Maybe you’re running laps and trying to beat a personal record or you might have a turkey in the oven that you need to tend to in intervals. Whatever the case, timers ensure accuracy. You can use a timer on your iPhone, like the new iPhone 15 Pro Max, a smart speaker if you're at home, or, most conveniently, one of the best Apple Watches. Being able to set a timer anytime, anywhere, and glance at the running countdown right on your wrist can be useful, and the Apple Watch makes this easy. You can initiate a timer using either the app or by Siri voice command. You can even assign a name to a custom timer and set it as a favorite for instant access the next time you need it.

How to set a timer on Apple Watch

  1. Open the Timers app on your Apple Watch.
  2. Select from a preset duration, ranging from 1 minute up to 2 hours.
    Apple Watch home screen with the Timer icon selected.
    Apple Watch timer showing 1, 3, 5, and 10
    Apple Watch timer showing 15, 30 minutes and 1 and 2 hours.
  3. Tap the desired number, and a timer will begin counting down. It'll ding a few times in succession and display Done on the screen to let you know it's ready.
    Apple Watch timer screen with 1 minute selected.
    Apple Watch timer app with 1 minute and 55 seconds to go.
    Apple Watch timer app showing 1 minute done.
  4. You can also tap Custom and set your exact desired time, including hours, minutes, and right down to seconds, by moving each digital dial up or down until you get to the number you want.
  5. Tap Start, and it will begin counting down.
    Apple Watch timer app with custom time selected.
    Apple Watch timer app showing timer wheels to set.
    Apple Watch timer app with the time set to 18 minutes and start selected.
  6. Alternatively, you can use voice commands. Say “Hey Siri, set a timer for X minutes,” and it will commence from the Watch.

Tips for using the Timers app on Apple Watch

Once you've set a timer, it will show up under your recents list, so you can quickly tap it when you need it again. This is great for custom timers that are very specific to you. It’s also great if you’re doing serious training with the Apple Watch Ultra 2 and want to use the countdown timer to see if you can beat your personal record. (The Fitness app will also keep track of timing for activities if you’re really serious about your training.) If you want to ensure the custom timer is kept indefinitely, set it as a favorite by swiping to the left and tapping on the star.

Apple Watch timer screen showing a recent custom timer for 18 minutes.
Apple Watch custom timer showing 18 minutes with a star beside it as a favorite.
Apple Watch timer showing adding an 18 minute timer as a favorite.

You can stop a timer from running at any time, or even pause it if you need to step away for a moment. Tap the looping arrow image once a timer elapses to start it again if you want to keep going for the same duration of time.

Apple Watch timer app with 1 minute running and the X selected.
Apple Watch timer app with one minute going and the pause button selected.
Apple Watch timer app showing 1 minute done and the go again arrow selected.

Another neat option is the ability to give custom timers names, like “Pizza” or “1 Meter Sprint.” You can do this using Siri, with a command like “Hey Siri, set a timer for 18 minutes for Pizza.”

Apple Watch timer app showing the Siri bubble and a pizza timer running.
Apple Watch custom timer showing 18 minutes with a star beside it as a favorite.

There are endless possibilities for how you can use the Timers app on Apple Watch, including the newest models like the Apple Watch Series 9. The easiest way to use it is with Siri, but there are a lot of other methods to help you keep track of your training, cooking, and more.