How to use the stopwatch
- Press Start or the space bar to start timing.
- Press Lap or L to record a lap. Each lap shows its own time and the running total, with the fastest and slowest marked once you have three. Copy laps copies them as a table you can paste into a spreadsheet.
- Press Stop to pause, then Resume to carry on or Reset to clear it.
Uses for a stopwatch
- Timing laps, intervals and rest periods during a workout or run.
- Timing a talk, presentation or speech rehearsal.
- Science experiments and classroom races.
- Tracking how long a task really takes, to estimate better next time.
Stopwatch or timer?
A stopwatch counts up from zero until you stop it, so it measures how long something took. A timer counts down from a set time and alerts you when it reaches zero, so it tells you when to stop. For cooking, naps or exam practice, use the online timer.