About the Handiwork Stopwatch
The Stopwatch is a precise, browser-based timer for workouts, study sessions, cooking, presentations, and anything else you need to time. Start, pause, and resume with a click or the spacebar, record lap and split times, and see your fastest and slowest laps highlighted automatically.
How to use the Handiwork Stopwatch
- Press Start (or the spacebar) to begin timing.
- Tap Lap to record split times while the clock keeps running.
- Pause to stop, Resume to continue, or Reset to clear everything.
Laps and split times explained
A lap (split) time is how long each segment took, while the total column shows the cumulative elapsed time when you pressed Lap. The stopwatch highlights your fastest lap in green and slowest in red, making it easy to spot your best and worst segments at a glance — useful for intervals, drills, and repeated tasks.
Keyboard shortcuts
Keep your hands on the keyboard: press Space to start or pause, L to record a lap, and R to reset. The shortcuts work whenever you are not typing in a text field, so you can time activities without reaching for the mouse.
Frequently asked questions
Does the stopwatch keep running in the background?
Yes. The stopwatch measures elapsed time from real timestamps, so it stays accurate even if the tab is in the background, and it catches up when you return.
Can I record lap times?
Yes. Press Lap (or the L key) while the stopwatch runs to record split times. Each lap shows its own duration and the total elapsed time, with the fastest and slowest laps highlighted.
How precise is the timer?
The display updates many times per second and shows hundredths of a second (centiseconds), which is plenty of precision for workouts, study sessions, and everyday timing.