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Create your first timer

Set up a running timer in Timers Studio in under three minutes: open your room, create the timer, pick a duration mode, hit Start, share the player link.

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Create your first timer

This page walks you through running your first live timer in Timers Studio. Once you finish, a countdown will be on screen in your room, a moderator can steer it, and anyone with the player link will see the same clock tick in real time.

Prerequisites

  • A Timers Studio account with access to at least one room
  • The room ID (the part after /id/ in your Studio URL)
  • A browser tab open on timers.studio/id/<your-room>

Steps

1. Open the Studio

Go to timers.studio/id/<your-room> in your browser. The Studio loads with the DashboardPanel on the right and an empty timer list on first use.

Shortcut: press ? anywhere in the Studio to show the full keyboard map.

2. Create a new timer

In the DashboardPanel, click New timer. A form appears below the timer list. The form stays open until you confirm or cancel, so you can tweak values before pushing anything live.

3. Pick a duration mode

Timers Studio supports four timing modes. Pick one and enter the value:

  • DURATION — a countdown length, e.g. 10:00 for ten minutes.
  • FINISH_TIME — a wall-clock target, e.g. 14:30 local time.
  • TIME_OF_DAY — a clock display that shows the current time instead of a countdown.
  • COUNT_UP — a stopwatch that starts at 00:00 and counts upward.

The small preview below the form reflects what the player will render.

4. Name the timer

Type a short label in the Title field. Use something your moderator will recognise at a glance: Keynote, Speaker 1, Q&A. Titles are shown in the DashboardPanel, in the moderator view, and on the player when you enable the title overlay.

5. Start the timer

Click Start. Three things happen at once:

  • The chrono begins running in the DashboardPanel.
  • The timer row turns green to signal running state.
  • Every connected player receives the update within 100 ms through the Gateway module.

If you need to stop or reset, the same row now shows Pause and Reset buttons.

From the Share menu, copy timers.studio/player/<your-room>. Send it to your speaker, your stage display, or embed it in OBS as a browser source. The player needs no login — anyone with the link sees the live clock.

Expected result

The DashboardPanel shows one running timer with a green status. On any tab opened at timers.studio/player/<your-room>, the same countdown ticks in sync, down to the tenth of a second.

Troubleshooting

Why does the player show nothing after I click Start? Make sure the player URL uses the same room ID as the Studio URL. Also check that the room is not paused in the DashboardPanel — paused rooms do not broadcast.

Can I change the duration while the timer is running? Yes. Click Edit on the running timer, adjust the value, then confirm. The change is broadcast live to every player.

What is the difference between DURATION and FINISH_TIME? DURATION counts down from a length you set (e.g. 10:00). FINISH_TIME counts down until a wall-clock time you set (e.g. 14:30 local time). Use FINISH_TIME when your schedule is anchored to the clock rather than to a length.

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