52/17 Timer
52 min focus, then a 17 min break
Space start / pause·R reset
getkappi.com
A free timer for the 52/17 rule
The 52/17 rule is simple: work for 52 minutes and then take a 17-minute break. The numbers come from DeskTime’s 2014 look at its most productive users. This timer runs the whole cycle for you. Start a focus block and when it ends the break starts on its own. When the break ends you get a chime and one button to start the next block.
How to use it
- Type the one task you’re working on. One task per block.
- Pick a rhythm. 52/17 is the default. Try 80/17 or 112/26 if you need longer stretches for deep work.
- Put your phone away. Block your distracting apps or leave the phone in another room. A timer can’t do this part.
- Go full screen and start.
- When the break starts, get up. Walk, refill your water or stretch. Don’t pick up your phone.
- Start the next block when the break chimes or stop for the day.
The presets, explained
| Preset | Where it comes from |
|---|---|
| 52 / 17 | DeskTime’s 2014 analysis of its top 10% of users |
| 80 / 17 | DeskTime’s data from February 2020 |
| 112 / 26 | DeskTime’s 2021 rerun |
| 25 / 5 | The classic Pomodoro Technique block |
Why the break matters as much as the block
Most people treat the break as dead time and fill it with their phone. That’s the one break that doesn’t help. In a 2019 study, people who took a break on a phone were slower and solved fewer puzzles afterwards than people who took the same break on paper or a computer. If you want 52/17 to work, spend the 17 minutes away from the screen.
For where the rule comes from and whether it holds up, read the 52/17 rule, explained. Want one long countdown without breaks? Use the Big Focus Timer or the Hormozi Timer.
What’s included
- 52-minute focus block, then a 17-minute break that starts on its own
- Presets for 52/17, 80/17, 112/26 and Pomodoro 25/5
- Custom focus length with a 17-minute break
- Counts the focus blocks you finish
- Skip a break or stop after any block
- Soft chime at the end of every block and break
- Giant full-screen digits and the countdown in the tab title
- Keeps your screen awake while the timer runs
- Keyboard shortcuts: Space, R and F
- No account, nothing uploaded
Frequently asked questions
What is a 52/17 timer?
It's an interval timer for the 52/17 rule: 52 minutes of focused work followed by a 17-minute break. This one starts the break on its own when the focus block ends and chimes when it's time to go again.
Where does 52/17 come from?
From a 2014 analysis by DeskTime, a time-tracking company. Its most productive users worked in stretches of about 52 minutes and took breaks of about 17. DeskTime's later reruns found 80/17 in early 2020 and 112/26 in 2021.
Why are there 80/17 and 112/26 presets?
Those are DeskTime's newer numbers. If 52 minutes feels too short for deep work, try one of the longer blocks. 25/5 is the classic Pomodoro rhythm for comparison.
What should I do during the 17-minute break?
Get up and step away from screens. Walk, get water or look out a window. A 2019 study found breaks spent on a phone left people slower and less accurate afterwards than breaks on paper or a computer.
Is this timer free?
Yes. It runs in your browser with no sign-up and nothing uploaded. It remembers your last setup on your device.
Can this timer block apps on my phone?
No. A website can't block apps. Kappi, the screen time blocker for iPhone, does that part: start a focus session and it blocks the apps you choose with Apple's Screen Time.
Keep going
Guide
The 52/17 Rule: Work 52 Minutes, Break for 17
What the 52/17 rule is, where it comes from (DeskTime's 2014 data and its 80/17 and 112/26 reruns), how it compares with Pomodoro and why the 17-minute break only works away from your phone.
Free tool
Big Focus Timer
A free full-screen countdown timer with giant digits, presets from 15 to 60 minutes, a chime at zero, keyboard shortcuts and a screen wake lock. No sign-up.
Free tool
Hormozi Timer
A free full-screen focus timer built around Alex Hormozi's kitchen timer habit: 35, 45 and 60 minute blocks, a 4 hour sprint and a count of every pause so you see how often you got distracted. No sign-up.