Pomodoro Timer with Brown Noise
Short answer
This is a free Pomodoro timer with brown noise built in. Press start and focus for 25 minutes while a steady sound covers the noise around you. Then take a 5-minute break. After four rounds, take a longer break of 15 minutes. There is no signup, and it works on your phone.
The sound plays during focus time and stops for breaks. A soft chime marks each change.
Take your focus sound anywhere
A browser tab stops when your phone locks. BRW plays brown noise offline, with the screen off.
What Is the Pomodoro Technique?
The Pomodoro Technique is a simple way to work or study in short, focused rounds. Francesco Cirillo made it in the late 1980s, and he named it after his tomato-shaped kitchen timer (“pomodoro” is Italian for tomato) [1].
The classic plan is easy to remember:
- Choose one task.
- Focus on it for 25 minutes. No phone, no email.
- Take a 5-minute break.
- After four rounds, take a longer break of 15 to 30 minutes.
How to Use This Timer
Press Start focus. The timer counts down, and brown noise starts. When the round ends, a soft chime plays, the sound stops, and your break starts on its own. After the break, the next round starts.
Change the times. 25 minutes is the classic round. If you find it hard to start, try 15 minutes. For deep work, try 50 or 90 minutes.
Change the sound. Choose brown, pink or white noise, or no sound. Set the volume low, just loud enough to cover the sounds around you.
Keep the page open. On many phones, the timer keeps the screen on during a round. If your phone locks, the browser stops the sound. The BRW app keeps playing with the screen off.
Why Use Brown Noise While You Focus?
A steady sound covers the sudden sounds that pull you away from your task: a door, a car, a phone in the next room. When there is a steady sound, these changes stand out less.
Brown noise is deep and soft, like a strong waterfall. Many people find it easier to listen to for a long time than white noise, which is hissy.
One honest limit: brown noise is not good at covering voices. If people are talking near you, pink or white noise covers speech better. Read more about this on the brown noise for focus page.
Noise is not a brain boost. A review of many studies found a small help from white or pink noise for some young people with attention problems, but the effect was small and not the same for everyone [2]. See brown noise for ADHD for the full picture.
Tips for Studying with a Pomodoro Timer
Write down the task before you start. “Read chapter 3” is better than “study”.
Keep a note for distractions. If you think of something else, write it down and go back to the task. Deal with it in the break.
Really take the break. Stand up, drink water, look out of a window. Do not use the break to read messages for 20 minutes.
Count your rounds. After a few days, you know how many rounds a task takes. This makes it easier to plan.
What Is Free, and What the App Adds
The timer is free and has no limit. The sound on this site plays for up to 30 minutes a day. That is the same for every player on the site. After that, the timer keeps going without sound.
A web page is not a good place for sound that must play for hours, because a phone stops a browser tab when the screen locks. The BRW app plays offline, with the screen off and while you use other apps, and it has brown, pink, white, blue and green noise.
References
- The Pomodoro Technique. Francesco Cirillo. pomodorotechnique.com
- Nigg JT, Bruton A, Kozlowski MB, Johnstone JM, Karalunas SL. Systematic review and meta-analysis: Do white noise or pink noise help with task performance in youth with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder or with elevated attention problems? Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. 2024;63(8):778–788. doi:10.1016/j.jaac.2023.12.014 · PubMed 38428577
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a Pomodoro timer?
A Pomodoro timer splits your work into short rounds. The classic plan is 25 minutes of focus, then a 5-minute break. After four rounds, you take a longer break of 15 to 30 minutes.
How long is one Pomodoro?
One Pomodoro is 25 minutes of focus. With the 5-minute break, a full round is 30 minutes. You can change the time in this timer to 15, 50 or 90 minutes.
Is brown noise good for studying?
Many people like it, because it covers sudden sounds and is soft to listen to. It is not good at covering voices. If people are talking near you, try pink or white noise. Noise does not make you smarter, and the research shows only small effects.
Does the timer work when my phone screen is off?
The timer keeps the correct time, but most phones stop the sound when the screen locks. On many phones, this page keeps the screen on during a round. For sound with the screen off, use the BRW app.
Is this Pomodoro timer free?
Yes. The timer is free, with no account and no limit. The sound plays for up to 30 minutes a day on this site.
What is the best Pomodoro time for ADHD?
There is no single best time. Many people with ADHD find a shorter round, such as 15 minutes, easier to start. Try different times and keep the one that works for you. For help with ADHD, talk to a doctor.