: write three ideas". It shows above the clock on your screen and on phones. **3. Set the time** Enter **Duration (minutes)** and **Duration (seconds)**. A new slide starts at 5:00. **4. Choose a style** Pick a **Timer style**: Ring, Hourglass, Rocket race or Flip clock. Switch **Music and sounds** on or off to suit the room. **5. Start it live** Click **Preview** to try it, or **Present** and share the access code. When you reach the slide, press **Start**. ## Present a Timer slide Before you press **Start**, phones show "Waiting for the presenter" and your screen shows the full time. Once it's running, both show the same countdown. While the clock runs, you have these controls on your screen: | Button | Hotkey | What it does | | - | - | - | | **Start** | T | Starts the countdown. | | **Pause** and **Resume** | T | Stops the clock for everyone, then carries on from the same second. | | **Add 1 minute** | M | Adds a minute for this run only. Not available before you start. | | **Reset** | None | Returns to the saved duration, ready to run again. | The last 10 seconds are shown as a warning. When the time is up, the clock shows "Time's up" and phones show it too. The Ring style shows the empty ring instead of text. If **I'm done button** is on, each phone shows an **I'm done** button while the clock runs or is paused. After someone taps it they see "You're done". Your screen shows how many people have tapped, for example "3 of 12 done", so you can end the activity early when most of the room has finished. ## Timer settings | Setting | What it does | Default | | - | - | - | | Your question | The title shown above the clock on your screen and on phones. | Empty | | Duration (minutes) | Minutes on the clock, from 0 to 60. | 5 | | Duration (seconds) | Seconds on the clock, from 0 to 59. The total must be at least 1 second and at most 60 minutes. | 0 | | I'm done button | Shows participants a button to tap when they have finished, and a done count on your screen. | On | | Timer style | **Ring**, **Hourglass**, **Rocket race** or **Flip clock**. | Ring | | Music and sounds | Plays a start sound, ticks in the last 10 seconds and a time's-up sound in the style you chose. | On | Changing a setting updates a clock that hasn't started straight away. A clock that is already running keeps its time until you click **Reset**. ## Use Timer in a self-paced presentation In a self-paced presentation, each person gets their own countdown. It starts when they reach the slide, and if they reload on the same device it carries on from where it was. There are no presenter controls and no **I'm done** button. ## Ideas for using Timer * **Classes**: give pairs five minutes to discuss a question, then bring the room back together when the clock ends. * **Workshops**: time a brainstorm, a sketch sprint or a reading break, and use **Add 1 minute** when the energy is still high. * **Team meetings**: keep updates, stand-ups and retros to time without anyone watching their own watch. * **Events**: count down a coffee break so everyone is back in their seat on time. ## Frequently asked questions ### Is Timer scored? No. There are no points, answers or leaderboard. ### Do participants hear the music and sounds? The music and sounds play on the presenting screen, not on phones. They follow your presentation's volume, music and sound effects settings. ### Does Add 1 minute change the saved time? No. It only extends the current run. **Reset** goes back to the duration in the settings. ### Can I use Timer to limit a quiz question? Timer is its own slide, so it doesn't add a limit to other slides. To time a question, use that slide's own time limit setting. **Have a question?** Contact our support team: if you're logged in, use the chat bubble in the bottom-right of your dashboard; otherwise [contact us here](https://ahaslides.com/contact-us/) or email [hi@ahaslides.com](mailto:hi@ahaslides.com). Want to connect with other users? Join the [AhaSlides community](https://community.ahaslides.com/) to share tips, request features, and see how others engage their audiences. This documentation is built and hosted on [Mintlify](https://mintlify.com), a developer documentation platform.